Going aloft on a Yamaha 25

[bluevwspotting]

Hello, I am a novice sailor and recently bought a 1978(?) Yamaha 25mkII.

Currently the navigation lights do not work. Without having done much preliminary investigation, my guess is simply the bulbs are burned out or corroded with neglect.

However, I am considering just going ahead and upgrading the lights to a new LED setup.

My question...I have been googling how to go aloft on a sailboat using bosn's chairs, etc. I am 200lbs and fit. Without 100% understanding this process yet, am I two heavy to be supported by a boat (aka mast) as small as mine?

Does anyone have any advice on better guides on how to do it if so?

Thanks!

 

[Syntonos]

Welcome! I have a 25 mk II and 25lbs on you! Your mast is plenty strong to go up. The Question is , is the standing rigging and halyards worthy of holding your weight? Check the condition of your Main Halyard first and foremost as that is what you are suspended from. Many boat owners replace thier wire halyards with modern cordage (rope).

I use a ladder system called a Mast Mate. It's a nylon ladder system thats hoisted up the main halyard. This allows you to go up the mast easily. Once there I use a climbing harness and secure myself to the mast if the main halyard should fail. The nylon webbing steps takes its toll on your feet and legs, that's why I suspend myself with the safety harness.
A bosun's chair allows more movement towards the front of the mast but requires crew support on deck.

What ever system you use going aloft higher than the spreaders is a bit uncomfortable (at least for me) Go slow and watch your hardware carefully. Don't try and take tools up with you while climbing, hoist them up in a seperate gear bag.
Play Safe!

P.S LED's are the way to go.

 

[Pakele]

Hey Lyn, good to see you are still here and active with your 25mkII... Had to re-subscribe to the site, so you may not recognize me, but I almost came down from Seattle to see your boat a while back.

As always you supply solid advice, if I were going to go aloft, I believe I'd go for that ladder.

A couple years back I took the mast down to replace the sheaves, put a LED anchor light with solar cell at the top, replaced the steaming light with an LED bulb and ran new wiring throughout the mast. It mostly had to be replaced because there was no way to pull the mast without cutting the existing wiring. I took the opportunity to run new halyards as well. Whatever you do, don't believe that the mast dropping and stepping is as easy as the manual suggests. With some good advice from dockmates, I was able to do the job with not one additional friend, but two... Good luck