Going Aloft on the Hard

[Joe500]

Wow, I didn't expect 29 replies. I was thinking about the physics of it and I came to a similar conclusion as LakeSuperior. While you do have the potential to exert more torque at the top of the mast if you wanted to, your weight pulls down and not perpendicular to the mast. So I guess the marinas don't allow it for other reasons. Maybe in order to decrease their liability if they put the stands in badly.

Originally Posted by LakeSuperior

From an engineering point of view there is little to no risk on a no wind day. The roll-over moment is a function of how far you can move from the centerline of the boat to either side of the mast. Although your weight is a sizable force on a long lever arm (the mast) you need to exert this force on the mast so that you pull toward either the port or star'b side in order to to create a torque that could roll the boat on the stands or in the cradle. Most guys going up a long mast have enough intuition not to start swinging from side-to-side. It's kind of a self preservation thing.

[seandepagnier]

If your stays fail and the mast falls, and you are on water, you might be able to jump, but I cant imagine falling from that height onto dry land and not at least breaking some bones...

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by geckosenator

If your stays fail and the mast falls, and you are on water, you might be able to jump, but I cant imagine falling from that height onto dry land and not at least breaking some bones...

If all this were to happen then the first time you raise the sails you would lose your mast and besides how the hell is one going to jump if they are starped to the rigging.

The object is; any time one is hoisting them selves up the mast or a rock cliff, they better have the skills to do so or hire some one else to do it!!!!
It's like SCUBA diving, parasailing or sky diving one has to know the safety procedures, risks and the smarts to know what works or not.

[White Feather]

Falling fronm 70 feet in the air, 55 foot mast and 15 feet of air from the keel to the deck, and landing on the boat, ground or another object, sort of guarantees a serious injury if you are lucky. If not so lucky you are dead. I agree with you delmarrey, strapped to the rigging/mast is a sure bet to die if something goes wrong. You can get away with it 50 times but it only takes one mis-step/frayed line, shattered pulley, loose pulley shaft, one slip and you are dead. Is it really worth the risk to do it on the hard when in the water is safer? Did you ever see a jackstand that bent for no reason other than a sudden breeze out of nowhere? Go ahead, climb the mast on the hard but put me in your will first.

[LakeSuperior]

Originally Posted by White Feather

Falling fronm 70 feet in the air, 55 foot mast and 15 feet of air from the keel to the deck, and landing on the boat, ground or another object, sort of guarantees a serious injury if you are lucky. If not so lucky you are dead. I agree with you delmarrey, strapped to the rigging/mast is a sure bet to die if something goes wrong. You can get away with it 50 times but it only takes one mis-step/frayed line, shattered pulley, loose pulley shaft, one slip and you are dead. Is it really worth the risk to do it on the hard when in the water is safer? Did you ever see a jackstand that bent for no reason other than a sudden breeze out of nowhere? Go ahead, climb the mast on the hard but put me in your will first.

You're kind of mixing apples and oranges here. On the mast you are in the bosuns chair or equivalent. A frayed line, etc. puts you on the deck whether or not you are on the hard or the water.

I agree a bent or slipped jack stand will put you on the ground. However, the mechanics of the problem make this a minimal risk unless your boat is on the ragged edge ready to come down anyway.

I believe the highest risk is the frayed line, a buddy messing up on the winch, etc. is by far much greater than the boat coming off the stand.