I need to replace my windex. Is there any special considerations I should think of if I want to try going up in a Bosun's chair to attempt the replacement? Thank you
Bosun Chair
- Thread starter renom2
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Years ago, I had a guy winch me up my mast so that I could turn my windex around. I had mounted it backward in my haste to get my mast up, and didn't realize it till later. I was confident that the halyard was strong enough to hold my weight, as my halyard has no wire spliced on to it. I would be very leery with going up a mast with a wire halyard, unless I was confident that it would hold my weight. Also, I'd want to be hugging that mast with my arms and legs just in case. Not that I'm afraid of heights. I was a power company lineman for 32 years, and heights came with the territory. I'd be more concerned with equipment failure than anything else. Maybe I'd take a 1/2 inch length of rope and tie a "Rolling Hitch" around the mast with a Bowline on the end, and hold on to the loop with my right hand, and keep sliding the the hitch up the mast. One thing is for sure though. If you're hugging the mast and slip, You'll only fall as far as the spreaders.
Bosun's chair
Facetiously, your disability & life insurance. Seriously, a bosun's chair is a very simple & straightforward device. If the halyard, block etc is in good shape you shouldn't have any concerns if you're reasonably fit, physically. The relatively skinny halyard on a O25 will be a bit hard to grip, but you're only lifting half your weight + a bit for friction etc. If you weigh 170 lbs and can't pull 85 lbs with your arms, stay off the chair. Having your weight at masthead is obviously going to make your boat more prone to move around, which can be unnerving, but there should be enuf inherent stability in the design that you won't cause a capsize or anything drastic when you're up at the masthead in calm conditions. A bosun's chair is simple & cheap: rig it and try it for a few feet above deck. If you're comfortable, carry on to the masthead. If you're having doubts or problems, give it up and find another solution.
Facetiously, your disability & life insurance. Seriously, a bosun's chair is a very simple & straightforward device. If the halyard, block etc is in good shape you shouldn't have any concerns if you're reasonably fit, physically. The relatively skinny halyard on a O25 will be a bit hard to grip, but you're only lifting half your weight + a bit for friction etc. If you weigh 170 lbs and can't pull 85 lbs with your arms, stay off the chair. Having your weight at masthead is obviously going to make your boat more prone to move around, which can be unnerving, but there should be enuf inherent stability in the design that you won't cause a capsize or anything drastic when you're up at the masthead in calm conditions. A bosun's chair is simple & cheap: rig it and try it for a few feet above deck. If you're comfortable, carry on to the masthead. If you're having doubts or problems, give it up and find another solution.
Time vs Safety
How big are you? The O'25 is a very stable boat and we loved ours for every minute that we had her, but one thing I wouldn't do would be to go up the mast. The reason being that I am a large individual, #250, and the thought of being at the top of the mast with a stray wake that would put me off center just conjers up all sorts of entertaining senarios for the others around the harbor. It really isn't that hard to drop the mast and do a thourough inspection of all things that reside up there and fix your windex at the same time. A little more time to do it that way, but safer and you won't end up being the talk of "Happy Hour". "Wow did you see how dirty his bottom was as he was dangling just inches off the dock"! Good Luck, PM
How big are you? The O'25 is a very stable boat and we loved ours for every minute that we had her, but one thing I wouldn't do would be to go up the mast. The reason being that I am a large individual, #250, and the thought of being at the top of the mast with a stray wake that would put me off center just conjers up all sorts of entertaining senarios for the others around the harbor. It really isn't that hard to drop the mast and do a thourough inspection of all things that reside up there and fix your windex at the same time. A little more time to do it that way, but safer and you won't end up being the talk of "Happy Hour". "Wow did you see how dirty his bottom was as he was dangling just inches off the dock"! Good Luck, PM
In the water?
This may be begging the obvious, but I sure hope you'll be doing this with your boat in the water, not on the hard. A few years ago, faced with the need to do some masthead work on my 272LE (at the time), I sought some advice from Brion Toss, the rigging expert, and he said you'd have to have a death wish to go up the mast while the boat was still on the hard. One false move, one ill-time gust of wind, and you and the boat will tip right over, with no water to provide resistance for the keel (or a softer landing for you). So if your boat is still on the hard, either drop the mast to do the work, or wait till after it's launched, and then go up. Pete s/v EmmieLou (O-322) Little Silver, NJ
This may be begging the obvious, but I sure hope you'll be doing this with your boat in the water, not on the hard. A few years ago, faced with the need to do some masthead work on my 272LE (at the time), I sought some advice from Brion Toss, the rigging expert, and he said you'd have to have a death wish to go up the mast while the boat was still on the hard. One false move, one ill-time gust of wind, and you and the boat will tip right over, with no water to provide resistance for the keel (or a softer landing for you). So if your boat is still on the hard, either drop the mast to do the work, or wait till after it's launched, and then go up. Pete s/v EmmieLou (O-322) Little Silver, NJ
Thank you all for your thoughts. It is in the water, but I would not have thought about the on land point in the future. One person I spoke with said he would have some concern doing it on a deck stepped mast. Thanks again
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