Mast Climbing

[pecard]

On the recent AZAB when I found had to go up top the old fashioned way in a Bosuns chair about 500 miles NE of the Azores to reeve a new spinnaker halyard, I discovered how important it was to have both hands free to protect and manoeuvre yourself on the way up and down. We hove to, to hold the boat steady, which meant that we couldnt use the main track, and anyway, I found the main itself was a comforting soft surface to land on when I was swung away from the mast in the lurches that occurred.
I think I have worked out how to go up single handed, with hands free, using climbing gear, but how can I get down again? I do not want to use mast steps, or systems that use the main track, and the mast climber does not allow you to have both hands free at all times.
How did Ellen McArthur do it? I,ve read the book and seen the video - no clues there.

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[polarity]

Ellen like everone else uses 2 x Jumars on a tight line, and a crash hat!
Petzl product:
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://tinyurl.com/2drx6>http://tinyurl.com/2drx6</A>

There's a pic on p 301 of her book.

Also see Petit Bateau - the singlehanders group: <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.petitbateau.org.uk>http://www.petitbateau.org.uk</A> it was discussed recently .... getting down is slow!

The PB advice from one of the members:

"I hoist a line to the masthead with two halyards...

Use two pieces of mountaineering gear called "ascenders" to climb the
rope. One ascender attaches to a mountaineering seat harness, the
other attaches to a cpair of foot straps....called "etriers"

I inchworm my way up and settle in when I get there. Inchworm my way
back down again. It's really quite easy when you get the hang of it,
though I can't say I'd want to climb on Open 60 mast that wasy,
somewhere south of Kerguelen island.

The ATN topclimber is for all intents and purposes the same idea."


Paul

<hr width=100% size=1>Paul
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.polarity2.com>http://www.polarity2.com</A>
Class II OSTAR/Transat 2004<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by polarity on 03/01/2004 18:10 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[Hunter34]

Re:Figure 8

I use the same gear to go up the mast and a figure 8 to come down.
Ask in any climbing or caving shop and they will tell you exactly what you need and how best to use it.
Trying to come down using ascenders takes forever but sliding down with a figure 8 takes seconds.

Andrew

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[pecard]

Re:Figure 8

Thanks for that. I have actually tried the figure of eight for descent, but was a bit phased by transferring from the jumar holding my weight on one line to the figure of eight on another. I did this in the marina, and would be a bit scared of doing it at sea. Is there some system where you can jam your descent, and then release with your weight still on the rope?

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[pecard]

Thanks for that, but what about the hands free idea? Is that just a dream, or would it work with a piece of elasic between the two jumars, with the top jumar supported with a neck strap?

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[jimi]

The descendeur is a bad idea, fiddling around will be dangerous IMHO and you need a lot of slack in the rope for it to work, whereas you need the rope relatively slack free for the ascendeur to work. Best system I've found is an ascendeur and petzl shunt. Attach shunt to harness and keep raised by means of slings crossed across ones chest. Ascend by steeping in footsling attached to ascendeur, shunt will run up rope, lean back and it locks off,raise ascendeur and repeat process. Descend by reverse process ie stand in footsling ease shunt, lock, lower ascendeur .. repeat process.

Its the best and safest system I've devised..

NB use a screw lock krab to attach shunt to harness and have a safety line from a spare halyard the first few times you try it

<hr width=100% size=1>.. when's that again, but ..

 

[pecard]

That looks a much better idea. Thanks alot. I did not know about the petzel shunt, and as soon as I have managed to get one, I shall give it a try.

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[tome]

Jim

This sounds similiar to the Top Climber arrangement, which I find works very well for solo trips to the masthead. I only use it whilst alongside after a hairy experience with a passing ferry gave me a thick ear and smashed my camera.

Tom

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[BrendanChandler]

Re: Mast Climbing using blocks

I read an article in PBO some time ago about going aloft using a set of blocks. The double block was hauled aloft and the second block attached to bosun's chair. The person going aloft could use the mechanical advantage to get himself aloft whilst somebody else took in the slack round a winch.

Has anybody tried it?
Apart from the expense of the kit (which would be useful to pull a M.O.B. on board) are there any disadvantages?

Brendan

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http://hometown.aol.co.uk/brendanchandler/index.html

 

[polarity]

Re: Mast Climbing using blocks

Yes done it quite a bit singlehanded. You need a lot of rope if you have a tall mast. I found it usefull to have a jammer on the bottom block - but not rely on it!
Be very carefull what you wrap the tail around though as if it gets jammed getting down can be a problem..
PAul

PS
One of the most useful tips I came across was for working at the masthead, take a strop with a foot loop on each end, and hang it over the top of the mast, then you can stand up and see what you are doing after you have run out of halyard. Make sure you are well secured to your chair, or better back it up with a harness.

<hr width=100% size=1>Paul
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.polarity2.com>http://www.polarity2.com</A>
Class II OSTAR/Transat 2004

 

[WayneS]

Hi Jimi

I appreciate that this is resurecting an old post but I have a Q for you.

I was at a climbing shop earlier today to try to put together a system to allow me to climb my mast single handed. They came up with a solution using (In conjunction with a Riggers harness and foot straps) a single ascender and a "dead mans handle" (I think that is what they called it.) So foot straps on the ascender and the harness on this other device.

The reason why they suggested this rather than 2 ascenders is so that the dead mans handle can be used as an ascender on the way up but then gives you a method of controlled decent.

What do you think?

Cheers

Wayne


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[jimi]

depends what the dead man's handle is .. there's at least 2 possibilities I can think of 1) a grigri (not entirely suitable and quite expensive)

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or
2) a shunt

I use an ascendeur and a shunt

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[WayneS]

Cheers Jimi.

Nope, it's not any of those. Having searched the web it looks like it is called a Stop Descender.

Here it is http://www.cavediggers.com/Anthron.pdf

Cheers

Wayne

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[BrendanS]

If that's what they suggested, probably ideal for a beginner who doesn't want to learn lots of climbing and descending techniques.

If there is a climbing wall nearby, I'd suggest you go there and practice first with people around who know what they are doing. You'll get lots of advice and help

<hr width=100% size=1>Me transmitte sursum, caledoni

 

[jimi]

I have no personal experience of this device, however it looks to be a complicated abseil device. My suspicion is that there is far too much friction in it to be of any practical use when ascending.

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