Rigger wants to use crane for rig inspection

[Bathdave]

I am looking to engage a rigger to tweak my rigging tension and adjust the forestay, following a standing rigging replacement last year

To my surprise he says ‘elf and safety mean that he will use crane (hired at my cost) as he won’t go up on a halyard

The riggers who replaced it did and all the ones I have seen do (using a second halyard as a safety line)

Is this the new norm?

 

[Ohlin Karcher]

No it isn't the new norm! Find a real rigger!
In fact, if you were going to hire a crane, why not hire a cherry picker instead and do the job yourself in your own good time?

 

[LadyInBed]

I am looking to engage a rigger to tweak my rigging tension and adjust the forestay, following a standing rigging replacement last year .

I would question why he feels the need to be at the top of the mast to adjust the rigging.

 

[Ohlin Karcher]

I would question why he feels the need to be at the top of the mast to adjust the rigging.

If the boat is on the hard standing, you can have a nasty fall, so even to adjust the turnbuckles he might want the crane anyway.

 

[Daydream believer]

If the boat is on the hard standing, you can have a nasty fall,

What is the difference between crashing from 14 metres up down to the deck when the boat is in the water & crashing 14 metres onto the deck when it is on dry land?
Must be easier for the undertaker to cart the body away from the hard standing than dragging it up the ramp from the pontoon first. Especially if it is all wet and soggy as well.

 

[dom]

I am looking to engage a rigger to tweak my rigging tension and adjust the forestay, following a standing rigging replacement last year

To my surprise he says ‘elf and safety mean that he will use crane (hired at my cost) as he won’t go up on a halyard

As a matter of interest, what is the boat, and what kind of rig is it; i.e. continuous/discontinuous, rod, etc?

And what exactly do you want done to the forestay? If it's just tension tweaking a continuous rig I have no idea what he's on about.

Also, is the boat in the water at the moment? Lots of yards don't permit rig climbing ashore.

 

[Poignard]

I have been up my mast using a halyard, and a Get-Up mast ladder, and I once went up in a boatswain's chair suspended from a crane jib. The latter method was quick, convenient and effortless but you are completely dependent on the crane driver: a moments carelessness by him and you can be seriously injured.

 

[johnalison]

A crane seems a bit excessive but I imagine that a rigger would have his practices sorted out. One option, which I have only seen in Kroslin, is to have a permanent ladder like this. It might not suit all masts and would work better in a locked basin, but it looks convenient and safe.

 

[Daydream believer]

A crane seems a bit excessive but I imagine that a rigger would have his practices sorted out. One option, which I have only seen in Kroslin, is to have a permanent ladder like this. It might not suit all masts and would work better in a locked basin, but it looks convenient and safe.

That looks dangerous, because, from the picture, there appears to be a lack of lateral support to the ladder. What stops it swinging sideways in the event of a slip?

 

[Poignard]

That looks dangerous, because, from the picture, there appears to be a lack of lateral support to the ladder. What stops it swinging sideways in the event of a slip?

The feet seem to be widely spaced apart giving adequate lateral support. Also the contraption is not resting on the mast but is retained by its two backstays, so there us nothing to slip from.

I would be happy to use it.

 

[johnalison]

The feet seem to be widely spaced apart giving adequate lateral support. Also the contraption is not resting on the mast but is retained by its two backstays, so there us nothing to slip from.

I would be happy to use it.

I have another photo that shows additional braces very wide apart, so that it is quite secure. The cage looks well thought out too.

 

[Mistroma]

What is the difference between crashing from 14 metres up down to the deck when the boat is in the water & crashing 14 metres onto the deck when it is on dry land?
Must be easier for the undertaker to cart the body away from the hard standing than dragging it up the ramp from the pontoon first. Especially if it is all wet and soggy as well.

You'll probably bounce off the deck and drop another 2-3 metre on the hard, just to make absolutely certain.

Pretty certain that some yards won't allow mast climbing when out of the water. No righting effect from the keel as every part of the boat is above the centre of gravity (well it's sitting on the keel if you ignore the cradle). I imagine yards are worried about stressing the cradles and their liability in event of failure.

 

[[70521]]

Why is the OP getting the rigging tweaked on the hard?

 

[LadyInBed]

If the boat is on the hard standing, you can have a nasty fall, so even to adjust the turnbuckles he might want the crane anyway.

Am I missing something? Rigging turnbuckles are at deck level, so if the boat is in the water the rigger just kneels down to adjust them. If on the hard, the deck won't be much more than four meters from the ground.

 

[Resolution]

Am I missing something? Rigging turnbuckles are at deck level, so if the boat is in the water the rigger just kneels down to adjust them. If on the hard, the deck won't be much more than four meters from the ground.

Depends whether the rigging is continuous or discontinuous. The OP didn't say.

 

[anoccasionalyachtsman]

Accurately adjusting the rig tension on a boat which is out of the water is a bit futile because it'll need to be done again once the keel is hanging down. It's the same problem you'd have with engine/shaft alignment changing as the boat bends.

 

[chrishscorp]

That looks dangerous, because, from the picture, there appears to be a lack of lateral support to the ladder. What stops it swinging sideways in the event of a slip?

Difficult to tell from that piccy, but is that not built into the paved surface, so the ladder is completely fixed. The stay wires at the top are simply to take out any flex on the ladder when someone is past the leg supports.
The ladder cage is standard on a permanent fixed ladder.
It looks a good idea a pretty quick and safe way to get up most masts.

 

[Malish]

Difficult to tell from that piccy, but is that not built into the paved surface, so the ladder is completely fixed. The stay wires at the top are simply to take out any flex on the ladder when someone is past the leg supports.
The ladder cage is standard on a permanent fixed ladder.
It looks a good idea a pretty quick and safe way to get up most masts.

I wish our marina had one...

 

[Poignard]

That looks dangerous, because, from the picture, there appears to be a lack of lateral support to the ladder. What stops it swinging sideways in the event of a slip?

"Near a sheer legs, lies poor Tom Bowling.... "

 

[Dutch01527]

Might be becoming the new norm. Only one rigger in my area and I asked him if he could pop up the mast and re run the topping lift which had been let go by accident. Answer was certainly but now need crane hire at £280 plus minimum of 1 hour labour £50 plus vat. Total of £396.

He is a good guy who has done a number of jobs for me but has recently been bought out by the local “Marine Group” so I assume that the new process and pricing is theirs. The pricing and inflexibility is in line with my previous experiences of them. When questioned the rigger said it was an employee insurance issue. Needless to say I politely declined his offer.