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Old 15-08-2009, 10:06   #1
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Creating My Own Mast Climber

The attached are the details of my own mast climber I no longer need to get help to climb up.
Attached Files
File Type: pdf Making my own Mast Climber.pdf (316.9 KB, 957 views)
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Old 15-08-2009, 10:18   #2
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Nice piece of work, Steve. Thanks for sharing!
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Old 15-08-2009, 10:19   #3
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Hi There and Welcome Aboard..

Im not going to risk opening your file ( Im not really computer literate so dont stray to far from message warnings)

But Im intrigued as to what you are doing and why...Is it for when you are single handing? or want to save Money? there are quite a number of commercially made devices out there is why Im asking.

If you could attach your drawing as a jpg that would be great.

Edit..OPPS I see Hud must have opened it..must be OK
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Old 15-08-2009, 10:23   #4
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Yep, it's OK. Didn't blow up my computer or anything like that!
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Old 15-08-2009, 14:10   #5
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Greetings and welcome aboard the CF Steve.
Thanks for the instructional.
I remember jumping off Fanshawe Dam in the 1960's; but don’t recall many keel-boats on the lake.
From where do you sail?
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Old 15-08-2009, 14:49   #6
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NICE!!
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Old 15-08-2009, 16:50   #7
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Good job...nicely presented as well.

Looks like your wife had a lot of help at the dock to pick up the pieces if it didnt work out...........................Just kidding..

I too have an old pair of "Jumars" left over from my climbing days..I have thought of throwing them in the boat for just such and occasion myself..Didnt think of incorporating a bosun's chair though..good Idea.
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Old 18-08-2009, 07:35   #8
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Hey my wife has my Insurance agent on Speed Dial but did not have to use it. I have been up 2 more times this week trying to repair my fore deck light. It now works great.
The reason I made this was a) price b) my design works better (stirrups) and c) I cannot always find 2 to 3 guys to haul me up.
To Gord May - We sail out of Bayfield on Lake Huron for now. In a few years we hope to be headed South.
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Old 18-08-2009, 09:03   #9
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Thanks for sharing your creation.

A similar method I've used which avoids any special sewing it to use exactly the method cavers and aid climbers use: Attach one ascender between a sit harness and simple chest harness and another on the halyard above. To the higher ascender attach a climbing ettrier. If you have just a little weight on the halyard, it will automatically feed through ascender attached to your sit harness and chest harness so bascially all you need to do is stand up and sit down to ascend. To come down you can either desceend or swtch to rappell.

If you wish to keep cost and weight to a minimum, you can fashion a chest harness and sit harness out of webbing, as well as tie a sling to length instead of buying an etrier. In addition one can substitute prussik slings for ascenders, but the ascenders are much easier and quicker.

I prefer a large handhold ascender even at my waste as it makes it easier to clip and unclip the carabiner if swtiching to rappell.
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Old 18-08-2009, 09:41   #10
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The advantage to the one I designed, as I see it, is I have a chair to sit in and my feet are not squeezed in tight loops. I have a place for tools and parts in the pockets of the chair and can 'relax' (if that is possible 50 feet up) and work seated. Also I am not a climber and this just feels far more comfortable to me, but each to his own. I agree that not everyone has the sewing capabilities but the cost for me in time was a few hours (most of that testing the sizes) and I got a very comfortable climber and feel safe. The feel safe part cannot be considered a minimal part as to me it is almost everything. If I don't feel safe going up I probably would not.
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Old 18-08-2009, 11:26   #11
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I would like to see it but file will not open...damaged???
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Old 23-08-2009, 08:19   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by roberttigar View Post
I would like to see it but file will not open...damaged???
Nope works perfectly. Your computer probably damaged
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Old 23-08-2009, 13:51   #13
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The first time I downloaded it it was damaged and unopenable, the second was ok. I suspect it was due to a transmission error.
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Old 06-08-2017, 12:18   #14
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Re: Creating My Own Mast Climber

Haver the ATN Mast Climber. Was going to make up my own climbing gear but time, lack of a sewing machine, and a salesman at REI who wouldn't sell me the gear when I told him what I needed led me to paying the price for the ATN gear. The ATN Mast Climber has worked great out of the box and one of the most used pieces of maintenance gear on the boat. The foot straps and the chair are two of the best features of the system. The strap between the two foot loops really helps you control your position as you climb. The chair is a combination harness and bosun's chair that is comfortable for hours at a time.

Steve O's plans pretty much copy the design of the Mast Climber which in itself was a copy of another climbing rig. The metal plates in the foot straps are a plus. For me it's not a big thing have the flat surface to stand on but for getting feet in and out of the foot loops. Sometimes can be awkward to get your foot in the loops of the ATN straps. Don't find the ATN soft loops a problem for comfort with my feet. The mountain climbing ascenders look like they would be a little bit easier to use than ATN's proprietary climbers.

Watched a rigger working on a mast and was amazed at how fast he could come down the mast. I find it's more of a pain to come down with the Mast Climber than to go up. I'm not familiar with mountain climbing gear but think he used something called a Gri Gri to descend. Didn't see his set up but wonder how he could climb the usual way and drop down as fast as he wanted to. Can the descender also be used as an ascender??
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