Crows Nest for Cruising Catamaran

[downunder]

Cruising coral reef areas the concept of a lightweight Crows nest part way up the mast looks like a good concept to me rather than clinging to mast.

I have not seen any photos of one. Does anyone know of any. I would not think it would take much more area than a radar unit.

I note Richard Branson has a 2 person hydraulically operated one on his large catamaran Necker Belle.

Anyone have experience of one on a 40-50ft cat???

[mark_morwood]

We just put a set of mast steps up to the first spreader for that purpose on our Catana 48. Because our rig has jumpers, there is plenty to hold on to while sitting there and it feels quite secure.

Mark.

[roverhi]

Me thinks you have too much time tp think about your cruise and possibly too much money to even consider such a thing. Run steps up to the first spreaders and then sit on the spreader to navigate.

[FAIRWIND]

Mine looks like this. Very comfortable and safe.

[downunder]

Originally Posted by FAIRWIND

Mine looks like this. Very comfortable and safe.

Exactly what I was looking for lightweight also.
Do you have drawings or a close up.

Did you build yours??

[FAIRWIND]

This is the best photograph I have at the moment. I bought the boat second hand rigged like this. I can take a close-up when I am at the boat this weekend.

Hope this helps.

[downunder]

Originally Posted by FAIRWIND

This is the best photograph I have at the moment. I bought the boat second hand rigged like this. I can take a close-up when I am at the boat this weekend.

Hope this helps.

thanks Fairwind. seems can be self built at low cost.

Adds a safety fact if need to spend some time there using binoculars.

Thanks

[Blue Stocking]

Excellent idea. Years ago, I spent a lot of time on a Tahiti ketch. The spreaders were a great spot for photography while sailing.

[Lagoon4us]

We have steps to first spreader however the nav equip is all linked to a Raymarine E120 Plotter i'm putting a small wide angle camera (same as engine-room camera etc) at the second set spreaders to give a birdseye view for poking around coral with low light. Not expensive and handy as! Cheers Frank

[Southern Star]

Doesn't anyone have any concerns about the added weight and windage aloft, to say nothing of the increased chafe on headsails? On my last boat I had folding aluminum mast steps and while they greatly facilitated going aloft for navigation and the inspection/repair of halyards, masthead lights etc., they also increased the tendancy of the boat to heel, caught the occasional halyard and added noise in strong winds. For the purpose of navigating around coral, it strikes me that the wide-angle video camera is a far more sensible idea.

Brad

[cchesley]

I've got a Garmin radar array on the front side of my mast and it has been a full on pain in the a..s with respect to headsail chafe. It's on my to do list to move it to a radar pole on the stern...albeit low on the list. I can't believe that a crow's nest arrangement wouldn't be worse.

[webejammin]

I am wondering how much draft a catamaran has to need to see depth from up the mast in a crows nest like a full keel monohull. I would be more comfortable with a hand held autopilot and set on one of our bow seats to steer with our 18 inches of draft. We have been thinking of adding mast steps but we don't know about the wind noise.

[Lagoon4us]

Originally Posted by Southern Star

Doesn't anyone have any concerns about the added weight and windage aloft, to say nothing of the increased chafe on headsails? On my last boat I had folding aluminum mast steps and while they greatly facilitated going aloft for navigation and the inspection/repair of halyards, masthead lights etc., they also increased the tendancy of the boat to heel, caught the occasional halyard and added noise in strong winds. For the purpose of navigating around coral, it strikes me that the wide-angle video camera is a far more sensible idea.

Brad

Any mast steps should be of the fold up variety, i'd never contemplate putiing a "crow's nest" up the mast of a modern sailing boat thats just silly for a variety of obvious reasons.
Branson's crows-nest is a wank, a bit like a glass elavator/lift in a shopping centre.
Crows-nest's are for Pirate ships not a yacht that you wish to sail with any degree of performance.
Chafe from radar's on front of mast? Get your sailmaker to beef up your sail where it touches and maybe ease the sail a bit more albeit a bit harder with a large overlap genny.
Camera? Much simpler.... Cheers Frank

[Lagoon4us]

Originally Posted by webejammin

I am wondering how much draft a catamaran has to need to see depth from up the mast in a crows nest like a full keel monohull. I would be more comfortable with a hand held autopilot and set on one of our bow seats to steer with our 18 inches of draft. We have been thinking of adding mast steps but we don't know about the wind noise.

Experience in Australia is the coral dries in the 6metre tides we have here, when you are moving around with the sun reflecting on the water it's nice to have some altitude to observe from.
A crow's nest is a bit radical, i have visions of Mr Depp lol.
So regardless of draft it's possible to run aground in any depth. Cheers

[imagine2frolic]

I don't have fold up steps on the mast. I do have aline tied to each step's outside corner to keep halyards from cathing on them........i2f