Climbing the Mast Solo! ( single handed sailing )

[@jarokjarok6226]

Well, to be honest for me it's quite danger, I don't see any security lines. You should use some security line with ea. prusic knot if something happend with your equipment.

[@paulgillard2258]

Get yourself a safety line with a prusic or a device like a ropeman2 as a backup. Maybe in future a single leg loop once that wears through. Surprised the manufacturer has not remedied the issue with the wear on the legloop as I expect they charge a fair amount for this setup. Also take a look at using a grigri/pulley/and hand ascender to get better mechanical advantage on the haul up because I know it’s hard work.

[@PacificSolo]

thanks for watching and taking the time to write. Appreciate the advice too

[@kkots]

Thank you for a real world/newbie demo! I myself am looking really hard at the ATN climber for solo climbing of my mast. I would strongly urge you to have second safety line that will act as a failsafe in case of the main halyard you are using decides to give way. Using a simple prusser knot to slide along side you on a separate/safety line is easy and to use and could save your life... Just my two cents worth. I enjoy your channel very much.

[@PacificSolo]

thanks Ken. . good advice. I will include that in my mast climber protocol. Interesting though that the engineers in the marina who introduced me to the mast climber do not do that. What they do ednsure is the halyard is well and true locked triple so. I also use a dyneema core halyard

[@kkots]

@@PacificSolo I hear you. I just don't trust the sheaves, bolts/pins on the masthead. And it's such a simple safety knot that is used on another spare halyard tied off like the ATN in use. Look around on YT for others using it. Like I said, I really enjoy your channel and will be following your journey. If you get to the SFO/bay area drop me a note!

[@tdh001ACCT]

Good honest review. Been looking for something to get me up there. Thx for posting this

[@lowellsheppard]

Thanks!

[@neilquigley2631]

How can you inspect, say, both spreader tips, in one ascent? Where is your safety back up (if halyard failed, or ATN failed - e.g., pin came out)? How much wear on the halyard happens from the ATN ascender units? How much did it cost (excluding shipping to Japan)? Thanks.

[@PacificSolo]

Hi Neil, thanks for your message. let me respond in the order you ask . . . when I need to go to both sides of the mast I use the Main Halyard on the aft side of the mast. . . . no safety line . . . I ensure the halyard is securely locked and knotted on two winches. I have a new Halyard. . . the pin coming out is a concern and need to ensure it is through properly. I wish though it had a secure way of locking the pin as it is possible when gripping the ascender to `click` it and shunt the pin back a little. It has happened to me so now I am extra cautious. . . . still monitoring wear and to date do not see any. . . . I bought through defender.com and I paid 399.99 but they have a membership price for 369. I am not sure why I did not go for that. Perhaps did not qualify as I live outside the US

[@neilquigley2631]

@@PacificSolo Thanks. My setup is based on a Petzl caving ascender and foot loops to go up, similar to yours, and a GriGri to come down. I use an arborist's harness (very comfortable for long periods aloft). I first use the main halyard to hoist a length of 10mm climbing line to the top (connected with bowlines), and I climb on that alternate line to conserve my halyard. I tie a series of alpine butterfly loops in the spinnaker halyard as I go up and clip the loops to a life-point on my harness with a carabiner as my 1st fall back-up (then I unhook and untie them on the way down). I also have a Prussic-adjustable tree-climber's lanyard around the mast as a 2nd safety - I'll fall to the next spreaders at most. My climbing rope is loose, so I have full flexibility of movement. I use a Etrier to climb a bit above the ascender at the very top so I can stand with my waist at the level of the masthead when working on stuff on the top of the mast. I also installed a pair of level fold-out/-in mast steps near the top, which I can also stand on if working up there a long time. ... several ways to skin this cat. You're right - solo sailers need an easy safe way to climb the mast unaided. Good luck!

[@PacificSolo]

@@neilquigley2631 Thanks for a very informative reply. I have read through once and for sure will do again. I have things to learn I like the idea of mast steps at the top!

[@neilquigley2631]

@@PacificSolo Yeah, the pair of mast steps is very useful ... but they took me two hours to install ! ... decide position, securely tape one step in place, mark mast for first hole, put step back in pouch, drill small pilot hole then bigger hole for heavy rivet. Reposition step with tape, mark for next hole, etc, etc. (3 holes per step, then use heavy-duty rivet gun and dielectric grease). But, I didn't drop any tools or parts ;-)

[@jamesbaldwin7676]

I just used my new Mast Climber for the first time... Unfortunately it was not as easy as they either show or claim and certainly not recommended for anyone without upper-body strength. I found it painfully slow going, both up and down and certainly no tool for a professional (since time is money and despite the West Marine endorsement.) I did find it totally safe however, since it's not really possible to move more than 6" at a time (tall people with longer reaches, might be able to take bigger steps.) Be sure to take-up tools and a bottle of water, since you're going to be up all afternoon. Wear a shirt, hat and sunblock. Have a line to drop to someone on deck for anything else. You might consider washing stuff down as everything is filthy up there. But next time, do yourself a favor and call a pro, or find someone to crank you up in a regular bosun chair. Accept the fact that going up the mast, is a two-man job and leave solo-cliff-climbing to guys who do such things for fun.

[@PacificSolo]

Thanks for that. In fact I have been hauled up many times by using a traditional bosens chair. I do find the mastclimber relatively easy to use howbeit a good workout. I still need to sort out the safety line thing,

[@Mordalo]

You can do that for a 10th of the cost using climbing breaks and seat/harness.

[@PacificSolo]

yep

[@betsyrogers6518]

Is there a weight limit? How do you determine it? (Other than the obvious way!)

[@PacificSolo]

Betsy, on the defender.com site it says 600 pounds.

[@wilfdarr]

1: you said "cotter pin" when you meant "clevis pin": "cotter pin" is the pin that goes in the end of a "clevis pin" 2: gunwale is pronounced "gunnel", as in "fill er up to the gunwales" 3: always safety off to another halyard: if you don't have another halyard there's fall arrestors made specifically for wire rope that you can put on your standing ringing, or run a Prusik around your mast to catch you. The halyard is fine, it's the hardware holding it at the top: I've seen too much hardware work it's way loose to trust it with someone's life, especially my own!

[@PacificSolo]

Ahh . . thanks. I appreciate you watching the writing. Yep, I`m a beginner in all this and one of many things I have been and need to learn is the lexicon! Thanks again

[@wilfdarr]

@@PacificSolo Yup. A lot of us today learn to sail from books so traditional words like halyard, gunwales, foresail, [also boatswaine] etc. get pronounced the way they look until someone corrects us. I myself went through the same thing: I bought a gaff rigged sloop about 10 years ago and learned to sail her by reading "Hand Reef and Steer", so I understand your pain!

[@gjunior2471]

😊

[@davidlaw899]

My only concern is that you have no redundancy. Far better to have a second line with you. Just a thought.

[@SOLDOZER]

This looks terrible.

[@PacificSolo]

really? Why?