up the mast

[Rob19574]

Hi all - I have to make a lovely trip up my mast (Catalina 30) to replace a missing wind-vane fin. It appears to have blown off over the winter during the winter storms we had in the NE.

I've gone up there before to replace my halyards years back. I obviously made it down...curious though - can the mast support ~170lbs at the top safely? I have a bosoun's seat and use 2 halyards for safety. The whole physics though of that much weight at the very top of the mast - is it made to support such loads or am I over thinking this? And I know - you see guys head up during ocean races and such but I thought I'd ask as I'm the one heading up....and on a much smaller 30-footer, are these masts designed to support a person?

Thanks - Rob

 

[Todd Smith]

Rob,

You mast would support much more load than 170 lbs. Just make sure that you do it while floating. The boat is more stable that way.

 

[Kevin3447]

I've been up on my 28' boat - you should have no problem.

I tie bowlines with the halyards to my bo'sun's chair - I don't trust the shackles with my life.

K

 

[caguy]

Most of the weight is on compression and not torque. With the stay in place it should handle the load.
At 210#s the biggest concern that I have is that someone will create a wake that will send me and the mast past the tipping point.
Is that possible?

 

[Bill Roosa]

Tipping a boat over

The keel weighs how much? couple of thousands of pounds
You weigh how much? couple of hundred pounds
Not much chance of that happening while you are in the water. You clearly have never had to tip the boat to get her off a sand bar.

Also in 70 knot winds with full main and 150 geny up the mast only goes to about 60 degrees from vertical when the wind is from directly abeam.

 

[Rob19574]

yeah - thats what i thought but its nice to make sure!

Thanks!

- Rob

 

[ffaubert]

I don't know. In my case, it would be kind of like trying to balance a meatball on top of a toothpick. Yeah, it can be done but everyone knows what's going to happen.