Learning to climb the mast

I saw some pictures recently of a single hander RTW having webbing loops sewn into the luff of the mainsail so you can climb up the windward side when heeled- now taht sounds like fun.

<hr width=100% size=1>Just enjoy it.
 
Redefining the word fun, there, I think!

However, did see the B&G are now marketing s remote for their autopilot so that you can change course whilst climbing the mast. A pic of our Ellen in the background doing just that.

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" As I understand it tying a rope under your arms is a no no. Dangling like that for even a limited period of time will cause death by suffocation"

This might be a myth - helicopters winch people up all the time using a strop under the arms, as long as it can't tighten like a noose you'll be fine.

<hr width=100% size=1>Rgds

Simon
Its Only Money
Fairline Sprint
Solent-based
 
Thanks to Jimi et al for offers - I will get something organised for half a dozen of us, maybe in the New Year now though. There doesn't seem to be any commercial training available.

Interesting debate about the choice of halyard. I understand why the main might be preferable, but if there is a problem with the mainsail (eg stuck up or down, in or out) then the halyard ain't a lot of use.

So the spinnaker or genoa becomes the only choice, unless of course a spare halyard is fitted for other purposes.

<hr width=100% size=1>I can't be bothered with a footnote - it's usually rubbish anyway.
 
I was just thinking how you'd feel spotting a container or something whilst up top and not being able to change course! Plus I've often wondered when wireless remotes would be the norm on all ap's? Loads of EMC testing though. Imagine the sat phone going off and causing a 180!

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Looks good Tom - if it can haul up that bearded weirdo, then it should be OK for me!

Need to think more about the dedicated line, though. More likely to fit a spare halyard, which can be used for this and other purposes, eg storm jib, etc.

<hr width=100% size=1>I can't be bothered with a footnote - it's usually rubbish anyway.
 
I keep a dedicated 10mm line in the bag which I tie to the halyard with a bowline. Other end goes to a primary winch via a snatch block. Hoist the line to the mast head then make off the halyard. Thread the climber onto the line, then tension it up using the winch.

Despite what they say, climbing aint that easy and I stop a couple of times on the way up for a breather (expect Jimi goes straight up like a monkey - I might just put my money on him in the 'Race'!).

Once up, it's comfortable and I use an additional harness to the mast head for safety.

One tip whilst aloft - take a digital camera with you and photograph every fitting etc. It's surprising what a detailed study of these at ground level can reveal, and how useful they are for future reference.

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Chris/Nick

We have a top climber. Wife bought it back from the States last week. I gave it a go on Sunday. It is hard work but that is only after one try out. Need more practice. In retrospect I think I would prefer the climbing type arrangement where you raise one leg at a time. With the top climber you sit down, raise your legs, raise the jammer, stand up, raise the other jammer etc and all this standing and sitting requires a level of fitness. Having said that, I like the idea that you can do this whilst under sail. You don't swing around as the halyard is fixed at the bottom. It also feels far more comfortable. A stiff seat means you are not getting your tackle cut off by the bosuns chair. Assuming the weather is ok on Saturday I will be going up again to bring down the rear backstay. (Aerial conversion.)

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It has to be the main halyard

I'm definitely a main-halliard user. The embedded sheave is a far more reassuring strong-point than the floating spinnaker halliard block. I don't expect to be swinging around while going up, that is a terrible no-no specially if one has to go up at sea. The mast itself provides easily the best way of holding oneself steady. Going up a shroud is far, far harder. Usually the task is on the mast itself, so the pull is vertical, though it may be necessary to work from the back of the mast on items at the front.

Sorry Ken, I think you are wrong on this one. SWMBO and I must have been up our mast 100 times or more over the years - we recently replaced all the standing rigging and fitted a new genoa furler with the mast standing - and have never had the least suspicion of the main halliard jumping off the sheave or getting stuck. Really, with a properly fitting through mast sheave this should be all but impossible.

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I've been up to the spreaders a couple of times and can confirm that you need to be fit. That said, I felt completely safe which is more than ever have done using a bosun's chair. MrsE has been to the top a couple of times, she is much fitter than me. We don't climb down just lower the whole caboodle via the winch.

All of this has reminded me that I promised myself a trip to the top before the end of year and as the boat is benig lifted on Monday I'm praying for F6+ at the weekend to have a good excuse to wait untl next year!

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Tou're wrong there have been several cases of climbers dying through suffocation due to chest compression as a result of dangling after falling off on steep rock with only a rope tied around their waist. They used to carry prussik loops so that a footsling could be stood in.

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This was back in the days of Don Whillans, pipes and flat caps, when they used hemp rope with a bowline tied around the waist, and had balls the size of footballs and made of brass. Scary stuff.

<hr width=100% size=1>Just enjoy it.
 
why not, with JohnM at the top of the mast it would give you a chance to inspect the mast head fittings and the keel at the same time?

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Use the main halyard plus topping lift for back-up.

Always securely lock-off the tail whilst working, never rely on self-tailing arms on winches and clam-cleats only.

Ensure the down-below members of the team are well briefed, totally familiar with the hardware and guard the cleated ends of the hoist whilst someone is aloft.

Make doubly sure they can ease the halyard round the drum whilst under load to lower you, without dropping you.

Best done with 2 in attendance down below, in case either has a mental blockage.

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I've only tried winching my man up the mast in a bosuns chair once- not a success. Forgive me if I'm stating the obvious,and teaching to suck eggs etc but make sure all points in the system are strong enough to take the load. We tried using a chair on a halyard (can't remember which one!) but as the winch at the mast wasn't big enough, we ran the halyard through a deck mounted block to the primary winch- still very hard work, then the deck mounted block broke dropping him a few feet very suddenly. (had a safety line on, but I needed 2 hands for the winch)

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