How do you deal with being thrown about when going aloft at sea?

[carstenb]

First - get a helmet. I use a cheap second hand bicycle helmet. It works fine (also if I have to go under the boat while at sea - getting 12 tons of boat pounding your head is no fun).

I usually run a tether from my "D" ring on my harness to each side to the shrouds - keeps me from flying about too much.

turn and run downwind to minimize the swinging.

I've had to do it several times - worst was in about 20 knots and 2 - 3 meter swells

shoes with rubber soles give you a better grip on the mast

[Fore and Aft]

Fran I always recommend wrapping your mast with Velcro and purchasing a Velcro suit. Makes it safe and easy to do any maintenance.
Cheers

[Benz]

I've gone aloft while sailing with jumars on a tensioned line, that is, one tied off below. With a harness instead of a chair, my legs are free to brace against the mast and sail, if up (it should be, for steadiness), and the tight line regulates how far I can be flung.

If being hauled up, consider making the process faster by climbing as much as possible--that is hauling yourself up anything you can reach--and having the person alow just tail the rope more than actually haul you. This is easier with a harness than a chair, but I know those who routinely do it in a chair, and it's quite fast. That way you minimize the time, and you're always holding onto something to steady you.

[DEAN2140]

That was Ann's post, not Jim. Women just don't get any respect. :smile

[Kd9truck]

Safety first they always say, How I do it, first you need 2 people, a climbing harness not a bosen chair, We use a cordless drill to hoist (me at 195 lbs, my 1st mate 220), on the main halyard. We use the topping lift as a safety with a Petzl GriGri (a self repel device) both ropes are static so I place a “screamer”aka shock absorber in between my harness and the safety lines. I have a 1 ft loop of Kevlar webbing with a SS 316 mast track slug (slugs are round, slides are flat) girth hitched to the loop at the front of my harness. Climbing shoes and helmet (does not have to be climbing), earbuds to communicate, tools in a bag with hand loops on them.
I use a chest harness as well with a Kevlar loop attached to a mast slug because I am top heavy and if unconscious I can invert, this is a anatomical problem with athletic men our center of gravity is in our chest.
We have a sail bag so the sail stays on the boom
We use this drill, Dewalt DCD460B FlexVolt 60V MAX VSR Stud and Joist Drill it can hoist me up 5x on a fresh charge. We set up everything before the harness goes on, we go over our commands simple stuff but it putts your head in the game. Checkpoint stops when the feet of the “climber” is just below the spreader, this is so if any harness adjustments need to be made they can do so in safety with a short bit of play in the system when the “climber” steps up onto the spreader, we do this stop up and down everytime. The regularity is comforting routine and control are the confidence builders.

I climbed for about 8 years recreationally before i became a search and rescue firefighter then officer in nyc, we drilled on our hi-angle evolutions weekly. Set up and do it multiple times dock side, take turns, then go on anchor, take turns, then try it when there’s just enough wind to drive your vessel, take turns. I have found down wind is the only option for my boat , just about 80% of the foresail on a broad reach barely holding tension on the sheet.
When you get to the drilling underway just set your goal to be at the top of the first spreader, spend some time up there, relax and try to enjoy.

I am sorry this is so gear heavy, the screamer is so that you don’t get hurt by a short stop while descending, things happen. The grigri is your own personal bailout system, you will have to tend it in ascending and descending.

I also have very thin chaser lines sewn in continuous loops for every shive I have at the top of my mast as I solo a lot. Also the next time you haul think about adding folding mast steps at the mast head, a great many boats are very hard to get in working position (think nipple hight) and the steps up there add another level of security/comfort.

I hope this helps, good luck

[catsketcher]

Thanks KD9truck, that was good to read.

I have learnt a lot about mast climbing from rapelling (abseiling in Australian lingo) but don't climb outside a bouldering gym. But I have liked getting to know nice devices like the Grigri.

If I read you correctly, you tighten the topping lift nice and tight and put the Grigri on that with the shock absorber. It took me a while to realise that rock cliimbing ropes are dynamic, quite stretchy to reduce fall forces, and yacht ropes and rapelling ropes are much less so. So I understand the need for a shock absorber but I think many people would not, as I didn't until a couple of years ago.

How do you thread the continuous loops on a a sheave? Is there a small 2mm spectra line that you somehow thread up the mast and back down again? Does it get tangled?

cheers

Phil

[Kd9truck]

The slugs/slides on a short loop/sling/runner you can find them of various lengths keep me to the mast. one on the chest harness one on the climbing harness keep me close to the mast, both girth hitched to the harnesses and the SS slide/slug.
(1 ft sling for the waist harness, and a for the chest)

we use the main halyard as the primary and the topping lift as the safety.

2mm paracord for the continuous loops you want cord with some stretch , I pull the end’s together and hand sew them flat on top of each other under tension, they roll when the halyards are moving so there’s no friction burning though, there can be slapping but they are so light it’s not like a 12 mm halyard knocking away.
that’s just my approach it has not caused any issues in the past 4 years since I’ve put them in.
Cheers

[pendragon]

[QUOTE=Franziska;3803231]Hi,

for those who have actually done it.

What pragmatic measures do you use for not being thrown about when going aloft at sea?
Suggestions? I know it's best to wait fora dead calm, but that is not always possible offshore.

/QUOTE]


1) Install mast steps, with 2 side by side 4 feet below the top
2)Put on 2 life jackets, one back to front
3)Put on your safety harness and clip on to the steps as you ascend.
4) Remember, 'Always one hand for you and one for the boat'.


I've been up there a few times, at sea, usually to straighten the windex out (sea gull problems)

[pbmaise]

Most are discussing head protection....I found that it was my ribs and shoulders that suffered the most.

Off hand, something that might already be aboard is a foam waterski life jacket. However, this will leave the shoulders and upper arms exposed.

There are two more complete solutions:

A motorcross jacket designed for impacts like this one:
https://sportvl.ca/en/motocross/equi...ice-pour-homme

And a riot gear for police like this one:
https://www.galls.com/galls-upper-bo...xoC0QYQAvD_BwE

[merrydolphin]

Have had to do this a few times in the past. And was an avid rock climber, so going aloft was not normally a problem for me, even in advanced age. It’s more knowledge and procedure more than strength or weight.
First, put the boat in the smoothest course possible. If going for anything but the jib halyard, maybe on a beam reach with jib alone for stability and moderate heel. Also on this course you will not have the sail in your way. Down wing can get rolls and up wind can get pitchy or poundy As said before, a loop around the mast to keep you from any wild swings. And when possible a back up halyard or a Prussic sling. Really heavy weather? Eh, how bad do you need to go up right now?

[philiosophy]

I would only add to all the above....I have a safety strap that is long enough to make a double pass around the mast . That way if the halyard were to fail in some way it has the mast shoked and very short drop of maybe a foot before it comes tight. It also serves to keep me close to my work. Tha t said the Velcro idea is the best by far.