I have a 1980 Catalina 25, standard rig with 29' mast. Thinking about going aloft in a bosun's chair, and got to wondering whether this rig is strong enough to safely support my (near) 200 pounds. I've never used a bosun's chair before, but I figure that the loads imposed by the sails in 15 knot winds are probably higher. Anyone have opinions or words of advice? Thanks, Jack
Safe for bosun's chair?
- Thread starter Cactus Jack
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Mast Stress - Nerve Stress
Hi ya Cactus...pretty koool name thar. Masts that are rigged right are quite strong. Now I would not go up a 16' Hobie cat mast, not anymore...;-) but as for a Catalina if all of your stays, shrouds, tangs, terminals and other rig perephinalia is in good to reasonable shape then your 200 lbs of body weight will not bring it down, but there are other ways if you are under ANY doubt. You can hire a rigger or a rig surveyor. you can take the mast down or have a friend raft his yacht alongside and use his halyard as a 'safety'. If you are worried about the halyard, many riggers are too, use a "prussik knot" or a "rolling hitch" around the mast above the spreaders; look these up in a knot book like "The Complete Riggers Apprentice" By Brion Toss. Happy Climbs...;-)
Hi ya Cactus...pretty koool name thar. Masts that are rigged right are quite strong. Now I would not go up a 16' Hobie cat mast, not anymore...;-) but as for a Catalina if all of your stays, shrouds, tangs, terminals and other rig perephinalia is in good to reasonable shape then your 200 lbs of body weight will not bring it down, but there are other ways if you are under ANY doubt. You can hire a rigger or a rig surveyor. you can take the mast down or have a friend raft his yacht alongside and use his halyard as a 'safety'. If you are worried about the halyard, many riggers are too, use a "prussik knot" or a "rolling hitch" around the mast above the spreaders; look these up in a knot book like "The Complete Riggers Apprentice" By Brion Toss. Happy Climbs...;-)
Climbing
Think of the stresses on your rigging when you are close hauled in, say, fifteen knots of wind. If your stick and rigging can take that stress they can take your two hundred pounds dead weight. Safty precautions(need a ground,winch person, fall backup line) are indeed in order. Hope this helps. Regards, Jim
Think of the stresses on your rigging when you are close hauled in, say, fifteen knots of wind. If your stick and rigging can take that stress they can take your two hundred pounds dead weight. Safty precautions(need a ground,winch person, fall backup line) are indeed in order. Hope this helps. Regards, Jim
Check the size of your winches.
The boat will hold you if they can get you up there. With small winches you will have to help the grinder by clawing your way up the mast. I don't know how tender your boat is but it may be a wild ride at the top. Choose a calm day and don't let anyone climb aboard or get off the boat or shift weight while you are aloof. Besides hooking up the halyard shackle tie a double knot to the ring for safety. You will find out why they call them chairs "the crusher"
The boat will hold you if they can get you up there. With small winches you will have to help the grinder by clawing your way up the mast. I don't know how tender your boat is but it may be a wild ride at the top. Choose a calm day and don't let anyone climb aboard or get off the boat or shift weight while you are aloof. Besides hooking up the halyard shackle tie a double knot to the ring for safety. You will find out why they call them chairs "the crusher"
Rig a three or four part tackle and hoist
that to the mast head with the lower part hitched to your chair. With a four part tackle you can haul yourself up the mast with less than fifty pounds pull on the the hauling line. If someone on deck will snub that line for you, you will be safe, secure and everyone on deck will be happy. You still need to back up your safety with the other halyard. Never haul yourself up the mast on a cheek block. Learn to tie and use a prusik knot. If your halyards need to be replaced DON'T use them for climbing the mast. EDIT TO ADD: DON'T use snap shackles on a bo'suns chair. SCREW PIN shackles only
that to the mast head with the lower part hitched to your chair. With a four part tackle you can haul yourself up the mast with less than fifty pounds pull on the the hauling line. If someone on deck will snub that line for you, you will be safe, secure and everyone on deck will be happy. You still need to back up your safety with the other halyard. Never haul yourself up the mast on a cheek block. Learn to tie and use a prusik knot. If your halyards need to be replaced DON'T use them for climbing the mast. EDIT TO ADD: DON'T use snap shackles on a bo'suns chair. SCREW PIN shackles only
Benny is right
about any one moving about cause it is a wild ride up there,I have a much larger boat now that is not as tender and going aloft is a blast but I'll never forget the day on my 24 the boys below thought they'd be wise guys and rock the boat I told them I was going to vomit on them and they said.... if we get any vomit on us how are you getting down?;D I got even at a later date but thats another story
about any one moving about cause it is a wild ride up there,I have a much larger boat now that is not as tender and going aloft is a blast but I'll never forget the day on my 24 the boys below thought they'd be wise guys and rock the boat I told them I was going to vomit on them and they said.... if we get any vomit on us how are you getting down?;D I got even at a later date but thats another story
Some darn good responses
Here, espec Ross's "do not use the snap shackle" which are often at the bitter end of a main halyard, and cannot be trusted. Screw shackle is okay, but I use a locking carabiner for a bosun's chair, and normally use them for the sail cringles connection to the halyards as well; you can always use climbers webbing to loop through if the hole in the headboard is small or drill it...;-) just don't be falling on any saguaros nor barrels neither...
