Topclimber

Can I have a demo on my boat in Hayling? and while you are there can you flick the bird sh** off my wind indicator. Bloody starlings have gummed it up!

On a serious note, don't you swing about when climbing?

Gareth
 
The tighter you get the climbing rope the better and preferably use a rope with as little stretch as possible. Where I attach the rope all depends on where I want to go. If its the top then I attach the climbing rope well away from the mast. I try to visualise where the rope is best suited so I collide at the right point on the mast. I have tried straight down which works for the foot part but not so well for the hand part as you can crush your hand between the rope and the mast. Generally though the more you practice the easier it becomes. Coming down is a little slower and the technique a little more tricky. Always wear sailing gloves and shoes.

In answer to the other question because I angle the climbing line away from the mast you end up hanging more than swinging around.
 
Can you get up (and down!) the mast with this single handed? I've just read the article in YM comparing different products/methods; It started by referring to the need to get up the mast without help but nearly all the bits on each product referred to having someone else tail a line or whatever.
 
I use the Topclimber for getting up and down when single handed. However, I supplement the strops for the feet with Graemes MastaClimba.
The rigid foot holds make it much easier for getting up. Once up though I use the foot strops of the Topclimber to get back down.
With crew around I use the seat from the Topclimba and the MastaClimba for the feet.
I use the 12mm Spinnaker Halyard attached close to the foot of the mast and winched tight.
 
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I use an arrangement of 2 ascenders and a bosun's chair, similar to a Topclimber. Single handed is OK, but wouldn't dare do it at sea!
Two points. I haul up a dedicated 12mm rope, to avoid possible damage to an expensive halyard from the ascender teeth, probably not essential though.
Stretch is a problem for the initial lift off from the deck, I launch myself from a small step-ladder, say 1/2 metre high to avoid finishing up in a fully knees-bent position as soon as my weight is put fully on the rope.
Obviously, Dyneema is best. I was amazed by how much ~14 stone stretched a 12mm. rope.
PS; IMHO it's not as effortless as some would make out!
 
Talulah said:
I use the Topclimber for getting up and down when single handed. However, I supplement the strops for the feet with Graemes Masterclimba.
The rigid foot holds make it much easier for getting up. Once up though I use the foot strops of the Topclimber to get back down.
With crew around I use the seat from the Topclimba and the Masterclimba for the feet.
I use the 12mm Spinnaker Halyard attached close to the foot of the mast and winched tight.
Click to expand...

May I gently correct a spelling inaccuracy?

There is a product called a Masterclimber but it ain't mine! Mine is the MastaClimba and I wouldn't want people looking at others!

The bunch of orders we have received this morning is now explained. I knew nothing about the review but will now fork out for a YM.

(Incidentally, there is no "swinging about" with a MastaClimba!).

Talulah, abseil down - it's safe and fast. (You hook on the abseil line when you arrive at the top.)
 
Talulah said:
Spelling fixed but you'll have to explain the abseil line.
Click to expand...

On my boat, I always (so far anyway!) climb with someone on the winch.

However, after many requests for a single-handed method, I tried various suicidal techniques before arriving at our current recommended practice.

Climbing has always been straightforward with an ascender or the like attached to the harness or chair.

Our recommended technique for descending now is to take a line with you on the ascent. When finished at the top, tie the line to the halyard the ascent line is attached to. Take this line through a figure-of-eight (I use an Anka) which is also attached to the chair/harness. Stand up to release the load on the ascender and take your weight on the abseil line. Transfer your weight to that. Unhitch the ascender, lift your feet off the MastaClimba and abseil down.

For added safety, you can use the ascender between stops moving it down each foot or so.

When on the deck, lower the halyard to retrieve the MastaClimba and the top of the abseil line.

As for many things in life, it is much easier to demonstrate than it is to explain.
 
Graham_Wright said:
Our recommended technique for descending now is to take a line with you on the ascent. When finished at the top, tie the line to the halyard the ascent line is attached to
Click to expand...

Why not just send both lines up together? That's what I did the handful of times I climbed up with an ascender (gonna buy a ladder for next time I think). I have a length of climber's static twice the height of the mast, which I doubled and tied the halyard into the middle of. One side was secured to the deck and tightened, the other left loose. I'd climb up the first one and then abseil down the second. I also had the 10mm topping lift attached to my harness and tailed separately by a friend as backup.

Pete
 
prv said:
Why not just send both lines up together? That's what I did the handful of times I climbed up with an ascender (gonna buy a ladder for next time I think). I have a length of climber's static twice the height of the mast, which I doubled and tied the halyard into the middle of. One side was secured to the deck and tightened, the other left loose. I'd climb up the first one and then abseil down the second. I also had the 10mm topping lift attached to my harness and tailed separately by a friend as backup.

Pete
Click to expand...

In real life I do but, at shows, where most ascents are double-handed, an extra piece of string just complicates the demonstration.
 
Graham_Wright said:
In real life I do but, at shows, where most ascents are double-handed, an extra piece of string just complicates the demonstration.
Click to expand...

I forgot to add;- I use a carabiner attached to the harness/chair and clipped round the ascent line (above the MastaClimba!).

This keeps me in to the mast but, on the way down, accomplishes two rather more important things. (I am still referring to single handing).

Once the carabiner catches up with the MastaClimba, it sits on the foot rests. Contrary to expectation, because the load is now in the centre of the device, the brake blocks which normally lock onto the ascent line are not influenced by the lever action which performs the locking when climbing and it will slide. I.e. it descends with you.

With a gradual abseiling controlled descent, the MastaClimba will be tugged down with the rest of the kit. However, if there is a sudden drop, it will snatch and then bounce up and down rather like an inverted version of the toy climbing monkey. This will slow your descent to a safe, if jerky and uncomfortable, manner and probably save you in the pear-shaped scenario.
 
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