I've never used the Top Climber that Steven mentions to climb a mast.
It looks pretty good. But when I had to go up the 40' mast of my
sailboat 20 years ago, a rock climbing friend lent me a pair of
ascenders. These are small cam cleats with stirrup attachments to
enable you to climb any strong taut rope. It took about 15 minutes to
learn how to use them safely. It's sort of like going up a very steep
ladder. They are available in any store that sells rock climbing or
mountaineering equipment, or on the internet, for between $35 to $70 a
pair. Check them out by Googling "ascenders". It's a lot easier than
hauling yourself up with a block and tackle attached to a boatswain's
chair.

Larry Z

At last count, there was approximately gazillion ways to get up a mast, from shinning up using your arms and legs to very complicated and costly mechanisms. Before considering any of them, I'd suggest considering what needs to be done when you have to go up the mast.
 
A quick up and down to recover a wayward halyard is one thing; but we prefer thinking in terms of the worst case scenarios- having to go up, maybe short handed, in a rough seas and remain up there for considerable periods of time, tired or not to complete some work. Maybe even needing to go up repeatedly. After all, its not unknown for situations like this to occur.
 
Working at the top of a mast for an hour or two, maybe longer in rough seas (even not so rough) usually demands that you are sitting, strapped to the mast in some manner (not much to be gained by turning yourself into a wildly swinging pendulum), safe and with both hands free. Few methods allow this if you are not using a bosun's chair.
 
Getting up there, if the crew is available, can  be done with a winch, if big enough, a gantline (if block and tackle- 1/2" line minimum, oversized block and tackle, hopefully ball-bearing sheaved) or with several more expensive products that do the same thing as a block and tackle.
 
For those with "motorized" boats, don't discount having block and tackle onboard. The nice thing about having a gantline onboard, mechanized or not, is that it can be put to other employment- retrieving those folks that were unfortunate to go overboard, launching or embarking heavy items (those storm anchors?), pulling the boat somewhere that you want it should Mother Nature be working against you (strong wind blowing the boat too far off the dock?). I wouldn't be surprised if some of you could think of a few more.
 
My suspicion is that you'll more likely find more uses for them if ya got one onboard, than if you don't; we sure do.
 
Just a few thoughts to contemplate during the cold winter.
 
Rudy
Briney Bug, Panama City, Fl

Counter weights make the job simple and easy.  For example, bend on a couple
of water jugs hoist to top and up you go as easy as pie.

Leonard Brunotte

-----Original Message-----
From: trawlers-bounces@lists.trawlering.com
[mailto:trawlers-bounces@lists.trawlering.com] On Behalf Of
lrzeitlin@aol.com
Sent: Saturday, October 01, 2011 11:42 AM
To: trawlers@lists.trawlering.com
Subject: Re: T&T: A thought for those with masts

I've never used the Top Climber that Steven mentions to climb a mast.
It looks pretty good. But when I had to go up the 40' mast of my
sailboat 20 years ago, a rock climbing friend lent me a pair of
ascenders. These are small cam cleats with stirrup attachments to
enable you to climb any strong taut rope. It took about 15 minutes to
learn how to use them safely. It's sort of like going up a very steep
ladder. They are available in any store that sells rock climbing or
mountaineering equipment, or on the internet, for between $35 to $70 a
pair. Check them out by Googling "ascenders". It's a lot easier than
hauling yourself up with a block and tackle attached to a boatswain's
chair.

Larry Z

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