RE: [Cal_Boats] What's Best Way Up Mast?(Bruce)

I send my wife. She wieghs alot less than me! And at 60 years old she is great shape!! Mike> To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> From: br… [at] stirlinglaw.com> Date: Thu, 14 Jun 2007 17:35:07 +0000> Subject: [Cal_Boats] What's Best Way Up Mast?> > A couple of weeks ago, my jib halyard became stuck at the top of the> mast. Nothing we did helped. Finally, I got into my bosun's chair. > The help said I still needed to 'climb' the mast. At 230 lbs. the> chances of my getting to the top were zilch. I grabbed on to some> stays and made it to the spreader, but that was where my stays and I> stopped. > > What systems are out there to lift one's self that the group> recommends? The experience left me feeling a bit unprepared.> > We finally unstuck the halyard by running it across the marina> straight out to a power boat across the dock. Pulling from his third> deck straight across did the trick.> > > > > Live Earth is coming. Learn more about the hottest summer event - only on MSN. http://liveearth.msn.com?source=msntaglineliveearthwlm

I think the "best" way is to get 2 volunteers to handle the winches and lines down below, and have them winch you up, one of them grinding, the other tailing both the halyard you're on and the safety halyard that's also tied (not clipped) to your bosun's chair. Next best (IMHO) is "ascenders", lets you go up yourself. But if you're not athletic you might find them difficult to use. And they're pricey; I looked them up, came up with about 400 bucks to get a set. Third best, I think, are the motorized gizmos ("top climber", i think) are good, but expensive unless you're going aloft a lot. Last place (for me) are the "ladders" that can be hoisted up the sail track. I really think for safety's sake you need to have helpers when you go up the mast. Last year we lost a really competent rigger in Alameda, years of experience, when he died after a fall when solo climbing. Of course the pros do this all the time (that's what makes them pros), but for amateurs I think that's a big warning: have help. bw Cal 39-2 #003 "Sea Star" SF Bay, CA ----- Original Message ----- From: Michael Robinson To: ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Sent: Thursday, June 14, 2007 11:36 AM Subject: RE: [Cal_Boats] What's Best Way Up Mast?(Bruce) I send my wife. She wieghs alot less than me! And at 60 years old she is great shape!! Mike > To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com > From: br… [at] stirlinglaw.com > Date: Thu, 14 Jun 2007 17:35:07 +0000 > Subject: [Cal_Boats] What's Best Way Up Mast? > > A couple of weeks ago, my jib halyard became stuck at the top of the > mast. Nothing we did helped. Finally, I got into my bosun's chair. > The help said I still needed to 'climb' the mast. At 230 lbs. the > chances of my getting to the top were zilch. I grabbed on to some > stays and made it to the spreader, but that was where my stays and I > stopped. > > What systems are out there to lift one's self that the group > recommends? The experience left me feeling a bit unprepared. > > We finally unstuck the halyard by running it across the marina > straight out to a power boat across the dock. Pulling from his third > deck straight across did the trick. > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Live Earth is coming. Learn more about the hottest summer event - only on MSN. Check it out!

According to Bob: "I think the "best" way is to get 2 volunteers to handle the winches and lines down below, and have them winch you up, one of them grinding, the other tailing both the halyard you're on and the safety halyard that's also tied (not clipped) to your bosun's chair." A variation on this is to have one grinder's line on the chair, the other on a "foot-loop". Then you can sit/stand as the grinders take the slack off the lines. It would be the "poor mans ascenders", all you need is friends. :-) John

I use the Top-Climber. Cost about $200 and is the best investment I've made for the boat. It takes a little practice to get used to climbing with it but when you do you go up to the top without any assistance. Basically you use your legs more than your arms. Process of sitting down then standing up and move the gripper up, sit down and move the other gripper up and keep repeating. It also allows you to work on the top of the mast where a regular bosuns chair makes that difficult. Chuck _____ > A couple of weeks ago, my jib halyard became stuck at the top of the > mast. Nothing we did helped. Finally, I got into my bosun's chair. > The help said I still needed to 'climb' the mast. At 230 lbs. the > chances of my getting to the top were zilch. I grabbed on to some > stays and made it to the spreader, but that was where my stays and I > stopped. > > What systems are out there to lift one's self that the group > recommends? The experience left me feeling a bit unprepared. > > We finally unstuck the halyard by running it across the marina > straight out to a power boat across the dock. Pulling from his third > deck straight across did the trick. > > > > > _____ Live Earth is coming. Learn more about the hottest summer event - only on MSN. Check it out! <http://liveearth.msn.com?source=msntaglineliveearthwlm>

I have one and have used it to go to the top of my 33's mast several times. I have also tried to crank up a buddy who weighs less than me in a standard bosun's chair before I got the Top Climber. I can tell you it is a lot less work to climb up than to crank someone up. It is expensive, but compared to hiring a rigger, you get to amortize the cost over multiple uses. The only site I can find for it right now is selling it for $315. Sail-Net classifieds had one that sold for $195. You have to supply your own climbing line (1/2") long enough to go to the top of your mast and be secured at the deck end. I tie the climbing line into a halyard (don't trust shackles or crimps on wire ends), run it through a snatch block to a winch. Getting the climbing line bar tight makes the climbing easier. The only trick, for me, is to pace myself. If I start off too fast at the bottom I have to rest on the way up. Nice, slow, easy does it with the stand up, slide up the seat ascender, sit down, slide up the foot ascender, repeat n times..... Al Waschka 1974 Cal-25 #1693, Sweet Mary 1985 Cal-33 #0026, Short Wave

Ur one lucky guy Mike! dEmO From: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com [mailto:Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Michael Robinson Sent: Thursday, June 14, 2007 12:36 PM To: ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [Cal_Boats] What's Best Way Up Mast?(Bruce) I send my wife. She wieghs alot less than me! And at 60 years old she is great shape!! Mike > To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com > From: br… [at] stirlinglaw.com > Date: Thu, 14 Jun 2007 17:35:07 +0000 > Subject: [Cal_Boats] What's Best Way Up Mast? > > A couple of weeks ago, my jib halyard became stuck at the top of the > mast. Nothing we did helped. Finally, I got into my bosun's chair. > The help said I still needed to 'climb' the mast. At 230 lbs. the > chances of my getting to the top were zilch. I grabbed on to some > stays and made it to the spreader, but that was where my stays and I > stopped. > > What systems are out there to lift one's self that the group > recommends? The experience left me feeling a bit unprepared. > > We finally unstuck the halyard by running it across the marina > straight out to a power boat across the dock. Pulling from his third > deck straight across did the trick. > > > > > Live Earth is coming. Learn more about the hottest summer event - only on MSN. Check it out! <http://liveearth.msn.com?source=msntaglineliveearthwlm>