Here, espec Ross's "do not use the snap shackle" which are often at the bitter end of a main halyard, and cannot be trusted. Screw shackle is okay, but I use a locking carabiner for a bosun's chair, and normally use them for the sail cringles connection to the halyards as well; you can always use climbers webbing to loop through if the hole in the headboard is small or drill it...;-) just don't be falling on any saguaros nor barrels neither...
hey Joe!
Hey Joe: It is a lot easier with a Lewmar 44 electric winch. It makes you think you are ascending on an elevator. Winching someone up the stick is horrible at best, but sometimes necessary!
Hey Joe: It is a lot easier with a Lewmar 44 electric winch. It makes you think you are ascending on an elevator. Winching someone up the stick is horrible at best, but sometimes necessary!
Bosun's Chair Caution
If you're using a bosun's chair, one thing to check, if it has one, is the cam latch that holds the (waste?) strap that joins the two sides and that keeps you in the chair. There is a middle strap (crotch strap?) that attaches to the bottom of the chair (typically, like on the West Marine chair) that has a loop which the afore mentioned strap goes through. Anyway, on the WM chair there is a cam latch that secures the waste strap. It could be easy for this latch to inadvertantly become loose so, if you have one, consider tying it shut with some blue masking tape (the glue stickum comes off easier than duct tape). Secondly, I'd like to chime in with saying you should plan on doing a lot of the heavy lifting yourself as the pully sheave and winches for this size boat will be pushed to the limit. The winch grinder will probably have a real workout if you don't find a way to help pull a lot of the weight up yourself. Third comment: take a messenger line up with you in case you need to haul anything up. have fun!
If you're using a bosun's chair, one thing to check, if it has one, is the cam latch that holds the (waste?) strap that joins the two sides and that keeps you in the chair. There is a middle strap (crotch strap?) that attaches to the bottom of the chair (typically, like on the West Marine chair) that has a loop which the afore mentioned strap goes through. Anyway, on the WM chair there is a cam latch that secures the waste strap. It could be easy for this latch to inadvertantly become loose so, if you have one, consider tying it shut with some blue masking tape (the glue stickum comes off easier than duct tape). Secondly, I'd like to chime in with saying you should plan on doing a lot of the heavy lifting yourself as the pully sheave and winches for this size boat will be pushed to the limit. The winch grinder will probably have a real workout if you don't find a way to help pull a lot of the weight up yourself. Third comment: take a messenger line up with you in case you need to haul anything up. have fun!
Waste not!
Ross, thank you for having the nerve to give a little knowledge. Some of the people appear to have been sound asleep during the years they were in school, and it sometimes drive me crazy!
Ross, thank you for having the nerve to give a little knowledge. Some of the people appear to have been sound asleep during the years they were in school, and it sometimes drive me crazy!
Thanks all!
Thanks everyone for all the suggestions and experience, not to mention the entertaining reading (I'd love to hear Cap'n Ron's Hobie story, and RAD's Revenge!) On a related note, has anyone used a Mast Mate? (Link below) Thanks again, Jack
Thanks everyone for all the suggestions and experience, not to mention the entertaining reading (I'd love to hear Cap'n Ron's Hobie story, and RAD's Revenge!) On a related note, has anyone used a Mast Mate? (Link below) Thanks again, Jack
I weighed 190 on my Catalina 25
i went up and down my Catalina 25 several times and at the time, i weighrd 190. One thing to keep in mind, if you want to make a permanent block and tacle arrangement, deffinately use double braided rope instead of 3 strand. It cost much more, but it wont try to kink up on you. Unless of course, you like to get kinky with ropes. OOPS, they are only ropes when you buy them. Once they cross the 18" stretch of water and onto your boat, they miraculously become lines.
i went up and down my Catalina 25 several times and at the time, i weighrd 190. One thing to keep in mind, if you want to make a permanent block and tacle arrangement, deffinately use double braided rope instead of 3 strand. It cost much more, but it wont try to kink up on you. Unless of course, you like to get kinky with ropes. OOPS, they are only ropes when you buy them. Once they cross the 18" stretch of water and onto your boat, they miraculously become lines.
Thanks Ross -
I can't believe it! It was a very loooong day and I guess I must have been half asleep - definitely tired when I wrote that. Or is that tyred?
I can't believe it! It was a very loooong day and I guess I must have been half asleep - definitely tired when I wrote that. Or is that tyred?
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