Mast climbing when singlehanded on the sea - is that heard off?

[Cerebus]

View attachment 199503


Made by a member of these pages, but not sure if he still does..

The OP asked if mast climbing had occurred (which was answered quickly) AND said they were not interested in how, but the thread has diverted into how regardless, so I suppose it is ok for me to divergent too?

So my post is: I saw this device some years ago on tv on Dragon’s Den.

 

[RunAgroundHard]

Link isn't working

Just search on FaceBook Cole Brauer Ocean. If you don't have FB the link won't work. I am not going to try and fix the link, sorry.

 

[Graham_Wright]

When exhibiting at SBS, I noticed a gentleman very quietly standing at the back of the crowd watching my MastaClimba demonstration.
After the crowd dispersed he diffidently approached and asked if it was possible to perform a single handed ascent.
I had devised such an ascent but it was rather more difficult than a double handed ascent.
As it took some time to explain and prepare for and as it was the end of a tiring day, I somewhat offhandedly asked if he was serious.
He declared he was.
Those familiar with the MastaClimba will know that, in essence, it is a rung of a ladder you take up with you, taking the effort out of the back up winch man who merely supports your weight between steps.
It is ideal for crumbly old gets like I am.
Single- handed the back-up winch man is replaced by the Ascender support. (Details don't add to the story!).
Ascent is straightforward with a reduction in safety. Descent is much more complicated.
I asked the gentleman if he was serious about a demonstration (I was tired!).
He declared he was.
The back-up winch man duty was/is repaced by the use of an Ascender. The Petzel variety are avaiable in left hand and right hand versions.
I asked which he preferred.
He then displayed only one arm.

He described a situation when, sailing from the Caribbean to the UK, he lost a mast overboard.
He spent 36 hours recovering it.
He then jury rigged it to reach the Azores where he improved it a little.
The he sailed to Fleetwood where he had it properly repaired.
All, literally, single handed.

It does puts things into perspective doesn't it?

 

[zoidberg]

Those aren't jumars, that's a via ferret lanyard which is not for climbing rope.

No, the device shown is not Jumars.

It is a Petzl-manufactured twin personal tether intended for the 'via ferrata' market which is big in Alpine countries, and now down in Devon. For the slow of wit, it was included specifically to pique interest and comment in twin tethers for boaty use.

 

[William_H]

Hi,
I recently sort of got in touch with someone who wants to prepare for singlehanded mast climbing while at sea. Did you ever heard about such experience? I presume its extremly rare.

PS.
I am not asking how. Just asking if anyone heard about such event

Yes it is done (has been done) No one says it is a good idea but sometimes needs must. I suggest you help you friend to set up and learn how to do it in port so that he is prepared to do it at sea if absolutely necessary. All assuming the boat is big enough ie stable with a man at the top of the mast. A small boat ie less than 24ft will just fall over with weight up there. I would rather drop the mast on a smaller boat. ol'will

 

[thinwater]

Yup, been there done that.

• You better know how with your eye closed.
• Practice on an easy day.

I have 40 years of serious rock climbing expereince, so it's sort of cheating. I know all the contingency tricks and a very comfortable working my way along the stays and slides (you need to hold on most times, not just get hoisted).

 

[zoidberg]

I know all the contingency tricks

Given your several backgroundings, howzabout sharing some con'trix and your take on the optimum jumars and 'gri-gri' descendeurs for mast-clambering?

 

[thinwater]

Given your several backgroundings, howzabout sharing some con'trix and your take on the optimum jumars and 'gri-gri' descendeurs for mast-clambering?

The problem with a rappel decent is that you can't hold on. You could swing anywhere.

For big masts (Open 60s) I've seen rope walking systems. I used a MastMate (yes, they can be set free of the track if they are set TIGHT) and a Camp Goblin. I've been using this for years on the boat and climbing, including a good many falls. The neat thing is that it tracks both up and down. The Petzel ASAP is similar in function.

Camp Goblin

Depending on the angle of heel and pitching, you hold around the mast, between the main sail sliders and the mast, and anything else that works.

 

[ducked]

Yes it is done (has been done) No one says it is a good idea but sometimes needs must. I suggest you help you friend to set up and learn how to do it in port so that he is prepared to do it at sea if absolutely necessary. All assuming the boat is big enough ie stable with a man at the top of the mast. A small boat ie less than 24ft will just fall over with weight up there. I would rather drop the mast on a smaller boat. ol'will

Could you amend that "less than 24 ft" to "24ft and under"?

Then I won't have to think about it (Trident 24)

 

[Iliade]

If you were to fall seriously onto the screamer (via ferrata lanyard) you might find yourself unable to reach your anchor point to get back down again...

We do have a couple of these which could be useful up the mast. I haven't actually used them yet, but my mate, the tree surgeon, demonstrated their worth to the extent that I went shopping.

Securing a runner onto a spare halyard would stop you being flung out from the mast.

I have used grigri and jumars afloat, but big fixed enclosed steps would be my preferred option at sea. Would also be useful for reef and wildlife spotting, which I wouldn't dream of doing dangling from a rope.

