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Post by davidfreedomsong on Jun 10, 2019 14:51:44 GMT
Hi Everyone, I took FreedomSong out and found the top roller furler is locked up or bound up might be the better word. It moves about half a turn and then I cannot get more sail out than that.
My first issue is getting up there. I have no one to help me. Has anyone found a way to get up to the top of the mast on their own? I was wondering about hooking up the chair and then leading the line to the anchor winch and using a remote to life me up. Anyone try anything like this before?
Any hints will surely help, falling from up there will not be a good day.
Thank you
David
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Post by TINA on Jun 10, 2019 15:24:05 GMT
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Post by TINA on Jun 10, 2019 15:30:44 GMT
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Post by zaphod on Jun 10, 2019 19:25:00 GMT
Hi Everyone, I took FreedomSong out and found the top roller furler is locked up or bound up might be the better word. It moves about half a turn and then I cannot get more sail out than that. My first issue is getting up there. I have no one to help me. Has anyone found a way to get up to the top of the mast on their own? I was wondering about hooking up the chair and then leading the line to the anchor winch and using a remote to life me up. Anyone try anything like this before? Any hints will surely help, falling from up there will not be a good day. Thank you David Are you sure you need to go up the mast? If you don't have someone to belay you on a halyard are you are inexperienced in such things it might be a bit dangerous. You should first see if you cant solve the problem from deck level. Untie your sheets and unwrap the sail by hand. Then drop it to the deck and inspect the swivel. |
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Post by Don Reaves on Jun 10, 2019 21:51:56 GMT
I use a top climber on my boat all the time, and I recommend it.
However, I agree that you should make all reasonable attempts to solve the problem from the deck. I also think it would be very dangerous to improvise a system to get to the top without having someone nearby to help. Falling would be the worst outcome, but you also might get stuck at the top with no way to get down.
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Post by MalcolmP on Jun 10, 2019 22:08:38 GMT
About 5 years ago I realised that asking my wife to winch me to the top of the mast was no longer being realistic when she had to get the assistance of a young Frenchman who was passing by the pontoon... So I then took a short half day mast climbing course, where I learnt how to correctly and safely use a Jumar ascender and GriGri 2 to easily climb unassisted to the very top. This has really been a game changer and although it does take some time (say 30 mins to do all the checks) to get prepared it is a really great way of inspecting the rig and doing any modest changes - like bulb changes, re-threading flag halyards. I tend to go up at least twice a season, you get some great photos ops too. I believe how I do this is close on 99.99% safe as I self climb, but also I have my wife controlling an independent safety line. I have not been proved wrong yet... I use a rock climbing sit harness which is much more comfortable than a bosun's chair and a single foot loop sling. I use a proper kernmantle dynamic IE stretchy climbing rope run through a block which is hauled up on the main halyard. My safety line is the topping lift which I have replaced with the same spec as the main halyard and remains independent. I have found it is best to wear a fingerless yachting glove on the ascender to avoid the risk of rope blisters. It is not at all difficult and well worth a bit of time to learn a new skill and build confidence. |
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Post by davidfreedomsong on Jun 10, 2019 22:12:06 GMT
The furler on top is locked up, the deck light mid way up the mast is entirely broken and the lens has fallen out. I don't think there is much I can do to either item from below.
I see lots of ways of doing it online, some seem safer than others. There are a lot of kits from 250 to 1500 US, which is silly. I saw an interesting video of an "older man" than I am, who setup a pretty easy rig using not much more than tackle I already own, and a long line with a normal bosun seat.
Driving to work in California is more dangerous than climbing up a mast, and I do it every day.
Tina--and others, Thanks for the links, it sent me down the right path. My kids husband is a rock climber, I think we can rig up something that will get me up the mast.
I really wondered if anyone had found a way to use power or a winch of some kind to get up there rather than just climb the old way. It seems like the anchor winch is perfect for doing this alone. It goes up and down, will pull me easy enough as I am not a large man.
Thanks for your thoughts and concerns, I leave safety to the pros, and just wing it most of the time!
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Post by MickeyB on Jun 11, 2019 7:33:18 GMT
Ok ok - I hate these threads because they make my mind start racing. What a GREAT idea on using the anchor windless.
