Mast climbing : possibility or not?

[alan_d]

When I go up to bed at night, I go up the steps. To hell with all the faffing about with bits of rope. ?

You sleep at the top of your mast?

 

[mikegunn]

Just ruminating (for a single hander) :

Halliard taken round a block at the base of the mast forward to the windlass pawl and the bitter end brought back to the mast climber who threads through a block (on his belt ?) with a cleat.

He then operates the windlass with a remote.

Don’t even think about it! It’s an accident waiting to happen.
I use a ”Topclimber” to climb solo. It’s a very simple bit of kit which is easy to maintain and check. I use a dedicated climbing line which I attach to the main halyard. Again, easy to keep in good condition and check before use. As a contingency I wear a chest harness attached to a spare halyard with a Prussik knot. It’s not quick however. in reality it takes me about twenty minutes to ascend my mast, but with very little effort. Another advantage of the “Topclimber” is its slab seat which is surprisingly comfortable if one needs to spend an hour or so at one‘s masthead. IMHO there is a lot to be said for a system which eliminates any possibility of a third party’s involvemen. Be that human or electronic.
Mike

 

[Poey50]

I've had NO experience of caving or climbing (except a trip down Wooky Hole and climbing trees as a lad) and I also think that slicing a taut rope with a Stanley knife is not a good idea, especially if you are hanging off of it ?

Clearly a man with natural aptitude.

 

[zoidberg]

Point 5 Gully on the Ben solo one perfect winter's day is my crowning achievement.

Aye, laddie, that'd be 'cos the hill was 'out of condition' an' no-one would come wi' you .
And you'll get nae brownie points for using your 12-point crampons and Pterodactyl ice-hammers on a thin Selden mast.....

I'm wondering if this fellah hasn't got it sussed.....

 

[Gary Fox]

I saw a video somewhere of someone with a junk rig using the battens like a ladder to climb the mast. Admittedly only useful if the halyard is working, but innovative.

I have seen an athletic man scramble up the mast hoops of a large gaff cutter

 

[LittleSister]

I have seen an athletic man scramble up the mast hoops of a large gaff cutter

I had a rigger climb the aluminium mast of my former Hurley 22 using just hands and crossed feet - no ropes or other kit used at all!

He reached up and gripped the mast with his hands and pulled his feet up, then gripped with his feet and pushed his hands up, then repeat. Fast, too: he was up and down again in no time.

 

[jimi]

UKC Forums - how to get off a ships mast?

Good point about hoisting the rope climbed to two halyards, think I’ll set aside a bit of rope specifically for that.

 

[Frogmogman]

I seem to recall reading advice never to use an electric winch for mast climbing, even if you have an assistant on deck, following an accident causing injury where the deck assistant lost control of the winch. I can't remember the details, but presumably the control stuck on or off, or was accidentally reversed.

Using one for mast climbing single-handed via a remote would seem to be asking for big trouble.

Was it that horrendous incident in Jolly Harbour , Antigua, you were thinking about ?

The advice was not to use the self tailing rather than not using an electric winch.

Lewmar investigates hand-severing incident - Yachting Monthly

 

[Sandy]

Aye, laddie, that'd be 'cos the hill was 'out of condition' an' no-one would come wi' you .
And you'll get nae brownie points for using your 12-point crampons and Pterodactyl ice-hammers on a thin Selden mast.....

I'm wondering if this fellah hasn't got it sussed.....

A walk in the park!

Still got my Pterodactyl ice-hammer in the loft. Perhaps a museum might like it.

 

[newtothis]

I had a rigger climb the aluminium mast of my former Hurley 22 using just hands and crossed feet - no ropes or other kit used at all!

He reached up and gripped the mast with his hands and pulled his feet up, then gripped with his feet and pushed his hands up, then repeat. Fast, too: he was up and down again in no time.

i saw a pro rigger go up the mast on a 40 footer is a similar manner. He had a rope on and was being tailed by a colleague, but somehow managed to just shimmy up the shrouds and mast. Took what seemed like 30 seconds to get to the top. The rope was just for safety.

 

[Poignard]

I have one of these Mast Ladder - Hurst Marine

It has slides that fit into the mainsail track.

I have never used it but I once lent it to someone and, because the slides wouldn't fit into his track, he just hoisted it and climbed up with it hanging loose.

 

[Stemar]

I had a rigger climb the aluminium mast of my former Hurley 22 using just hands and crossed feet - no ropes or other kit used at all!

I've watch Jerry the Rigger do the same. His secret weapon was a pair of rubber wellies that gripped the mast. I've no intention to try it - he's younger and fitter than me, yet he's still trying to retire

 

[jimi]

A walk in the park!

Still got my Pterodactyl ice-hammer in the loft. Perhaps a museum might like it.

I've still got my Chouinard Ice Pick somewhere (1972ish vintage) ;-)

 

[Blueboatman]

You need to hoist a barrel load of building bricks up to the top, then hold on to the halyard
and let it off the winch.
Easy and er, quite quick? ?

(With a nod to anyone who remembers the lyrics to Pat Cooksey’s The sick note)

Bugga! ?I see that Doug748 got there first with the Gerald Hoffnung version...

 

[rogerthebodger]

Simple climbing masts it the same as climbing a coconut tree

Use rock climbing shoes to get a better grip on the smooth mast.

 

[zoidberg]

Simple climbing masts it the same as climbing a coconut tree

Use rock climbing shoes to get a better grip on the smooth mast.

Naw! Crampons are cheaper.....

 

[rogerthebodger]

Naw! Crampons are cheaper.....

Won't crampons damage the mast. They may work on a wooden mast but would the crampons dig into an aluminum mast ?

 

[jimi]

Layback up the mast track, if your fingers don't fit dry tool it ;-)

 

[Lucy52]

jimi said: "dry tool it ;-)

Then buy a new mast as the sail keeps popping out of the track. lol

 

[LittleSister]

Was it that horrendous incident in Jolly Harbour , Antigua, you were thinking about ?

The advice was not to use the self tailing rather than not using an electric winch.

Lewmar investigates hand-severing incident - Yachting Monthly

Quite possibly. Apologies if it was, and hence my recollection was faulty.