How to Bosun Chair with in mast Halyard?

[McIntoshUSA]

How to Safely use Bosun Chair with only a spinnaker Halyard?

I have a friend who has an in mast Halyard/mainsail. I am comfortable using my bosun chair with my boat (a mainsail halyard for the chair and genoa halyard for the safety line). How do people safely climb a mast with a bosun chair when the only exteranal Halyard is a spinnaker halyard for the bosun chair?

Thanks, Mike

 

[Sailor Sue]

Depending on what you're doing up the mast you could lower the headsail so you have a second/safety halyard.

 

[LloydB]

The same way people safely climb a mast with a bosun chair when the only external halyard is a spinnaker and their usual method of using the mainsail halyard is unavailable. One thought would be to use the topping lift as the safety line and carry a hand line up on the initial lift.

 

[Jackdaw]

What kind of boat??

If its fractional and you need to go to the masthead, you will have to figure out how to get the main halyard, or use a climber. Fractional jib and spin halyards don't go anywhere near the top of the mast.

 

[McIntoshUSA]

His boat is a Beneteau 35' I believe. It is not a fractional rig. I'm thinking the first time up taking a shackle, block, and line so we can have a safety line in the future.

 

[slaume]

I like to use a larks head of 1" webbing around the mast. I carry it with me until I get to the spreaders and then hook it up. I hang onto the lowers until I get to the spreaders. If your halyard fails above the spreaders the larks head should cinch up on the mast and if it fails to do so, you will definitely stop at the spreaders. A short larks head clipped into a chest harness is a great way to work at the mast head if you have a pair of steps up there. This is something I would recommend for all boats as it is very hard to get high enough in a bosuns chair to do work at the mast head. The steps allow you to stand and the larks head frees up both hands to work while not swinging around in the chair. You could still rig another safety line but I always feel pretty secure with the webbing, Steve.

 

[McIntoshUSA]

Steve, so you have a picture of the webbing and whatever alark is?
Thanks, Mike

 

[justsomeguy]

.

 

[gettinthere]

Arent there 2 sheeves on the front of the mast top? One for the headsail and an extra internal halyard sheeve?

 

[McIntoshUSA]

Arent there 2 sheeves on the front of the mast top? One for the headsail and an extra internal halyard sheeve?

Not sure. I will have to look. Its not my boat.

 

[McIntoshUSA]

Would this slip knot work? I read it is suppose to be the strongest of the slide and grip knots.

Icicle Hitch Using the End
http://www.animatedknots.com/icicle...ge=LogoGrog.jpg&Website=www.animatedknots.com

 

[woodster]

Would this slip knot work? I read it is suppose to be the strongest of the slide and grip knots.

Icicle Hitch Using the End
http://www.animatedknots.com/icicle...ge=LogoGrog.jpg&Website=www.animatedknots.com

what are you going to tie it to ?

 

[seadaddler]

Topping Lift

I use the topping lift for the bosun chair and the spinnaker halyard
as the safety line.
Nick

 

[stephen Penny]

Install a spare halyard.

 

[McIntoshUSA]

I use the topping lift for the bosun chair and the spinnaker halyard
as the safety line.
Nick

Good Idea Nick. I had not thought of that. That should work.

Thanks

 

[gettinthere]

Topping lift is on the back and spin halyard is fore. So you need to unclip from the spin halyard at each spreader.