Up the mast

[ap073]

I have been up masts many times on boats between 28ft and 65ft. I now need to go up the mast on my own boat, a Vivacity 650, length 6.5m.
Everything on my boat looks so much smaller than on previous masts that I have climbed, eg, mast thickness, halyard thickness, maybe even rigging thickness.
How small does a boat have to be before the mast/rigging/halyards (any or all of these) will no longer support the weight of a large man?
I know that my boat is in good condition, and I am 99% confident that I will have no problems, but it is that 1% doubt that bothers me!

 

[wklein]

I have been up masts many times on boats between 28ft and 65ft. I now need to go up the mast on my own boat, a Vivacity 650, length 6.5m.
Everything on my boat looks so much smaller than on previous masts that I have climbed, eg, mast thickness, halyard thickness, maybe even rigging thickness.
How small does a boat have to be before the mast/rigging/halyards (any or all of these) will no longer support the weight of a large man?
I know that my boat is in good condition, and I am 99% confident that I will have no problems, but it is that 1% doubt that bothers me!

Its a little bit iffy, does the mast have a tabernackle as some do? Saw this on the owners association website:
http://www.ek96.dial.pipex.com/v650/gallery/ppview.htm?./v177/009.jpg&Mast%20step
Might be better to drop mast and do what you want.

 

[jwilson]

I have been up masts many times on boats between 28ft and 65ft. I now need to go up the mast on my own boat, a Vivacity 650, length 6.5m.
Everything on my boat looks so much smaller than on previous masts that I have climbed, eg, mast thickness, halyard thickness, maybe even rigging thickness.
How small does a boat have to be before the mast/rigging/halyards (any or all of these) will no longer support the weight of a large man?
I know that my boat is in good condition, and I am 99% confident that I will have no problems, but it is that 1% doubt that bothers me!

I know the Vivacity 650, and would not go up the mast. I'd lower the mast.

 

[Caer Urfa]

I have been up masts many times on boats between 28ft and 65ft. I now need to go up the mast on my own boat, a Vivacity 650, length 6.5m.
Everything on my boat looks so much smaller than on previous masts that I have climbed, eg, mast thickness, halyard thickness, maybe even rigging thickness.
How small does a boat have to be before the mast/rigging/halyards (any or all of these) will no longer support the weight of a large man?
I know that my boat is in good condition, and I am 99% confident that I will have no problems, but it is that 1% doubt that bothers me!

I Guess your mast will be about 10m high, if it's a job near the spreaders then consider using a ladder from the bow to the cross trees, if the job is at the top of the mast we usually go alongside a quay wall at the lowest tide (but still afloat) and you will find you can lean the boat over enough to get at the mast top, not sure of your tide drop in the Southampton area but as we do watch for the lowest tides!

Mike

 

[fireball]

I have been up masts many times on boats between 28ft and 65ft. I now need to go up the mast on my own boat, a Vivacity 650, length 6.5m.
Everything on my boat looks so much smaller than on previous masts that I have climbed, eg, mast thickness, halyard thickness, maybe even rigging thickness.
How small does a boat have to be before the mast/rigging/halyards (any or all of these) will no longer support the weight of a large man?
I know that my boat is in good condition, and I am 99% confident that I will have no problems, but it is that 1% doubt that bothers me!

I have little doubt that your mast and rigging will take your weight - Trapeze boats use much lighter gear with no problem. However, you're talking about going up a vertical mast using the ballast to keep the boat upright - your weight up the mast will be a significant leverage and you could tip the boat over making it very uncomfortable at best.

Another option for you would be to go alongside a larger vessel, climb their mast and haul your mast over - or swing yourself out ...

 

[Mistroma]

I went up the mast on my first boat and stability wasn't a problem. She was a bilge keel Hurley 20 but I think I only weighed around 8.5st in those days (over 30 years ago).

If I remember correctly, I tested stability on the way up by stopping at intervals and pulling myself out past the spreaders. Seemed OK but I wouldn't like to try it if I'd been much heavier.

