What is the safe way to use a bosun’s chair on a mast with a single part halyard?

[Neeves]

You can obviously ignore a loss of masthead lights, which we cater for by having a 'duplicate' set of nav lights at deck height. You can ignore loss of wind gear. But other incidents are more critical.

An obvious thing that can go wrong - that cannot be ignored - is getting a wrap of your furling 'headsail' halyard round a forestay or getting a twist in a 2:1 headsail halyard such that it locks (when being set and only noticed as the wind increases) - at the masthead. A similar problem occurs when the outer cover of a dyneema headsail halyard is stripped by the clutch - though you can over come this by simply cutting the halyard (but then you cannot easily replace the halyard).

I have been on, different, yachts where both have happened.

Jonathan

 

[RichardS]

An obvious thing that can go wrong - that cannot be ignored - is getting a wrap of your furling 'headsail' halyard round a forestay or getting a twist in a 2:1 headsail halyard such that it locks (when being set and only noticed as the wind increases) - at the masthead.

Jonathan

Our boat had a 2:1 mainsail halyard, presumably because it's a large heavily-roached sail with full width heavy battens. The problem with such an arrangement is that a change of halyard means a climb to the very top of the mast where the halyard is tied off.

When I decided to change it because I could see some fraying I changed it to a 1:1 halyard and dispensed with the block on the sail and, of course, the knot at the mast head.

The sail is plenty easy enough to pull up using the winch for the top third and changing the halyard again would now be simple. Perhaps boat builders should put a little more thought into designing things such that mast climbs are eliminated wherever possible.

Richard

 

[Graham_Wright]

I think a cycle helmet would be fine (and better than nothing)

Jonathan

Don't they have holes/slots in? Not much comfort for the winch wench when the screwdriver's dropped. One story we heard was about the screwdriver which fell point first and penetrated the deck.

 

[capnsensible]

Our boat had a 2:1 mainsail halyard, presumably because it's a large heavily-roached sail with full width heavy battens. The problem with such an arrangement is that a change of halyard means a climb to the very top of the mast where the halyard is tied off.

When I decided to change it because I could see some fraying I changed it to a 1:1 halyard and dispensed with the block on the sail and, of course, the knot at the mast head.

The sail is plenty easy enough to pull up using the winch for the top third and changing the halyard again would now be simple. Perhaps boat builders should put a little more thought into designing things such that mast climbs are eliminated wherever possible.

Richard

I know someone who would be very pleased with that. Mid Atlantic, earlier this year, we had a problem with a VHF aeriel. It had come adrift from its fitting and was waving around banging into the mast.

So we sent up our young, fit SA crew who did a fine job but admitted afterwards it was a bit nervy as the air draft of a Sunreef 74 catamaran is thirty five metres.

2:1 halyard, hydraulic winches. Biig sail.

 

[rogerthebodger]

Don't they have holes/slots in? Not much comfort for the winch wench when the screwdriver's dropped. One story we heard was about the screwdriver which fell point first and penetrated the deck.

My view is the winch wench should not be at the base of the mast while I am working with tools above.

Yes while going up and down but she should retire to the cockpit or fordeck while work is taking place. She will have a better view also from the cockpit.

 

[dom]

The sail is plenty easy enough to pull up using the winch for the top third and changing the halyard again would now be simple. Perhaps boat builders should put a little more thought into designing things such that mast climbs are eliminated wherever possible.
Richard

+1 I do the same as you, just use a powered winch instead.

Here’s another idea, why doesn’t the RYA include a mast climb in the YM syllabus, to include how it’s beast safely achieved. Truth is, no matter how hard one tries, sh*t happens and Murphy’s Law tells us that when it does the boat will most likely be miles offshore!

 

[Graham_Wright]

My view is the winch wench should not be at the base of the mast while I am working with tools above.

Yes while going up and down but she should retire to the cockpit or fordeck while work is taking place. She will have a better view also from the cockpit.

Both points noted and agreed. With lines led to the cockpit, the neck is inclined at a much better angle to avoid crick and you are clear of the drop zone. My winches are on the mast and winch wench must necessarily be below me. Granted, there is less risk of tools falling when climbing or descending but it could happen. Forgotten items also need to be hauled up. No harm in wearing the hat - make it a habit.

 

[Graham_Wright]

+1 I do the same as you, just use a powered winch instead.

NO, NO, NO, NO.

