I am a first time owner of a 76 Cat 27 tall rig. I have gone up the mast in a chair to try and replace the anchor light with no success. I connected the chair to the main halyard, and after being hoisted all the way up, the light is still a full over my head arms length extension. I cannot see to get a screwdriver on the lens to remove it to replace the light. The only way I can figure to get up higher on the mast is to place my feet on the mast and push out with my legs. It is scary enough already up there your suggestions are greatly appreciated. Additionally, please advise of a better and safer way (safety line?) to connect a bosun's chair.
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up the mast
I would talk to a rigger. There is a way to attach a line to the shackle with a loop for your foot that will allow you to go higher. My rigger mentioned this but I have not done it. Be carefull is a long way down.
I would talk to a rigger. There is a way to attach a line to the shackle with a loop for your foot that will allow you to go higher. My rigger mentioned this but I have not done it. Be carefull is a long way down.
Use the jib halyard?
You could try tying a bowline in the jib halyard and hoisting it to the top of the mast. When you get to the top with the bosun's chair, you could stand in the bowline to get yourself higher. Might also be a good idea to use a harness to strap yourself in so you don't fall and go splat on the deck! Before heading down, make sure the jib halyard is lowered first. Good Luck. Tom Soko Julandra #659
You could try tying a bowline in the jib halyard and hoisting it to the top of the mast. When you get to the top with the bosun's chair, you could stand in the bowline to get yourself higher. Might also be a good idea to use a harness to strap yourself in so you don't fall and go splat on the deck! Before heading down, make sure the jib halyard is lowered first. Good Luck. Tom Soko Julandra #659
Dock or Pier
Don: What I do when I need to work on the mast top I look around and find a high dock or pier that I can nudge my forward part of the boat under. I then undo the forestay and then go under the pier until I get my mast up to the pier edge. I then get a big step ladder and I am right up there looking at anything I need to do. Good luck!
Don: What I do when I need to work on the mast top I look around and find a high dock or pier that I can nudge my forward part of the boat under. I then undo the forestay and then go under the pier until I get my mast up to the pier edge. I then get a big step ladder and I am right up there looking at anything I need to do. Good luck!
Are you sure it's the light?
I have a 76 C27 and the light went out at the begining of last season. I bought a battery powered light and ran it up the jib halyard for the rest of the season. At the end of the season, I dropped the mast and installed a new bulb and fixture. It didn't work. After further investigation I found the problem. The wiring near the plug at the mast step was dried, cracked, crushed, etc. This spring I'll rewire the entire mast. My point is that you may end up changing the light and still not fixing the problem. Dropping the mast is no big deal if your marina has a dock crane. Once it's down, you can check out all the wiring and and perform any necessary upgrades, like replacing the spreader sockets.
I have a 76 C27 and the light went out at the begining of last season. I bought a battery powered light and ran it up the jib halyard for the rest of the season. At the end of the season, I dropped the mast and installed a new bulb and fixture. It didn't work. After further investigation I found the problem. The wiring near the plug at the mast step was dried, cracked, crushed, etc. This spring I'll rewire the entire mast. My point is that you may end up changing the light and still not fixing the problem. Dropping the mast is no big deal if your marina has a dock crane. Once it's down, you can check out all the wiring and and perform any necessary upgrades, like replacing the spreader sockets.
In addition
...to John's point about other places to look: last week our steaming light wasn't working. After considering a trip up, we started checking the obvious. Turned out that the fuse was fine but it had been in so long that the connections were weak. We cleaned the ends of the fuse, and the light worked. Our electrical panel is super clean, but after a while, stuff happens. Next job is to remove all the fuses, clean 'em up, apply some Boeshield, and keep everything lit! If you do end up replacing the anchor bulb, I recommend that you consider replacing the whole old unit with a new low wattage Davis Mega Light. It draws almost no current, and also has a built in photocell, so it turns itself off when it gets light outside. Saves an incredible amount of daily amps.
...to John's point about other places to look: last week our steaming light wasn't working. After considering a trip up, we started checking the obvious. Turned out that the fuse was fine but it had been in so long that the connections were weak. We cleaned the ends of the fuse, and the light worked. Our electrical panel is super clean, but after a while, stuff happens. Next job is to remove all the fuses, clean 'em up, apply some Boeshield, and keep everything lit! If you do end up replacing the anchor bulb, I recommend that you consider replacing the whole old unit with a new low wattage Davis Mega Light. It draws almost no current, and also has a built in photocell, so it turns itself off when it gets light outside. Saves an incredible amount of daily amps.
Prime Climb ladder
I use a Prime climb mast ladder. It goes up the sailslot and gets me eye level or better with the mast head. prime-climb.com I think is the address. Use a safety harness! Good luck.
I use a Prime climb mast ladder. It goes up the sailslot and gets me eye level or better with the mast head. prime-climb.com I think is the address. Use a safety harness! Good luck.