Alternatively, a friend's boat yacht had ratlines, which made climbing to the spreaders at sea literally childs' play.

 

[Boathook]

I made my own mast climber yeas ago. Makes going up easy, though I do prefer someone to tail the rope for the seat and to then let me down. It's had plenty of use over the years. The cam cleats are bolted through and the back of the climber has some rubber and bits of soft wood to stop the nuts from damaging the mast.

 

[Graham_Wright]

Yes it is done (has been done) No one says it is a good idea but sometimes needs must. I suggest you help you friend to set up and learn how to do it in port so that he is prepared to do it at sea if absolutely necessary. All assuming the boat is big enough ie stable with a man at the top of the mast. A small boat ie less than 24ft will just fall over with weight up there. I would rather drop the mast on a smaller boat. ol'will

I had to climb my Four 21 mast to fix a light. Wife swigged me up (she was a lot younger then!).
Arriving at the mast head, I advised I needed a screwdriver.
She stepped smartly onto the side deck.
I swung a good six feet sideways.
She timed her entry into the cockpit perfectly and caused an even bigger swing to the other side.
"Ah yes! I remember it well".

 

[plumbob]

I've heard of people doing it. Ellen MacArthur I believe did it, on a single handed round the world race once.

Dee Caffari did it in the Southern Ocean with a recorded windspeed of 98 knots. Also on her solo non stop RTW voyage.

 

[dansaskip]

The problem with a rappel decent is that you can't hold on. You could swing anywhere.

Just not true you only need one hand to control a rappel or abseil besides which use of feet and legs can stop or minimise swinging.

 

[dunedin]

Dee Caffari did it in the Southern Ocean with a recorded windspeed of 98 knots. Also on her solo non stop RTW voyage.

Are you sure about that. There are not many times that have 98knots of wind, even in the Southern Ocean. That would be way of the Beaufort scale beyond F12 - into F15.
Few boats even survive with a mast attached in such conditions in the Southern Ocean. If she did experience that I would expect she would need to be physically strapped into her bunk below decks.
Climbing a mast in 98knots would not just be suicidal but physically impossible.

 

[thinwater]

Just not true you only need one hand to control a rappel or abseil besides which use of feet and legs can stop or minimize swinging.

I've rappelled thousands of times on nice days and in blizzards. Good luck to you. That will work on a nice day at the crag, but not on a pitching boat. You could test it by letting someone run around with the tail of the rope on the deck. Your feet won't do anything and I doubt one hand will do much. What are you going to hold onto, with one hand, as you slide, without letting go?

 

[dansaskip]

I've rappelled thousands of times on nice days and in blizzards. Good luck to you. That will work on a nice day at the crag, but not on a pitching boat. You could test it by letting someone run around with the tail of the rope on the deck. Your feet won't do anything and I doubt one hand will do much. What are you going to hold onto, with one hand, as you slide, without letting go?

Like you I have abseiled in all sorts of circumstances. I was a climber with the highest possible professional qualifications for over 3 decades, crags, alpine peaks,high altitude peaks, and worked in difficult access civil engineering have also been up (and down) masts many times so I reckon I know what I am talking about. I did not say it is easy, but there is plenty to hang on to, halyards, shrouds, the mast, you can wrap your legs around the mast, etc. Anyone with any sense will also use a backup to the descending device. One of the various prussik knots, a shunt or other similar device, so It matters not whether you have to let go of the abseil rope.

 

[thinwater]

Like you I have abseiled in all sorts of circumstances. I was a climber with the highest possible professional qualifications for over 3 decades, crags, alpine peaks,high altitude peaks, and worked in difficult access civil engineering have also been up (and down) masts many times so I reckon I know what I am talking about. I did not say it is easy, but there is plenty to hang on to, halyards, shrouds, the mast, you can wrap your legs around the mast, etc. Anyone with any sense will also use a backup to the descending device. One of the various prussik knots, a shunt or other similar device, so It matters not whether you have to let go of the abseil rope.

There you go.

Just so long as they understand it's not simple.

A few more things:

• A foam water ski-type PFD is a good idea. You can get swung around a bit. A foam PFD also makes hugging the mast more comfortable. A helmet too. Some wear knee pads.
• Take a few climbing slings and carabiners to secure yourself in position. Unlike at the dock, you will not be able to let go and work with both hands unless you are tied in place.

 

[Buck Turgidson]

For the op, if you look on YouTube at the vendee globe teams you will see several of them going up at sea. They all use similar climbing ascenders and grigri type belays,
I've done it twice in the marina, once to see if I could and a second time to do some work at the spreaders.
It's not too difficult if you are organised and go slowly but it does take physical effort.
I'm a lot less inclined to do it since my heart surgery but if I had to at sea I probably would suck it up and get on with it.

 

[Cerebus]

Hi,
I recently sort of got in touch with someone who wants to prepare for singlehanded mast climbing while at sea. Did you ever heard about such experience? I presume its extremly rare.

PS.
I am not asking how. Just asking if anyone heard about such event

returning to post 1, and to keep things aligned and simple, the answer is obviously “yes”, and it is not rare.