Climbing Your MastRob Hills

FSC Cruising Section

Disclaimer● I am not an expert● What I do is “safe enough” for me, it may not be

for you● I am responsible for my safety when aloft, you

must be responsible for yours when you go up

Demonstrations● Top Climber● Climbing Equipment (ascender, grigri,

karabiner, harness)● Webbing Ladder● Bosun's Chair

Safety● Falling from a mast can be fatal● Use safety line● Suspect and check all equipment● Snaphooks etc are fine for sails, not for bodies

– use knots● Don't climb if you're not comfortable● Practice in perfect conditions● Seek expert advice

Safety Line● Separate Line, independent of your main

climbing line/mechanism● eg: adequately secured halyard, second

halyard attached to bosun's chair.● Set up so you can never fall more than 1-2

metres– So, for bosun's chair, safety line must not be

allowed to go too slack

Safety Line - 2● One method: Static Line + Klemheist Knot or

Grigri– Static line – secured top and bottom. Eg

halyard– Attach Grigri or Klemheist Knot and slide up as

you climb

Types of Gear● Purpose Designed Mast Climbers● Rock/Cave climbing equipment● Rope Techniques● Bare Hands

Purpose Designed Mast Climbers● Bosun's Chair + winch● Permanent Mast Steps● Ascenders

– Marine– Climbing

● Webbing Ladders● Rigid Ladders● Self Hoisting devices● Rat Lines

Bosun's Chair● Probably most common● Strengths

– Cheap– Simple

● Weaknesses– Require two people (including strong grinder)– Often uncomfortable– Difficult to access top of mast– Unsafe without safety line

Bosun's Chair - 2● Improvements

– Use safety line (eg with Klemheist Knot)– Use Anchor winch or other motorised winch to

assist– Mast climber can actively climb and be tailed– “Better Mousetraps”? eg Brion Toss Bosun's

Harness● Links

– Brion Toss Bosun's Harness (scroll down page)

Permanent Mast Steps● Various types, Aluminium, SS, plastic!, fixed/folding,

removeable● Strengths

– No setting up– Simple

● Weaknesses– Windage– Weight aloft– Can snag lines/sails– Use hands to hold on instead of do work– Easy to be unsafe (climbing without safety line)– Holes weaken mast?

Permanent Mast Steps - 2● Safety

– Combine with bosun's chair (+ winch grinder) or safety line to improve safety/comfort

● Pricing– $15-30 (or more) per step

● Links– Plastic– Removeable– Ally - foldup– Google Search

Ascenders - Marine● Top Climber – the one I use (there may be others)● Strengths

– Flexible – climb any mast (including friend's) or even forestay

– Single handed– Access to top of mast– Feels secure – don't swing around– Hands free to work at destination

● Weaknesses– More effort than fixed steps or being winched!– Foot loops hard on feet (need stout footwear)

Ascenders - Marine● Safety

– For best safety, should probably use a safety line as well

● Pricing– US$430 (excluding rope)– Add cost of good rope – I use 10mm Spectra

● Link– TopClimber

Ascenders - Climbing● Lots of options - Climbing shops can advise

best● Mountain Designs Fremantle

– Eong (“Yong”) Tee 9335-1431 or 0402 426-888● I have:

– Ascender + Karabener + loops for feet– Grigri + Karabener for waist– “Recreational” adjustable climbing harness– 6mm line + Klemheist knot for safety line

Ascenders – Climbing - 2● Strengths

– Probably safer than many other options– Lightweight and very portable– Comfortable– Cheaper than marine gear

● Weaknesses– More effort than steps/bosun's chair– More options and complexity → need to practice

Ascenders – Climbing - 3● Pricing

– Varies with gear – my setup is ~ $440:● Adjustable Recreational harness $150● Petzl ascender $90● Petzl grigri $140● 2 x good Carabeners @ $30 each● Look for “loyalty” discounts (eg at MD)

● Links– Mountain Designs– Google - Climbing Gear

Webbing Ladders● Typically hoisted up mast track● Can hoist outside track (secure to deck and

hoist)

Webbing Ladders – 2● Strengths

– Unattended climbing– Familiar, simple concept (ladder)

● Weaknesses– Unsafe without separate harness/safety line– Fixed length – may be too short for a friend's

mast (strength?)– If you can't hoist outside the mast track, can't

use it to sort jammed sail– Can be hard on feet (need stout footwear)– Without separate harness, hands are holding on

and not available for work!

Webbing Ladders - 2● Pricing

– Depends on mast height – US$240 to $395 (or US$12 per foot) – excludes safety harness

– Can be custom made locally – maybe cheaper● Links

– MastMate

Rigid Ladders● “Prime Climb” and “Swiss Tech” - may be others● Strengths

– As for Webbing Ladders– May feel more solid than Webbing– Easier on feet than webbing– No halyard required

● Weaknesses– Unsafe without separate harness/safety line– Must use mast track – no use if sail jammed– Fixed Length (can buy more bits to extend)– Without separate harness, hands are holding on and not

available for work!

Rigid Ladders - 2● Pricing

– Depends on mast height– From $US240 (27' mast) to $US685 (47' mast)– Excludes P&H and safety harness

● Links– Prime Climb– Swiss Tech

Self Hoisting Devices● Hoist a “winch” to the top of the mast● Use endless rope to winch yourself up● Eg SwissTech Mastlift● US$1375 to $1625 excluding P&H!!!

Ratlines● Strengths

– Old as the Tall Ships!– Simple– Relatively cheap

● Weaknesses– Unsafe without separate harness/safety line– Windage– On most rigs can't reach top of mast– Need hands to hold on instead of to work

Bare Hands● Masts are often not as difficult as you'd think to

climb “bare handed”● Extremely unsafe without harness/safety line

backup● May be useful in an emergency● Try practicing in ideal conditions with

harness/safety line, or with bosun's chair and someone tailing on the winch

Tips● Have plenty of halyards on your mast● Consider cheap “halyard keepers” to protect

little-used halyards● You can climb the mast safely and enjoy the

experience so long as you're comfortable● To be comfortable you need to be safe, don't

skimp● Some of the best mooring views/photos are up

your mast!

Useful Links● Bill Deitrich's Mast Climbing page

– Lots of useful links– Lower down on the page, Cruiser discussion

about pros/cons of various devices/techniques● Cruising Resources "Going Aloft"● Mast Climbing Knots (esp Prusik Knot)● Wikipedia - Klemheist Knot