Is it safe to climb the mast when the boat is ashore in a cradle?

[greeny]

If my vertical weight down on the mast was going to make it topple, I'd be worried in anything more than a breeze. I don't tend to use it as a swing while I'm up there. Maybe some others do?

 

[penberth3]

I leave mast climbing to the experts.

Good idea.

This is the safe way to do it:

 

[Tamar]

Good idea.

This is the safe way to do it:
View attachment 102911

I remember hauling a guy up my mast a while back, at the top a spanner he had in his pocket fell out, bounced on the deck and missed me by inches.

 

[penberth3]

I remember hauling a guy up my mast a while back, at the top a spanner he had in his pocket fell out, bounced on the deck and missed me by inches.

I once had a glancing blow from a claw hammer. Since then I've always worn a helmet or kept well clear, or both!

 

[johnalison]

I’ve only done it once, and had no worries at the time. I find it hard to think what additional risk there would be, even f I had swung myself out a bit o reach the cap shrouds.

 

[jwilson]

If a boat is so poorly supported ashore that someone climbing or being hoisted up the mast endangers the boat's stability you are at very serious risk walking anywhere near it with no-one up the mast on a breezy day. With a boat on a good cradle I think it's actually safer than afloat, and plenty of professional riggers are happy to go up with boats ashore.

 

[cherod]

What would plans B and C involve?
The rational part of my brain was reasonably satisfied that it was a viable plan, but the extent of the plan was:
Is the boat adequately supported - yes
Does the bosun's chair appear to be adequate - yes
Do I have a suitable rope? - yes, the mainsail halyard which appears ok although I do intent to replace as they are of unknown age and type
Do I have a suitably competent person to control the rope - yes
Are the weather conditions favourable - well there was about 18 knots of wind so arguably not perfect but I doubt I would create really significant windage, even 50+ feet up.

i see mention of the bosuns chair , only ?,, you should have two independent ropes, get a saftey harness and rig that seperately , then you are good to go .. but not in a wind.

 

[sarabande]

In my yard in France people often climb masts of boats ashore. Amateurs and professionals do it.

The boats are supported by props:

Pognard (lovely boat BTW, almost as nice as mine ) I wonder if those props could do with extension tubes along the ground to spread the "wheelbase " another 2 - 3 feet outside Bmax ?

I tend to be a bit cautious about tippy things.
....

 

[peter gibbs]

We managed to get the genoa halyard jammed at the top of the mast, whilst attempting to remove the genoa from the rotor furler. My fault; lesson learned. The boat is on the hard in a sturdy cradle.

The boatyard lent us a bosun's chair, but once at the foot of the mast, looking upward, in a fresh breeze, my bottle went. Logic tells me that as long as I keep my weight over the mast step, nothing untoward will happen, however I didn't feel happy about it.

So ended up leaving the sail up, imperfectly furled, with a spare halyard wrapped around it to give a bit of extra security. I feel somewhat ashamed that I didn't get up the mast and sort the problem, but it seemed a lot more scary than when the boat is afloat.

The yard have said they will get it sorted on the first day of light winds; fair play to them!

Is it ok to climb the mast when out of the water? What do people think?

Assuming your boat weighs in at 5+ tonnes, the stability of the vessel when properly chocked is assured. You will be close to the centre point at all times so not material to the stability of the vessel. I sympathise with how the climb looks - ever more so when you're up there imagining which boat you will crash down on any minute if the worst happens - but it won't. Don't go up in any breeze above 5; it all gets more difficult to control when that's the case.

You can of course use two halyards to neighbouring anchor points to add stability / endow yourself with more hope of survival!

What you use to climb can contribute a lot to your feeling secure and able to work at height. In the case you describe you will need to free both hands so must have a strop to anchor yourself to the mast top.

Although I climb my mast at least once a year to inspect it thoroughly, I don't advocate climbing to anyone not confident they can control the descent - going up seems so much easier.! A broken leg on an uncontrolled descent is a game changer - not worth it.

Anyhow, if your yard is about to fix your problem, you've got it made. Money well spent.

PWG

 

[dansaskip]

Ive done it lots of times both using a halyard to ascend with a climbing harness and jammers also up mast steps but always use a harness and a shunt (for safety) on a tied off halyard. Don't like doing it when its windy though.

