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Are you set up to climb your mast solo?

klb67pgh

Member III
Candidly having worked my way through a few seasons of to-do lists since getting our E25 in August 2020, I'm starting to look at lower priority upgrades to the boat, equipment, and me. At some point, I think it would be prudent to have the gear necessary to get myself aloft should the need arise. I'm interested to know if may, most, or only a few of you, have that capability currently.

After a fair bit of research on options, I've decided I want the capability to climb the mast solo - I don't want to have to rely on someone winching me up. In part, it allows me to control 100% of the risk factor. I'm probably going to use a climbing harness, perhaps dedicated climbing rope but have the option to climb my existing main halyard (with genoa or spinnaker as a backup), and some combination of yet to be determined ascenders, foot straps, prusik loop, etc. Allen Edwards's work at L-36.com was among the resources I consulted - you should be aware of that page/resource if you are not. If nothing else, for the soft shackle resources. I will likely consult a friend who is an experienced climber on some of that gear.

I'm likely an unusual case, given that I have an E25 with a tabernacle, and sail on an inland lake. For a non emergency maintenance issue, currently I would probably be inclined to head to my dock, go get my trailer from storage, and pull the boat, and drop the mast. Or maybe drop it on the water (I haven't done that, but think it would be doable). But I have plans to sail my boat on Erie for a week or two next summer, and hopefully other trips on bigger water. A wrapped halyard or lost halyard would be an unfortunate reason to have to find a marina and rigger.

So with that - are you equipped to go aloft? Do you have a harness you like? I'm not inclined to get both a bosun's chair and a harness, although I recognize that would be the most comfortable and most redundancy. My climb is only 30' up and I think a comfortable harness will work fine.
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
I have a 4:1 tackle and bosuns chair for singlehanded emergencies. I have made sure not to use it.

Just an opinion, but climbing the mast alone, without an observer, is not a good idea except when critical. And I think you will find that a 25-foot boat in any kind of sea state, which is when emergencies likely occur, is unstable and introduces additional challenges. Better to head for shelter.
 

driftless

Member III
Blogs Author
I'm probably going to use a climbing harness, perhaps dedicated climbing rope but have the option to climb my existing main halyard (with genoa or spinnaker as a backup), and some combination of yet to be determined ascenders, foot straps, prusik loop, etc. Allen Edwards's work at L-36.com was among the resources I consulted - you should be aware of that page/resource if you are not.
You've answered your own question I think.
Fix (tied both ends, not just shackled or in clutch or tailer) the halyards. Climb one. Use the other as safety.
For a short climb ascenders are overkill, and they'll chew up your halyards. Prusiks (or bachmann or klemheist knots) and a footloop will work fine.
I like an adjustable mountaineering harness so I can put it on over foulies or a float suit. If you have crew it will adjust (within range) to fit them as well. The Black Diamond Alpine Bod is a classic choice. They aren't as comfortable as other harnesses though, especially if not used over bulky clothing.
I do have a bosuns chair as well (my boat came with 2!). I would never rely on it alone to secure myself - only for comfort. A very simple plank and rope chair would do the trick to take the load off the harness, solving the comfort issue.

I come to sailing from a climbing and mountaineering background, so these are systems I know and am comfortable with. An arborist would have a different approach, as will a born and bred salty dog (make ratlines!).

I agree that L-36 is an absolute gem of knowledge.
 

Nick J

Sustaining Member
Moderator
Blogs Author
Here's a previous thread with members discussing their setups:

 

klb67pgh

Member III
Here's a previous thread with members discussing their setups:


Thank you Nick. Lots of good information there.
 

Tin Kicker

Sustaining Member
Moderator
I go up and down alone and use:

A version of the webbing mast ladder which is raised with the main halyard. The halyard is not just wrapped on a winch, it is tied off. Slugs every couple of feet keep the ladder secured to the mast.

Rock climbing web harness with two locking carabiners. One is for a hank of dyneema to go around the mast (need to free one end to get past spreaders) and the second is for an ascender clipped to the jib halyard. The white dyneema is hanging behind the mast in this photo:
image_67233793-X2.jpg


I do have my phone accessible if stuck up there and there are always people within shouting distance.

If the main halyard fails, I'm hanging on the jib halyard. If somehow both should fail, the dyneema around the mast will limit fall distance and should also catch on the mast light and other obstructions.
 

gabriel

Live free or die hard
Candidly having worked my way through a few seasons of to-do lists since getting our E25 in August 2020, I'm starting to look at lower priority upgrades to the boat, equipment, and me. At some point, I think it would be prudent to have the gear necessary to get myself aloft should the need arise. I'm interested to know if may, most, or only a few of you, have that capability currently.

After a fair bit of research on options, I've decided I want the capability to climb the mast solo - I don't want to have to rely on someone winching me up. In part, it allows me to control 100% of the risk factor. I'm probably going to use a climbing harness, perhaps dedicated climbing rope but have the option to climb my existing main halyard (with genoa or spinnaker as a backup), and some combination of yet to be determined ascenders, foot straps, prusik loop, etc. Allen Edwards's work at L-36.com was among the resources I consulted - you should be aware of that page/resource if you are not. If nothing else, for the soft shackle resources. I will likely consult a friend who is an experienced climber on some of that gear.

