Best Way Up the Mast?

[RAD]

John,
The only complaint is the distance between steps,I'm under six ft so raising the leg and finding the loop at the same time takes a little doing but once ya start it goes easy and fast, I got up the mast in no time and I keep it on board just in case, most of the time I'll round up a fellow sailor to winch me up in a bosuns chair

 

[jibes138]

Druid, Think of the heeling moment this way. The heeling moment you apply at the top of the mast is acting straight down and perpendicular to the center of buoyancy. So you weight times 2 feet is maybe 440 pounds. Your weight acting to heel the boat at the top of the mast is exactly the same weight and moment as if you stood at the centerline of your boat and walked two feet toward the rail. i agree it gets a bit more complicated as the boat heels as the center of mass of the mast and shrouds adds to the moment. Only when you swing out beyond the rail of the boat will there be any more moment then if you just stoood at the rail
On the other hand if you swing fore and aft is there a probability you will pitch pole the boat :>)

 

[Jaz367]

Don't go out on a limb (literally) by going up the mast directly. I have n O'Day 22 and when I need to do any mast work, I wait for the tide to go out a bit, then snug my boat up next to the main pier at my yacht club, or next to the outside stairs leading to the second deck of the club. Now all you have to do is lean over the railing and do the work. With the stais option I can access the entire mast and have the stair railing as a safety bar.

 

[Liam]

4:1 purchase

I use a 4:1 purchase to pull myself up. It is really easy. All you need iare two bocks. One a single with a becket and the other a double, and enough line the length of your mast x4.
Hook that to the bos'ns chair and pull. When you get to a stopping point you loop the tail of the line under the D-rings that connect the bos'ns chair to the block and tie a half hitch.
I had to replace my masthead antenea last week and it required three trips up. No problem. You are only pulling 1/4 of your body weight and you are in control.

 

[Luuv2sail]

Maybe bringing the mountain to Mahammad would be easier. How about bringing the mast down instead of you up? Just curious.

 

[txtowman]

Wish my mast was so big it would take me an hour to climb it.

The tree trimmer method works good for me here at the farm(windmill,trees, barns)

good luck and be careful!!