Getting high... Mast steps, and other methods of going aloft.

[w00dy]

I read about a neat trick and tried it the last time I climbed the mast on my old boat. I was hanging a radar reflector from the triatic stay of my Dickerson ketch.

I filled two 5-gallon buckets with water and clipped the handles into my jib-halyard snapshackle. I used another shackle to attach that mess to the forestay.
I then winched the (full) buckets as far up the forestay as I could, until they were dangling 40 ft directly above my head.

I then used a pruisk knot to hold the halyard in place while I tied myself into it, using my rock climbing sit-in harness. Since I only weigh 170 lb, the water in the buckets offset almost half my weight, making it quite easy to shimmy up the mast!

[Bill NH]

I filled two 5-gallon buckets with water and clipped the handles into my jib-halyard snapshackle. I used another shackle to attach that mess to the forestay.
I then winched the (full) buckets as far up the forestay as I could, until they were dangling 40 ft directly above my head.

I then used a pruisk knot to hold the halyard in place while I tied myself into it, using my rock climbing sit-in harness. Since I only weigh 170 lb, the water in the buckets offset almost half my weight, making it quite easy to shimmy up the mast!

Reminds me of the Irish folk song "The Sick Note", lyrics below...   ;D
You might want to rethink this method a bit...

Dear Sir I write this note to you to tell you of my plight
For at the time of writing I am not a pretty sight
My body is all black and blue, my face a deathly grey
And I write this note to say why Paddy's not at work today.

Whilst working on the fourteenth floor,some bricks I had to clear
To throw them down from such a height was not a good idea
The foreman wasn't very pleased, the bloody awkward sod
He said I had to cart them down the ladders in my hod.

Now clearing all these bricks by hand, it was so very slow
So I hoisted up a barrel and secured the rope below
But in my haste to do the job, I was too blind to see
That a barrel full of building bricks was heavier than me.

And so when I untied the rope, the barrel fell like lead
And clinging tightly to the rope I started up instead
I shot up like a rocket till to my dismay I found
That half way up I met the bloody barrel coming down.

Well the barrel broke my shoulder, as to the ground it sped
And when I reached the top I banged the pulley with my head
I clung on tightly, numb with shock, from this almighty blow
And the barrel spilled out half the bricks, fourteen floors below.

Now when these bricks had fallen from the barrel to the floor
I then outweighed the barrel and so started down once more
Still clinging tightly to the rope, my body racked with pain
When half way down, I met the bloody barrel once again.

The force of this collision, half way up the office block
Caused multiple abrasions and a nasty state of shock
Still clinging tightly to the rope I fell towards the ground
And I landed on the broken bricks the barrel scattered round.

I lay there groaning on the ground I thought I'd passed the worst
But the barrel hit the pulley wheel, and then the bottom burst
A shower of bricks rained down on me, I hadn't got a hope
As I lay there bleeding on the ground, I let go the bloody rope.

The barrel then being heavier then started down once more
And landed right across me as I lay upon the floor
It broke three ribs, and my left arm, and I can only say
That I hope you'll understand why Paddy's not at work today.

[tomwatt]

The Corries recorded version of that song is hilarious. And honestly reading that, it did come to mind.

[CaptMac]

When it rains it pours, I can relate to Paddy thats why I bring the mast down not go up the mast

[svsoutherncross]

I don't know if this has been mentioned already in this thread, but I just went up the mast thrice using a harness with a prusik at waist level and a prusik with a long loop for my foot. I climbed the main halyard (tied off and winched tight), and used the jib halyard as a safety line. I can describe the experience in greater detail if anyone's interested. The pic below show the basic process.

[s/v Faith]

Went aloft twice today...

... just for the record, I still HATE my ATN Topclimber.

What a terrible bit of gear...  ::)

  Just a reminder in case anyone is considering gettingone.

[Piraten]

I realize this is an old thread but...

I use a rope ladder that uses 6" rungs.  Used it in two ways so far.

Harness for both methods.

Replacing one of the halyards because the other came down.
I raise the ladder with the other halyard and have extra clips I slide into the mast track as it goes up to keep myself from swinging around like a pendulum.  The harness has a 1/2" short line that wraps around mast and clips to the harness, unclip and reclip once past spreaders so if I screw up the farthest I drop is the distnce from top to spreaders or spreaders to boom.  Ouch for both, but keeps a 40' drop out of the equation.  I also clip into each rung as I go up with two safety lines.  Clip top rung, unclip lower rung, then alternate.

Two halyards.
Almost same as above, but buddy or even weak person on winch keeping tension on the safety line. then they can loosen in stages as you climb down each step. 

I have yet to try using the second halyard alone with a line lock, such a repellers use, might try it in the tree in the backyard first, with a kid on the 911 speed dial.

Mast climbing in general is not my favorite, I seem to always be the one that gets Murphy's laws.

[s/v Faith]

Yes, the kid is a necessary part the equation...

But might I suggest a slightly different approach? 

....  I normally offer him some kind of a bribe to set down the phone and go up the mast for me....

  ;D

[Piraten]

Unfortunely, my kid's mom says "No!"