Mast steps

[o2n7dcolin]

Anyone had any experiance or comments on the different types of mast
steps avaiable? Thinking of installing perhaps next year.
Colin...V-703, "Isis"

 

[millerkm81]

Hi Colin
We considered adding folding mast-steps to our mast, but a rigger
convinced us otherwise, stating that you shouldn't put a lot of holes
in the mast if you don't need to. With the mast down, we attached two
folding mast steps so I can be hauled up the mast and stand on the mast
steps with the ability to work on the top of the mast (light, windex,
etc.) with the top of the mast being about stomach-height. Then Hans
can "just" haul me when need be. There are a lot of different
solutions though, all of which escape my mind at the moment.
good luck!
Kristen

 

[o2n7dcolin]

Ok Kristen thanks for that, there are quite a few holes required. Are
you being hauled up with the original winch on the mast? Colin...

Kristen Miller & Hans Ericsson wrote:

 

[millerkm81]

well, we're testing it out for the first time this weekend. We'll run the halyard back to the
cockpit and use a pulley system with a turning block to hoist me up. Hans will stay in the
cockpit...so if he says something out of line he'll be out of the way when I "accidentally"
drop a screwdriver on his head.
I'll post again on Monday to let you know how it goes. (and I'll post a few pictures)

 

[bobnlesafloat]

I too don\'t fancy the idea of all those holes in the mast, nor the metal steps projecting and catching sails/halyards etc. I did once borrow a \'webbing\' mast-ladder which you hauled up the mainsheet track on the main sail halyard - I was very impressed by it, but at a cost of about £150 I felt I didn\'t go up the mast often enough to justify buying one myself.

Our compromise works: - I have a climbing harness (bosuns chair would do either) and a timber \'step\' both of which I fasten onto the main halyard using short lengths of rope and climbing ascenduers. Make-off the main halyard and crank as tight as possible on the winch; then \'climb\' it using the ascendeurs. I also tie the headsail halyard onto the climbing harness and Lesley tails this around the other winch as a safety line. Once I reach wherever I want to work, I fasten a cockpit life-line around myself and the mast; so I\'m secured close to the mast with the choice of a seat r step to work from.

Bob.

Kristen Miller & Hans Ericsson <millerkm81@...> wrote:
well, we\'re testing it out for the first time this weekend. We\'ll run the halyard back to the
cockpit and use a pulley system with a turning block to hoist me up. Hans will stay in the
cockpit...so if he says something out of line he\'ll be out of the way when I "accidentally"
drop a screwdriver on his head.
I\'ll post again on Monday to let you know how it goes. (and I\'ll post a few pictures)

 

[pelagicasd]

We used A-Frame steps all the way up the mast and really like them. Lots of
holes but the mast hasn't broken yet. Ours are aluminum and I don't see them
in the West Marine catalog but Defender has similar one in stainless. If you
do decide to use them don't forget to isolate them with plastic between the
step and the mast. Last two steps should be at the same height for ease of
standing. We also ran 3/16" line down the out side of the steps to keep them
from fouling halyards. If you're not familiar with Defender check out their
website, the 2 kinds of steps that are in the West catalog are much cheaper
at Defender. West used to price match. I don;t know if they still do.
Walt

 

[btfag0s]

I can't be bothered to type out a response to this - instead, you can find
my views if you go to Google Groups and search for the two words
"Alisdair" and "prusik".

There are several threads there, but I haven't changed my view over the
years - a couple of bits of rope from the scrag bag and prusik knots are all
you need.
See also The Prusik Knot

Alisdair

 

[brockhaus77]

I'd like to add my 1.9 cents - being much less of an "old salt" than most on this list, not in all
to great shape physically, and scared of heights, I was looking for a solution for climbing the
mast that neither requires acrobatic abilities (a.k.a. mountain climbing prowess) nor
permanent modification of the mast (a.k.a. mast steps). Instead, I bought a standard home
safety fire escape ladder (if anyone is interested, I can try to retrieve the exact brand and
make) and put track slides on every 2nd step. I can haul this thing up the mast with the main
halyard and then use a bosun's chair as backup safety while climbing up the ladder (which
has nice sturdy aluminum rungs and doesn't swing around due to the slides). I haven't been
all the way to the top yet, but my experience so far has been very reassuring.

For what it's worth - Sebastian (1060 VegaLyra)

 

[pjacobs55]

Sebastian:
Can you give us more details as to the make and model of your ladder?
I've been using a 30' extension ladder, but it's not too practical
while under way ;-)

Peter.
#1331 'Sin Tacha'

 

[brockhaus77]

I used the Kidde Model KL-3S 25ft escape ladder (Aluminum rungs, webbed connection).
You can find it e.g. at

detectorsandalarms.com

This domain may be for sale!

www.detectorsandalarms.com

I might use it next weekend and let you know how it went.

- Sebastian

 

[TJBurkett]

Has anyone installed mast steps on their vega? I'm thinking about it in
anticipation of some future cruising and since I'll have the mast down
later this month I thought now might be a good time. Any advice or
recommendations?

Tom V398

 

[islarey]

Hi Tom,

I've got maststeps on my Vega (the previous owners put them on, so I can't say much about installation). They're fantastic and make climbing up the mast a lot easier and more comfortable if you have to work at the mast head for a long time.

We have folding steps up to the spreaders, and fixed steps from the spreaders up. There are advantages to both. The fixed steps feel more secure as your foot is encased and can't slide off sideways: great if it's at all swelly. But, they do tend to catch and hook halyards, which can be annoying. The folding steps solve this problem, but don't offer such secure foot holds and you have to unfold/fold them as you climb up and down the mast.

My one tip would be to put the topmost steps at the same height and in a position where the top of the mast reaches just below shoulder level. With the steps any higher and you feel very insecure, with nothing to wrap your arms around when at the top of the mast, but much lower means that it's difficult to get on top of the mast head to do any work.

I hope this helps!

Isla
TJBurkett tjburkett@... wrote: Has anyone installed mast steps on their vega? I'm thinking about it in
anticipation of some future cruising and since I'll have the mast down
later this month I thought now might be a good time. Any advice or
recommendations?

Tom V398

 

[papasbackhoeinc]

Dear Ton,

By now I have seen several hundreds of dutch vega´s, but none of them have
mast steps.

I won der why you want to install those.

Henk Jansen

 

[pelagicasd]

We have them on Lyric. Love them! Halyards can tangle but this can be
minimized by running a line from the top step down to the lower step. Lash
the line to each step in between. Walt