 

[Spirit (of Glenans)]

The contract with my yard prohibits climbing the mast. Riggers I think also won't do it because of insurance limitations (or so I was told). But I get up earlier than most people start work and if needs be am willing to feign ignorance / ask forgiveness.

Present them with a fat accomplice

 

[savageseadog]

I leave mast climbing to the experts.

The pro rigger at Conwy (Wales) took a nasty fall a couple of years ago

Man seriously injured after Conwy Marina mast fall

 

[William_H]

To the OP no shame in nervousness to climb a mast. Just accept your limitations. If you are like me you are likely to get the skakes and be pretty ineffectual for all but the simplest of jobs. (like retreiving a halyard) Having said that it is probably safer in the cradle than on the water. (more stable) You might find that there other jobs on the mast top and it worthwhile dropping the mast. Or let someone else have a go. ol'will

 

[LittleSister]

Is it ok to climb the mast when out of the water? What do people think?

Yes.

On one occasion riggers refused to climb the mast of my previous 23 footer unless it was out of the water and propped up!

The main dangers of climbing a mast are (a) falling; (b) dropping tools or parts on persons on deck below you; (c) injuring yourself by collision/abrasion/cutting/trapping fingers etc.; and (d) getting stuck up there. If the boat is properly and normally supported, climbing the mast will make no significant difference to its stability, in my view.

 

[coopec]

The contract with my yard prohibits climbing the mast. Riggers I think also won't do it because of insurance limitations (or so I was told). But I get up earlier than most people start work and if needs be am willing to feign ignorance / ask forgiveness.

I've just been going through the comments an I'm sure climbing masts is banned in Australia under Work Safe Regulations. I'll keep checking but to date the nearest I've found is:

Going up
Do it while the boat is afloat. Most boatyards ban climbing the mast of a boat on the hard and for good reason. A keel boat propped up ashore is defying gravity and your weight jerking around aloft can cause it to lose balance.

 

[Iliade]

If the boat is well propped you could dance a jig up top without causing it to topple. However, if the stillages have been inexpertly placed or 'adjusted' a few times by someone perhaps inexperienced at propping boats (the owner) say to antifoul, then you are taking your life in your hands, not to mention those of anyone nearby too. (Far from the first to die this way.)

I did once have a ten or twenty ton axle stand split and drop the lorry it was supporting when a very large generator alongside it ran away to the point of disintegration. But that was on a very solid concrete slab and most yacht engines are incapable of creating such a seismic presence. Maybe don't try it in an earthquake zone...

 

[PilotWolf]

Never been up a yacht mast - a few feet up a motor boat.

When I was a member of the high line rescue team nothing really bothered me. Now is a different matter! I did tower cranes at hundreds of feet and here with a friends business up antenna towers.

We went to dinner a couple of years ago at a 71 storey place - the urinal had a window next to it. - guaranteed to make you go!

Also stayed in a hotel with glass elevators that went to our room on the 14th floor or there abouts . I nearly died from fear!

W

 

[coopec]

If the boat is well propped you could dance a jig up top without causing it to topple. However, if the stillages have been inexpertly placed or 'adjusted' a few times by someone perhaps inexperienced at propping boats (the owner) say to antifoul, then you are taking your life in your hands, not to mention those of anyone nearby too. (Far from the first to die this way.)

I did once have a ten or twenty ton axle stand split and drop the lorry it was supporting when a very large generator alongside it ran away to the point of disintegration. But that was on a very solid concrete slab and most yacht engines are incapable of creating such a seismic presence. Maybe don't try it in an earthquake zone...

I've built up my own props as I am building on the back lawn so ordinary props would be useless in a wind.

When I was talking to the Marina Manager (where I will launch my boat) he took one look at a photo of them and said he would buy them!! They are completely adjustable width wise and of course height-wise by using Acrow props.

 

[jordanbasset]

I've been up the mast of my cat when ashore. Big advantage is that the boat doesn't rock! Your boat in a cradle should be fine. The off putting bit is that it seems further to fall but I suspect that afloat or ashore you will hit the deck first ...

That should make them more confident

 

[Poignard]

I've built up my own props as I am building on the back lawn so ordinary props would be useless in a wind.

When I was talking to the Marina Manager (where I will launch my boat) he took one look at a photo of them and said he would buy them!! They are completely adjustable width wise and of course height-wise by using Acrow props.

View attachment 102948

I wish I had that in my back garden! I wish I had some sunshine in my back garden!

Tell us about your project, please.