I have the horizontal drum version with the rope grip on the port side, the spinnaker halyard already comes out near front of mast and so I think I just need a block to take it to the front - and I have a spare obliging block there already.
The only pity is that the windlass isn't (not surprising) self-tailing.
Many thanks for a simply great mini-project/brain teaser for my mind today!
Mike
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Post by davidfreedomsong on Jun 11, 2019 18:44:22 GMT
I just cannot get over the idea that my anchor winch is no different than any other kind, like on the front of a 4x4 truck. For 80 US this would be easy to mount temporary when needed, then just stow it away when not in use. It needs more cable added but that is cheap....what do you think? www.amazon.com/Master-Lock-Electric-Portable-2953AT/dp/B000COTKDM?ref_=Oct_RAsinC_Ajax_15737591_1&pf_rd_r=D7HE0JTQ506PHY0GE4BJ&pf_rd_p=dcc9a571-b2c7-5060-b782-c1b50b398bca&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-6&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_i=15737591&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DERI cannot believe they want so much money for simple pulley systems to climb the mast by hand. For a lot less I think I can make something work that is powered. It might take some tinkering but come on....we have been lifting things up for thousands of years, it is not rocked science. By just knotting a line to the anchor winch and letting it wind up like any other winch it should work just fine. I might drill a hole and put a line in there and just knot the end so it cannot slip out of the hole, that way it cannot ever slip and you don't need self tailing if you just let it wind up on the drum. The only issue would be the line getting so thick on the drum it starts to get off the edges of the drum, but that would easy to fix with some end added to the drum so the line can pile up on the drum and not slip off. Even if it slipped it would only be one turn, not a fall to the ground or water below. I am going to take a very close look at the anchor winch this weekend when I get back to FreedomSong. I think this might even be easy with very slight modifications so the line can wind up all the way on the drum so no need to tail the line. |
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Post by geitz on Jun 16, 2019 12:26:40 GMT
I use a proper kernmantle dynamic IE stretchy climbing rope run through a block which is hauled up on the main halyard. Have you used the main halyard itself? Dynamic ropes are really stretchy to absorb the impact of a fall when lead climbing. I would think you'd have to jumar all that stretch out before you even get off the deck.
Mike
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Post by MalcolmP on Jun 16, 2019 13:03:10 GMT
I use a proper kernmantle dynamic IE stretchy climbing rope run through a block which is hauled up on the main halyard. Have you used the main halyard itself? Dynamic ropes are really stretchy to absorb the impact of a fall when lead climbing. I would think you'd have to jumar all that stretch out before you even get off the deck.
Mike
Correct Mike, but it doesn't take long to get the stretch out and works fine for me. The instructor advised the type of rope and size to work best with the GriGri and the jumar, but accept your point the stretch is there really to cushion a fall. But I also like having a dedicated rope which does not get any other use (but appreciate it ultimately relies on the main halyard still) I use a block in any case so I am climbing on a 2:1 ratio, which although slower is really easy and comfortable. |
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Post by iancymru on Jun 16, 2019 13:06:58 GMT
What about webbing on the drum no chance of burying the end.......
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Post by cpetku on Jul 10, 2019 0:37:59 GMT
I've climbed mine with a frog harness, hand ascenders with and without a grigri. I prefer the grigri (plus) compared to manually changing over while hanging from a rope. In my case I attached climbing ropes to the halyards so I wouldn't damage the halyards with the ascenders. There is some stretching of the climbing rope as you first start ascending, but most of the stretch remains unreleased, it's there to buffer a fall. Use of climbing lines reduces the harshness if the safety line takes on an unexpected load.
While this may seem like an easy single handed solution, beware if you are top heavy. It's easy to flip over and hang upside down with no way to self rite. Buy a correct chest plate/guide if necessary, but this will limit access to the top of the mast. Practice on a tree in the backyard before attempting to climb a mast. My first attempt left me about three feet off the ground unable to changeover to descender mode and a pair of cats laughing at me from the front window. I'm sure they were thinking it's time to call a fireman to get our brother out of the tree!!!
Even though the mastclimber site shows single handed operation, I'd at least have your SO watching with her paw on the 911 button...
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