Bosun chair

[divermon]

I have a 1985 hunter 25.5. I need to replace the anchor light at the top of the mast and was wondering if I can use a bosuns chair to lift me up to work on it or do I have to step the mast? I weigh about 165lbs. How much weight would you safely raise up the mast? Thank you!

Th

 

[whatfiero]

doesn't the 25.5 have a pin and step removeable mast system isn't it a trailer boat just tie a rope to head stay thru pully at bow and let it down even if it's on to the dock change the bulb check the rigging and hull back up

It will probably hold but why? once ya get up there you'll see it's hard to work up on top of a mast

 

[Benny17441]

your boat has 1,800# of ballast, displaces around 5000#, a draft of approximately 3.5' and a 34' mast. It's center of gravity should be around 3 ft above the top of the keel. Doing some rough calculations I estimate the righting momemtum of the boat and it's ballast to be around a minimum of 9,000 foot pounds. Your 165 lbs skeleton up the mast may generate around a maximum turning force of some 5,300 foot pounds so it would be safe to say that it will hold you right side up quite safely. In calm waters and with helpers holding steady on deck it will not know you are even there. Needless to say the structural condition of the mast and riggin will be a determining factor. Clip the halyard to the bosun chair and tie a safety knot. Use a 2nd line as a safety line and in the absence of a 2nd halyard throw a line above the spreaders. Oh, I almost forgot; get an LED bulb or fixture. They are much brighter and you likely may not have aloof again in a real long time, not for the anchor light anyway.

 

[artboas]

One bad piece of advice

your boat has 1,800# of ballast, displaces around 5000#, a draft of approximately 3.5' and a 34' mast. It's center of gravity should be around 3 ft above the top of the keel. Doing some rough calculations I estimate the righting momemtum of the boat and it's ballast to be around a minimum of 9,000 foot pounds. Your 165 lbs skeleton up the mast may generate around a maximum turning force of some 5,300 foot pounds so it would be safe to say that it will hold you right side up quite safely. In calm waters and with helpers holding steady on deck it will not know you are even there. Needless to say the structural condition of the mast and riggin will be a determining factor. Clip the halyard to the bosun chair and tie a safety knot. Use a 2nd line as a safety line and in the absence of a 2nd halyard throw a line above the spreaders. Oh, I almost forgot; get an LED bulb or fixture. They are much brighter and you likely may not have aloof again in a real long time, not for the anchor light anyway.

In all due respect to your well written response, I would never "clip" a shackle to a bosun's chair.
You should always put the halyard through the chair ring using a bowline.
You then take the shackle and clip it to the ring.
Using a second halyard is always good if you can do it, but never take the risk of a shackle holding you. Especially on this boat, which has rigging on the smaller side.

 

[Benny17441]

I don't think you got past "clip your halyard". Right after that I said "and tie a safety knot". Actually the shakle for the halyard becomes a backup to the knot. I guess we are both on the same track just expressing it differently.

 

[artboas]

My bad..
You're right, we're both saying the same thing.
Long & the short of it... Don't trust a shackle.