Inexpensive Self Mast Climbing Setup.

woodster

woodster

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Sep 15, 2009
6,243
S2 9.2a Fairhope Al
Tally Ho said:
can you post a picture of your setup? How do you keep the rope "locked" when your reach your working height? Greg
Click to expand
you run the load/pull part of the tackle under your block where you have it tied to your harness and then back up take the load part and tie it around all the lines with two half hitches and it can't slip when done hold the load line and pull the weight so you can undo the half hitches when coming back down if you need to stop just grab all the lines in the tackle and hold them in your grip they will not move
 
Delezynski

Delezynski

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Jan 22, 2008
551
NorSea 27 Az., Doing the To-Do list
RIVERCRUISER said:
Safety line???
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As mz4 pointed out, one jammer is on one halyard and the other is on another halyard. I also have the 3ed to use, if required. Jill is always there and IF required, she could use one halyard to lower me if the second parts as both are winched tight.

I have used this system for years now.

Greg
 
Charles Erwin

Charles Erwin

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Jan 30, 2012
1,139
Nor'Sea 27 "Kiwanda" Portland/ Anacortes
Greg's set up is good because the climbing motion is pretty natural.

However, ascenders frequently do not fit smaller halyard diameters very well. So I use climbing rope - which is about 9.5 mm diameter. Tie one end of a climbing rope to a halyard - don't use the shackles. Raise the halyard and secure the climbing rope and the halyard at the deck. Both ascenders travel on the climbing rope.

I use a second halyard tied off to a chest harness for fall arresting safety line. That second line can be managed by a helper on deck (who knows the score) or you can tie it off as a fixed line and use a third ascender traveling along that line and clipped to a chest harness.

Ascenders are about $80 and you need to order right and left. Petzel, Black Diamond are good examples. REI is a convenient source.

Charles
 
Gunni

Gunni

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Mar 16, 2010
5,937
Beneteau 411 Oceanis Annapolis
NIce vid Greg.
You can easiy climb on one dedicated line. And have someone belay you on another halyard if that makes you feel more secure. As Greg says, you need that climbing static line REAL tight. I use a Gri-gri, which is a combo ascender AND a really sweet descender. You will feel like spiderman. Tie off a dedicated climbing line to your halyard using a "climbers figure 8 knot" and hoist it the mast head. Never use the halyard shackle. Climbing gear is very secure, and keeps you close to the mast (which is good for your front teeth, and the bridge of your nose). Spinlock makes a great boaters harness, you are very secure.
 
mz4wheeler

mz4wheeler

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Mar 11, 2015
357
Hunter 33.5 Tacoma, WA
Delezynski said:
As mz4 pointed out, one jammer is on one halyard and the other is on another halyard.
Click to expand
Suppose the main halyard broke. In your setup you would drop about 4 feet and the bottom jammer would/should stop you. If it really caught you by surprise you might end up flipped over. What about the bousun chair? Would you think it would survive a 4 foot drop? Most likely the eyelets would be ripped out.

My point is you should use a real safety harness, and for comfort use the bosun chair.

I'd rather use the main halyard for ascending and attach the backup line to a safety harness.

On the other hand, most likely nothing will happen because the main halyard is pretty darn strong, is tested all the time, AND most main halyards first go inside the main mast, over the sheave and out.

Worst case scenero: main sheave busted, you would drop about 2-3 inches, wonder what that thunk was until next time you try to raise the main [grin].
 
Delezynski

Delezynski

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Jan 22, 2008
551
NorSea 27 Az., Doing the To-Do list
mz4wheeler said:
Suppose the main halyard broke. In your setup you would drop about 4 feet and the bottom jammer would/should stop you. If it really caught you by surprise you might end up flipped over. What about the bousun chair? Would you think it would survive a 4 foot drop? Most likely the eyelets would be ripped out.

SNIP
Click to expand
mz4, The way my jammers and foot loops are tied, with one red and one blue line, my weight is almost always on one foot or the other. About the only time I am sitting is when I start work, and at that time, the distance between the jammers is normally less than a foot.

So, ia line parting would get my attention :eek: but about the most I would drop is a foot. The harness I am using is very strong and I am positive it would take the load. But I do agree a climbing harness would be a nice add.

Like everything on a boat, it's all trade-offs. Yes I know a climbing harness does not take up a lot of room, but on our 27 foot boat, every inch counts and something else got that space.

Greg
 
capta

capta

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Jun 4, 2009
4,905
Pearson 530 Admiralty Bay, Bequia SVG
I don't see how one could use any kind of ascender at sea. Even with both hands occupied pulling me up with the block and tackle and my chair, I still have my feet and legs to help control my motion as I go up. Once I'm up there, I've both hands to work with and I can wrap my legs around the mast to keep myself secure.
If I'm going to invest the money in a functional and safe system to get aloft, it's going to have to work whenever I need it, not just at the dock.
 
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