Being a newbie, I was wondering about bosun chairs and other things we abuse our masts with, such as hammocks etc. I was wondering whether, aside from the fact that it is always easier to have someone else do the work, particularly if that person is obliged to work for free, if there are some weight considerations we should be mindful of in dealing with our masts. I weigh in at 201, b/ my son is a slenderer 177. If we have reason to use a bosun's chair to deal with senders etc atop the mast, is there some reason [or persuasive excuse] I should make that his dedicated job? I noticed a picture of someone lounging comfortably in a hammock wrapped around the furled headsail and secured to the mast. Again, any weight limits or reasons to avoid this?
Weight questions
- Thread starter wufibugs
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It wont break UNLESS there is something wrong
Now you do need to use a LOT of caution when going UP a mast ,we always use TWO halyards and a safety line after we get up
We try and treat it like and OSHA inspector is on the job sight
Small load
On our '77 h27, the 4 capstays put a load of over 2,000 pounds on the top of the mast. When the boat is heeled 20 degrees the rig easily sustains around 500 pounds at about that angle to the mast.
I don't think either you or your son has a chance of overloading the rig. Rigging a safety lline, and attaching tools so they don't fall on the crew below are more important concerns.
On our '77 h27, the 4 capstays put a load of over 2,000 pounds on the top of the mast. When the boat is heeled 20 degrees the rig easily sustains around 500 pounds at about that angle to the mast.
I don't think either you or your son has a chance of overloading the rig. Rigging a safety lline, and attaching tools so they don't fall on the crew below are more important concerns.
Depending on the size of the winches lifting 175 to 200 lbs of dead weight can put some strain in the grinder's arms and back. It is easier if the person going up aids by pulling himself hand over hand and pushing with the legs. The riggin can easily take the weight but check your halyard rope clutch for any slipage.
Thanks, all. You have set my mind at east. I will, of course, carefully conceal this thread from my son.
One thing I hadn't thought of when I winched myself up the mast of the Cal25 - check to make sure your keel has enough weight to counteract your weight at the top of the mast. For instance, if you have say 2000lb ballast and your mast is about 35ft above waterline (lets say that's the pivot point), and you weigh 200 lb: 2000 x 3ft = 6000 ft-lb for the ballast, 200 x 35ft = 7000 ft-lb for you at the top of the mast. Oh, oh....
druid
druid
To assemble a four part tackle you need a double swivel block and a double swivel block with becket. The block w/the becket is the top block . The line starts at the becket and is reeved to the sheave on lower block and back to the top and through the first sheave, back to the bottom and through the second sheave, then back over the second top sheave. This is the tail and the part you pull. To accend you shackle the top block to the jib halyard and the lower block to the chair or harness. You haul the top block to the mast head and secure the halyard. When you pull on the tail while sitting in the chair you have to pull four feet of line to rise one foot. I weigh 160 pounds and when I pull on the tail my weight is supported by the tackle AND my pulling force as a result I need only about forty pounds pull on the tail to lift myself to the mast head. For safety I use accenders attached to my harness and pull the tail with those. Nancy snubs the tail around a winch.
I've been up to the masthead a number of times and I weigh around 220.
I rigged a 6 part block and tackle which I attach to the main halyard. I used the second halyard as a safety line. The six part tackle makes it easier for someone to crank me up, but thats a lot of line! (I was lucky in that I found a 600 foot spool of Dyneema line at a bargain outlet which they sold to me for $40!)
I rigged a 6 part block and tackle which I attach to the main halyard. I used the second halyard as a safety line. The six part tackle makes it easier for someone to crank me up, but thats a lot of line! (I was lucky in that I found a 600 foot spool of Dyneema line at a bargain outlet which they sold to me for $40!)
If you are just simply going to use a bosuns chair and two halyards it can be a challenge to tail the lines safely. It can also be a challenge to use the halyard winch to pull someone up, as they are typically undersized compared to a sheet winch. I tried to bring the line to a sheet winch, but there was a sharp angle against the cabin, which made it impossible. Before trying it with a human you may wish to start with a heavy inanimate object for practice. Another person is also a plus to share the effort of winching. Even then the person in the bosun's chair doesn't get a free ride. A little climbing on their part is likely to be required.
my halyard winches are about 2.5 inches drum diameter with a 10 inch handle gives me about a 9:1 advantage. Allowing for friction, lifting 200 pounds would require about 30 pounds of effort on the winch handle. For about 6 inches of lift per turn. A handy billy makes a lot of sense.
Edit to add link: http://www.answers.com/topic/handy-billies
Edit to add link: http://www.answers.com/topic/handy-billies
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I don't think the difference between 177 lbs and 200 lbs would make much difference. Use that excuse if you want, but I think the difference in years would be a much better argument to make.
I don't think the difference between 177 lbs and 200 lbs would make much difference. Use that excuse if you want, but I think the difference in years would be a much better argument to make.
my brother and i were 7 and 6 yrs old respectively and we had to haul our uncle up the mast in his boat because we fouled the mast hoops and peak and throat halyards while raising the main(gaff rigging)---lol---hauling someone up a mast is childs play--keeping him up there isnt so easy lol ---falls are not good--make sure there is a safety line .....oh--we didnt have cleats and winches on that boat--was antique--there were blocks and tackles and belaying pins .....
my brother hasnt sailed in many years, unfortunately---is living in alaska and has had some huge speedbumps in life...i wish he would go sailing---would do him a lot of good.....my uncle was a very salty merchant mariner , grad of kings point and sailed round this world in tallships---presumably for his grandfather, owner of a big shipping co...LOL--we learned to sail on his 36 ft gaff rigged racing sloop built by cpt nate's own hands...LOL
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