Hoisting a bosun's chair

[Quinn]

If you'll forgive my ignorance, what line is used to hoist a bosun's chair to the top of a mast? And, is the line used for anything else? I don't imagine it's the main halyard. But then, I don't know.

 

[Ghislain]

Use two...

Quinn,When ever I go up the mast (often enough...)when racing or on my boat, I use the genny halyard and also use my spinnaker halyard as a safety...don't want to drop 40'or so.I find it to be a three-man/woman job for better safety and elbow power.Get the "wincher" to haul you up, keep the second halyard lock and pick up the slack as you go up. When coming down, have them ease both halyards as you come down.It has always worked great.Take your camera up there and take a great shot from your boat from above.Ghislain

 

[Ryan Ericson]

Use a purchase system

Use a purchase system, it takes a lot of line but you can hoist yourself up alone. You need a triple and a double block. Four times the hieght of your mast plus 6 feet of line. Use the Spinaker, Main, or Genny haylard to hoist up a triple block (thread line threw the two blocks first). The double block is attached to your chair. Make a pressut (looks like taughtline hitch) by attaching one end of a short line to the chair, the other end tie the pressut knot to the tail of your line. Climb the mast by pulling on the tail and sliding the pressut. In essence you are going to two block the system.The pressut is a climbers knot which via friction on the line allows you to hang at any given point. To release you pull up on the tail and spread the open the knot, hold on to the knot and slide down. To stop let go of the knot and it catches you. The purchase system is like pulling up 1/3 of your wieght, you can use a double and single block instead and you will be hulling up 1/2 your wieght( and using less line 3x + 6). You can climb all day and all year with this system. The cost is well worth it if you are going to use it often

 

[Todd Osborne]

Climbers knot

I think the climbers knot referred to in the prior post is called a prusik.

 

[Ryan Ericson]

Thank you for the spelling correction

Thank you for the spelling correction. I tried it a few different ways, and nothing looked right.

 

[Gary Bruner]

try ratchet blocks

I use 2 ratchet blocks with my purchase system. They will not turn backwards until you flip a switch. Hoist one to the masthead using the jib halyard, with the spinnaker halyard as a safety line. Then, run the line from the top of the mast down through the ratchet block at the chair, back up through the one at the masthead and back down to you or someone on deck. You are hoisting about a third your weight, but once lifted the ratchet block holds you there. When you want to come down, flip the switch on one of the blocks to make it freewheeling. You can lower yourself very controlled this way with minimal tension, as the upper ratchet block has a good deal of friction on it.......You need 3 times the height of the mast in line. I suggest something easy on the hands.....