Mast climbing

[pagoda]

I noted he doesn't have anything to stop the foot loop device (Etrier) swinging around? I use a similar arrangement with 2 ascenders and an etrier and a climbing harness. The bottom of the etrier runs with a carabiner /sling on the line I am climbing. It reduces your feet swinging around as you stand up and move up the line. The two ascenders method is slower coming down, but nothing I do up the mast is done in a hurry.....

 

[thinwater]

I find webbing mast steps, like Mastmate, much faster. And yes, I've used acsenders for many thousands of feet; I just don't like them as much.

No, you don't have to remove the sail slugs; steps can be set free-flying so long as they are hauled tight.

 

[NormanS]

Mast steps make life so much simpler. ?

 

[V1701]

I've had a boat with mast steps before and they're brilliant, I could get up the mast like a rat up a drain pipe, but they did get in the way a bit sometimes. I use a Top Climber now, bought for a bargain price on ebay, the chandlers charge silly sums of money for them. I struggled using it the first time but got better with practice. I think webbing steps that you hoist up the mainsail track are a very good compromise...

 

[Aardee]

I need to go up the mast to install a new VHF antenna.

Is anyone at the marina likely to get upset??

I'm at Port Solent currently afloat.

I live in Port Solent and folks up masts is a very common sight

 

[Iliade]

I would always use a rope that goes over the masthead rather than attaches to a pulley which could come adrift. (I've broken a few of those over the years, usually by hoisting things far too heavy, but...)

 

[Refueler]

That's what I said wasn't it ;-)

Sorry ... it read as : "new 10mm line that I run through in place of the halyard "

 

[Sea-Fever]

I live in Port Solent and folks up masts is a very common sight

Thanks for the info...if you see someone up a Westerly ketch over the next couple weeks that'll be me