Climbing the mast
Phil, I can appreciate your problem, just lived it myself. I have a couple suggestions that worked well for me. The set up I use is as follows: I use a rock climbing harness with a an ascender (jumar) clipped to it on my spinnaker halyard. I sit in a bos'n chair (climbing harness inside it) clipped to the jib or main halyard, depending on if I want to be fore or aft of the mast at the top. I lead the halyard to a two speed winch via a block and have someone winch me up. I slide the ascender up the spinnaker halyard as I go. It will slide up, but not down, as it bites in. This provides two seperate systems that ensure I will not fall. If my friend on the winch slips and lets go completely, the ascender will bite down on the spinnaker halyard and stop me instantly. To come down, I just disengage the ascender with my hand as my friend lowers me. If he slips, I just let go and it bites down. I have cable spliced to line halyards on my main and jib. I don't trust my life to that splice, so the seperate rock climbing system on the spinnaker halyard gives me peace of mind. I use a safety loop wrapped around the spreaders or the top of the mast, clipped into the climbing harness as extra safety when I get up there. Bottom line, there is no way I'm gonna fall. A loop placed over the top of the mast and hanging down can give you a couple stirrups to stand in to get that extra couple feet above the mast head. Kinda of an involved system, but works good for me. Hope this helps. ALAN
Phil, I can appreciate your problem, just lived it myself. I have a couple suggestions that worked well for me. The set up I use is as follows: I use a rock climbing harness with a an ascender (jumar) clipped to it on my spinnaker halyard. I sit in a bos'n chair (climbing harness inside it) clipped to the jib or main halyard, depending on if I want to be fore or aft of the mast at the top. I lead the halyard to a two speed winch via a block and have someone winch me up. I slide the ascender up the spinnaker halyard as I go. It will slide up, but not down, as it bites in. This provides two seperate systems that ensure I will not fall. If my friend on the winch slips and lets go completely, the ascender will bite down on the spinnaker halyard and stop me instantly. To come down, I just disengage the ascender with my hand as my friend lowers me. If he slips, I just let go and it bites down. I have cable spliced to line halyards on my main and jib. I don't trust my life to that splice, so the seperate rock climbing system on the spinnaker halyard gives me peace of mind. I use a safety loop wrapped around the spreaders or the top of the mast, clipped into the climbing harness as extra safety when I get up there. Bottom line, there is no way I'm gonna fall. A loop placed over the top of the mast and hanging down can give you a couple stirrups to stand in to get that extra couple feet above the mast head. Kinda of an involved system, but works good for me. Hope this helps. ALAN
Higher ground...loop too large
I can't help commenting here, because I had the same esperience with a borrowed bosun's chair. The problem was the chair's halter or loop that connects to the halyard was too long. If you sit in your chair and the halyard connection point on the loop is above your shoulders you won't be able to comfortably work on the top fixtures without hooking a foot stirrup to the mast head. That's why many riggers use a climbing harness: the connection point is at waist level. If you can't lower this connection point on your chair, consider purchasing a climbing harness, they are ususally cheaper than commercial bosun's chairs anyway. You can save money buying this equipment from a climbing outfitter like REI. I use a simple wooden swing-set like seat with 5/8 inch nylon rope looped thru the four corners that culminate in a short loop just below the base of my sternum. I tie myself into it plus I wear my safety harness and a shortened tether to wrap around the mast above the spreaders. I also wear a reversed fanny pack with my tools tied on so I don't drop them onto the deck or in the water. A helper lifts me with the jib halyards, one as back up. The main halyard is a good conveyance line. The spin halyard gets in the way especially if you are working on the forestay or furler. With 4 or 5 wraps around the winch I feel pretty secure. Easing down actually requires taking off a few wraps. Some experts recommend a stabilizing line from the chair to an assistant on deck although I have never used one. The mast ladder looks pretty cool but you need to be able to use both hands, and sit down, which requires some extra equipment. You can easily fall off a ladder. With a harness and proper back-up, it would be very hard to fall. The ATN climbing thing is way too expensive. Get the rock climber stuff if you decide to go that way.
I can't help commenting here, because I had the same esperience with a borrowed bosun's chair. The problem was the chair's halter or loop that connects to the halyard was too long. If you sit in your chair and the halyard connection point on the loop is above your shoulders you won't be able to comfortably work on the top fixtures without hooking a foot stirrup to the mast head. That's why many riggers use a climbing harness: the connection point is at waist level. If you can't lower this connection point on your chair, consider purchasing a climbing harness, they are ususally cheaper than commercial bosun's chairs anyway. You can save money buying this equipment from a climbing outfitter like REI. I use a simple wooden swing-set like seat with 5/8 inch nylon rope looped thru the four corners that culminate in a short loop just below the base of my sternum. I tie myself into it plus I wear my safety harness and a shortened tether to wrap around the mast above the spreaders. I also wear a reversed fanny pack with my tools tied on so I don't drop them onto the deck or in the water. A helper lifts me with the jib halyards, one as back up. The main halyard is a good conveyance line. The spin halyard gets in the way especially if you are working on the forestay or furler. With 4 or 5 wraps around the winch I feel pretty secure. Easing down actually requires taking off a few wraps. Some experts recommend a stabilizing line from the chair to an assistant on deck although I have never used one. The mast ladder looks pretty cool but you need to be able to use both hands, and sit down, which requires some extra equipment. You can easily fall off a ladder. With a harness and proper back-up, it would be very hard to fall. The ATN climbing thing is way too expensive. Get the rock climber stuff if you decide to go that way.
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