Looking down at the top of mast to work

[roverhi]

ATN Mastclimber | Single Handed Bosun Chair | Climbing the Mast

[roverhi]

url=http://l-36.com/more_mast_climbing.php]Mast Climbing[/ur

[carstenb]

Originally Posted by Southtexassailr

I have ascended the mast the conventional way a few times and for a quick inspection it's fine. For any serious work I prefer to tie my boat up to the seawall and Rent a " towable boom lift". They are available everywhere and the 50' reach is enough to get me to the masthead on my 41' gulfstar. As with any overhead work you'll still want a harness. Just another option for those more involved projects....having a helper, all of my tools and equipment aloft is just so much easier....good luck and be safe!

kinda tough to do when you are at sea........................

we have 2 foldable steps near the top of the mast that allows me to stand up and work on the masttop. We use a spinlock harness and 2 halyards (always two halyards) also - never, never trust a shackle - tie a decent knot.

[rmlarson1098]

Originally Posted by EllisElectric

I haven't seen any rigging that allows a worker to be halfway above the top of mast in order to work downward instead of reaching up and over top of mast. Looking for solutions to make working on equipment at the top easier and safer.

You probably haven't seen such rigging because no one wants to make it. To get half your body above the mast and work in that position is a disaster waiting to happen. I like 'Amblers' idea of your chest at masthead height. Much more than that and you could flip upside down, and no matter how you acheived that lofty height - or how you've tied yourself off - you're gonna be most unhappy.

[EllisElectric]

I was thinking a lightweight portable crows nest could be fabricated to fit over the masthead allowing the worker to sit level with the top.

[Red Sky]

Suspension trauma is serious and can happen in as little as 10 minutes. As others have said, a full safety harness is the proper equipment to use. In addition, emergency foot straps should be installed so if you’re in a suspension situation you can use those to stand in and get the weight off of the crotch straps. Pooling blood in the legs becomes toxic and when released into the blood stream after recovery in an emergency, bad things can happen.