I'm likely an unusual case, given that I have an E25 with a tabernacle, and sail on an inland lake. For a non emergency maintenance issue, currently I would probably be inclined to head to my dock, go get my trailer from storage, and pull the boat, and drop the mast. Or maybe drop it on the water (I haven't done that, but think it would be doable). But I have plans to sail my boat on Erie for a week or two next summer, and hopefully other trips on bigger water. A wrapped halyard or lost halyard would be an unfortunate reason to have to find a marina and rigger.

So with that - are you equipped to go aloft? Do you have a harness you like? I'm not inclined to get both a bosun's chair and a harness, although I recognize that would be the most comfortable and most redundancy. My climb is only 30' up and I think a comfortable harness will work fine.
Bringing the mast down to you is superior to having to climb it. One of the few advantages of a small sailboat over a larger one. I’ve raised and lowered my mast many times on the dock without any problem.
 

klb67pgh

Member III
Bringing the mast down to you is superior to having to climb it. One of the few advantages of a small sailboat over a larger one. I’ve raised and lowered my mast many times on the dock without any problem.
I'll say sometimes it might be superior, but not always. I use my main halyard to connect to the end of the boom, and the mainsheet and winch on the mast to control raising and lowering the mast. Assume a scenario where I lose the main halyard or somehow get it jammed, I could easily climb using the genoa halyard with the spinnaker halyard as a back up, retrieve the main halyard, and be back under way. If I chose to lower the mast and even if I got the mast down on the deck, I'd have to rest it on the bow pulpit since I wouldn't have my mast crutch, and then the masthead would be 15-20 feet forward of the bow over the water. Near shore I might be able to do any masthead work from land. Otherwise I'm not sure how I'd get to it. I expect I'd be able to climb and descend the mast in the time I would take to rig up the boat to start the process of lowering the mast.
 

gabriel

Live free or die hard
I'll say sometimes it might be superior, but not always. I use my main halyard to connect to the end of the boom, and the mainsheet and winch on the mast to control raising and lowering the mast. Assume a scenario where I lose the main halyard or somehow get it jammed, I could easily climb using the genoa halyard with the spinnaker halyard as a back up, retrieve the main halyard, and be back under way. If I chose to lower the mast and even if I got the mast down on the deck, I'd have to rest it on the bow pulpit since I wouldn't have my mast crutch, and then the masthead would be 15-20 feet forward of the bow over the water. Near shore I might be able to do any masthead work from land. Otherwise I'm not sure how I'd get to it. I expect I'd be able to climb and descend the mast in the time I would take to rig up the boat to start the process of lowering the mast.
Yes, good point.
 

nquigley

Sustaining Member
Research how cavers and arborists ascend a single line - using a jumar and the frogging technique. You can use prussics instead of the jumar if you like. I hoist a sacrificial length of climbing line with my main halyard (bowline-to-bowline knots) and climb on that, so as not to tear up my halyard. I use a Grigri to descend safety (if you lose your grip, it locks up, unlike a basic belaying device). I use a recreational arborist harness (very comfortable for long periods aloft fixing something). For backups, as I go up, I tie alpine butterfly loops sequentially in my spinnaker halyard and clip them to a life-rated loop on my harness with a big carabiner (then undo them on the way down), and I loop an adjustable lanyard around the mast (it uses a prussic as a safety-stop) - it'll catch on the next spreader down if both halyards fail, and it's useful for holding myself close to the mast.
I put all tools in a canvas bag with a draw-string closure. I climb up with a light line attached to my harness and to that bag. When I get to the top, I pull up the tool bag and clip it on my harness (and reverse this when going down) - easy way to get heavy/awkwardly shaped tools up and down.
I always take my phone so I can call for help if I get stuck, and a sharp knife in case I ever need to cut myself loose from one of my 3 lines if it gets bound up somehow. Practice at low levels first until you're comfortable and competent with whatever method you use.
Being able to get up you mast safely, comfortably, easily and without any help is a valuable 'tool' in your toolbox.
 

Kenneth K

1985 32-3, Puget Sound
Blogs Author
using a jumar and the frogging technique. You can use prussics instead of the jumar if you like.
I like using prussiks when I go up. I usually take about 6 prussik loops up with me (the two I ascend with, two backups, and two spares). With prussik loops, you can switch your 'primary' prussiks to any other line (halyard or other) at any time--i.e. switch between climbing the main halyard and jib halyard, mid-climb, if you're working both in front of and behind the spreaders.

It's like taking six ascenders up with you, but they don't abraid the lines, don't scratch the mast, and you can remove them from one line and move them to another at any time. All for likely less than the price of a single ascender.
 

nquigley

Sustaining Member
I just came across this tonight - almost exactly the system I use - well described. Instead of the Prussik loop to a secondary halyard, I tie a series of alpine butterfly loops in that secondary halyard on the way up and clip a large carabiner on my harness into those loops (then untie them on my way down.)
 
Nice to come across this thread as well - had never heard of or seen the L-36 site before and initially thought it was being conflated with Latitude 38. Happy to be wrong and learn about the Lapworth 36! Great looking boat and reminds of my former Cheoy Lee 35.

For me the biggest safety thing about mast ascents is inspecting the halyard/line prior. Prusiks and a gri-gri can be very handy - it's funny stopping by the climbing section of REI for random things and explaining it's for a boat.
 
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