I remember it clearly because things went a bit wrong at the top. My wife got a riding turn on the winch just as the halyard eye reached the sheave at the top. I was stuck for a while until she got someone else to come and help. Boat was stable with me up the mast but heeled violently when largish guy stepped on side deck to come on board. Even today, SWMBO is paranoid about riding turns and watches winches like a hawk.

So if you are light enough to try:
1) Proceed slowly and deliberately swing out on way up to test stability. Stop if it looks at all dodgy.
2) Don't let anyone step on side deck while you are up there (or you might get your feet wet fairly quickly).

 

[Appledore]

Mine's a 22 footer (6.8M), and I've often been to the top of the mast, and one time with an angle grinder! I have a Topclimber, which means I can haul myself up to whatever level, and take a breather if I need to.

I've been up there whilst ashore on beaching legs, afloat, and afloat alongside our moorings barge. No problems at any time, and even afloat, as I climb centrally, there's no movement to speak of, unless another boat passes!!

My mast is about 30 feet, I'm 65 and weigh over 12 stone. It's always a little daunting to start off, but I found it best to climb in stages, and return to the deck, before going up a little further each time. I've got to get up there again soon to change a dud bulb!

Geoff

 

[ap073]

Thanks

Many thanks to all those who have replied.
It seems to me that most of you have concerns about stability, rather than the strength of mast/halyards etc. Am I right?
My boat lives on a swinging mooring and sits on the bottom for 30-60 minutes every low tide. Maybe this would be the time to do it.
Thanks again.

 

[Billjratt]

Don't know where you are, but if you can get to a marina for the duration of the job, just tie the halliards to adjacent pontoons to stabilise the boat.
The rig will take your weight, as it gets far more strain when sailing.
It's no fun trying to work on a masthead that is swaying about, hanging on for dear life, and dropping tools!

 

[Pleiades]

Rather than up the mast....

Why not borrow a ladder, if you can find one convenient to the boat, tie it to the mast and scamper up that? The stays will easliy hold the weight.
Alternatively, you migth try what I did when fitting a VHF aerial to my Caprice. It was only a 19 footer and I would not have wanted to climb that mast. I kept her in Brighton Marina so I parked her alongside the outer Marina wall - where there are access ladders to the top walkway. I then was able to heel her over towards the wall and I could reach over from the walkway to work on the aerial/windex fitting. Had to repeat the exercise a few years later when I lost the aerial in a storm but easy job. No doubt other marinas/harbours have similar places where you could work on the mast head that way.

Robin
Pleiades of Birdham
MXWQ5

 

[sailorman]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htmC__eg8hc&list=FLhg4hCjqJ48mu6RdP8qq2Mg&index=2&feature=plpp_video

 

[Bajansailor]

Tying the mast off to pontoons each side if you are in a marina is a good way of helping to reduce the motions when you are aloft.
If not available, you can do a preliminary check on stability by rigging a bosun's chair on a halyard, sitting in it, then taking your feet off the cabin top so that your weight is taken by the chair and halyard.
Your weight will then be instantly transferred to the top of the mast.
Swing gently from side to side, and see what effect this has - it will be the same if you swing from side to side at the spreaders.
If all seems happy, and the halyard rope looks strong enough, then proceed cautiously aloft (always useful to have a back-up halyard or topping lift attached as well).

 

[William_H]

Mast climbing

With my 6.5 metre boat 27 ft mast the stability is definitely not good enough to take any weight at any height.
With even a light person up there a small wave starts a swinging oscillation that gets bigger and bigger until the person aloft loses their nerve with a "get me down quick"
It might be OK with the mast tied off to something stable like a high wharf but then why mot use the high wharf to get to the top anyway.
Best is to lower the mast. Once you are organised with p[oles tackles hinged tabernacle etc it becomes easy and extends your cruising grounds by being able to take low bridges. good luck olewill

 

[merlin3688]

My records tell me that the mast is just over 8m and held up with 4mm rigging, probably easier to just lower the mast, easy if its in a tabernacle or hinged foot.