A proper way to climb a mast?!

[Bolo]

I recently had my marina remount a repaired Raymarine masthead unit on my E32-3 which involved the rigger and his helper because I don't go up on the mast anymore. I just don't bounce as good as I use to. Anyway, I took a short video of him ascending the mast and well....I'm not a pro but I don't think I'd do it this way. I asked if they needed a winch handle before starting and it's when the rigger said, "No", that I knew I needed to tape this one. He got the job done but made me as nervous as the "cat on a hot tin roof" as I watched from the dock.

A proper mast climbing?

youtube.com

 

[Kenneth K]

Proper? I'd say a definitive "no" because I don't see any backup/safety line(s) at all. If the "helper" slips or lets go, or the winch rips off the mast, or any single piece of hardware fails, the climber is dead.

I went up my mast 4 times in the last 2 months. I go up using just prussik lines and a climbing harness. But I always have 2 backup prussiks attached to two backup lines while the primary prussiks are on the jib halyard. BTW, no helper required when using prussiks--one less thing that can go wrong.

 

[Bolo]

Proper? I'd say a definitive "no" because I don't see any backup/safety line(s) at all. If the "helper" slips or lets go, or the winch rips off the mast, or any single piece of hardware fails, the climber is dead.

I went up my mast 4 times in the last 2 months. I go up using just prussik lines and a climbing harness. But I always have 2 backup prussiks attached to two backup lines while the primary prussiks are on the jib halyard. BTW, no helper required when using prussiks--one less thing that can go wrong.

I have to tell you, it was a scary scene. A couple other boaters who walked by on the dock just stopped and stared at the faux Cirque du Soleil act happening on my boat.

 

[Kenneth K]

I wonder who's insurance gets hit if something goes wrong? He's on your boat, on the marina's property. Maybe it matters whether he's licensed and bonded.

 

[Bolo]

I wonder who's insurance gets hit if something goes wrong? He's on your boat, on the marina's property. Maybe it matters whether he's licensed and bonded.

I would hope (guess) that his employer, the marina, insurance would cover any sort of accident and/or damage. But I’m not an attorney and never even played one on TV so I can’t say. I’d like to hear from anyone else who has hired a rigger to say how they got up the mast. I think it would be fair to say that most sailors on this site (non-pro riggers) would be using safety lines, winch handles or mast climbers (with a safety line) to go up the stick.

 

[Christian Williams]

I wonder what his fellow riggers say about his technique.

 

[Vtonian]

I would hope (guess) that his employer, the marina, insurance would cover any sort of accident and/or damage. But I’m not an attorney and never even played one on TV so I can’t say. I’d like to hear from anyone else who has hired a rigger to say how they got up the mast. I think it would be fair to say that most sailors on this site (non-pro riggers) would be using safety lines, winch handles or mast climbers (with a safety line) to go up the stick.

I'd guess this fellow feels like he can climb with no safety gear, so the tailer is his safety. But doing it for work? On other's property and with all the climbing options avaliable these days, I don't get the point.

I can swim in Puget Sound in shorts but I've never seen a professional clean a hull without a wetsuit.

 

[Bolo]

I'd guess this fellow feels like he can climb with no safety gear, so the tailer is his safety. But doing it for work? On other's property and with all the climbing options avaliable these days, I don't get the point.

I can swim in Puget Sound in shorts but I've never seen a professional clean a hull without a wetsuit.

I even offered to help man the main halyard as his safety line but my offer was politely refused. As for Christian's comment about what his fellow rigger think I can only say that the "head of rigging" at the marina has undoubtedly seen his methods and is OK with it??? I was going to send the video to the head of the service department but torn between appreciation of getting my wind instruments rigged (he also installed a Windex for me at the same time) and exposing his, IMHO, unsafe mast climbing practice that could possibly get him in trouble or not if the manager is OK with it. A this point my feelings are to just let it be.

 

[Vtonian]

I even offered to help man the main halyard as his safety line but my offer was politely refused. As for Christian's comment about what his fellow rigger think I can only say that the "head of rigging" at the marina has undoubtedly seen his methods and is OK with it??? I was going to send the video to the head of the service department but torn between appreciation of getting my wind instruments rigged (he also installed a Windex for me at the same time) and exposing his, IMHO, unsafe mast climbing practice that could possibly get him in trouble or not if the manager is OK with it. A this point my feelings are to just let it be.

I agree, I wouldn't rock the boat either. As long as you didn't have to clean splatter off your deck, 'not my zoo, not my monkey'.