Take advice from those who think!

 

[sailaboutvic]

Both points noted and agreed. With lines led to the cockpit, the neck is inclined at a much better angle to avoid crick and you are clear of the drop zone. My winches are on the mast and winch wench must necessarily be below me. Granted, there is less risk of tools falling when climbing or descending but it could happen. Forgotten items also need to be hauled up. No harm in wearing the hat - make it a habit.

Graham the , I rather be naked in your signature , does that mean you go up naked , and if so , do you have an hard hat for your B@lls ?

 

[capnsensible]

Here’s another idea, why doesn’t the RYA include a mast climb in the YM syllabus, to include how it’s beast safely achieved. Truth is, no matter how hard one tries, sh*t happens and Murphy’s Law tells us that when it does the boat will most likely be miles offshore!

I quite often do that but limit it to the first spreaders. Normally for a Kodak moment.

Top tip offshore is to wear as much padding as you possibly can........

 

[capnsensible]

NO, NO, NO, NO.

Take advice from those who think!

Try hand winching someone up a 35m mast........

 

[Neeves]

Our boat had a 2:1 mainsail halyard, presumably because it's a large heavily-roached sail with full width heavy battens. The problem with such an arrangement is that a change of halyard means a climb to the very top of the mast where the halyard is tied off.

When I decided to change it because I could see some fraying I changed it to a 1:1 halyard and dispensed with the block on the sail and, of course, the knot at the mast head.

The sail is plenty easy enough to pull up using the winch for the top third and changing the halyard again would now be simple. Perhaps boat builders should put a little more thought into designing things such that mast climbs are eliminated wherever possible.

Richard

We have the same system for our main and for the screacher (Code Zero). Both are 2: 1 halyards - and as far as I can make out fairly common on cats. The 2:1 for the screecher is, I believe, to allow control of tension - as there is no stay.

We changed the main halyard for the same reason, fraying at the knot at the masthead. Our screecher halyard is a dyneema of a high torque construction.

I don't find either an issue - but I don't mind mast work.

Jonathan

Edit - and I concur with the Captain, though not because of a 35m mast. Many crew, often the skipper, are not gorillas nor have felt the need to join a gym - and hauling meat up a mast was never in the original job description. The alternative to the powered winch is - not going up the mast - and to us that would not be an option. The answer is feeling comfortable with the equipment and that's about practice and knowing the risk and dangers.

2nd Edit - the cycle helmet (better climbers or skier helmet, was for the person up the mast. The idea the deck operator would stand at the mast foot waiting to catch an errant screwdriver never occurred to me. I need to think a bit more!

 

[dom]

NO, NO, NO, NO.

Take advice from those who think!

I meant my mainsail

 

[Graham_Wright]

Try hand winching someone up a 35m mast........

But with the right kit you don't need to. My wife takes 20, minutes to winch me up my 42' mast. Even with three stops, she is exhausted. With "the right bit of kit"rolleyes she does nothing save take up the slack on the winch. I have done five round trips in an afternoon and neither of us were exhausted.

Do I need to spell it out! My latest customer in the Canaries has an 80' mast!

 

[Graham_Wright]

Graham the , I rather be naked in your signature , does that mean you go up naked , and if so , do you have an hard hat for your B@lls ?

Er No! There's a limit to my enthusiasm, but with the fall arrest harness an embracing chair and tool bag, nobody would know!

I also wear had soled shoes.

 

[capnsensible]

But with the right kit you don't need to. My wife takes 20, minutes to winch me up my 42' mast. Even with three stops, she is exhausted. With "the right bit of kit"rolleyes she does nothing save take up the slack on the winch. I have done five round trips in an afternoon and neither of us were exhausted.

Do I need to spell it out! My latest customer in the Canaries has an 80' mast!

With easily used hydraulic winches it took us five minutes to wind a strapping South African crewman up over 110 feet skywards in mid Atlantic and my starboard index finger barely felt tired at all.

Using machinery to hoist bodies up masts is very safe provided its done properly and with.....thought. :encouragement:

 

[sailaboutvic]

Er No! There's a limit to my enthusiasm, but with the fall arrest harness an embracing chair and tool bag, nobody would know!

I also wear had soled shoes.

Good to know Graham , see a man dangling from the mast is one thing , see something else dangling can be off putting

 

[Graham_Wright]

see something else dangling can be off putting

It's an age thing.:distress: