Climbing the mast underway, alone!

Climbing the rigging is right up there in my list of "Least Favourite Boat Jobs". On top of that, today I did it twice! Once at sea (very unhelpfully, in just about the only squall that's blown through here today) and once back alongside again.... Hoping to have come up with solutions to prevent this problem from happening again, and I'm resting up now before I push off the dock once more.

[@ezequieldiaz1950]

EXCELENTE TRABAJO CAPITANA !!!!! FELICITACIONES !!!! TE MANDO UN GRAN SALUDO DESDE ARGENTINA Y BUENOS VIENTOS !!!

[@janecme]

We had a similar problem when a slack main halyard wrapped around the radar reflector as we were going downwind, genoa only. We thought about adding something around the spreader but opted to manage the ropes better. Didn't even realise it could happen at first. Well done for climbing underway

[@jeffmack4995]

I like your idea, maybe something like 200lb mono crimped might prevent the halyard from catching. Just found your adventure. Jeff and Julie s/v OoLaLa Westsail32 hull#81

[@ame2deo]

One of the reasons why the halyard flies around is because you loose the halyard but the main isn't going down as fast. One way to take down the main fast is to keep a line with a shakle on the head of the main. So with one one hand you pull down the main (using this line on top of the sail) and with the other one keep some tension on the halyard. I know it means having another line but it's the fastest and safest way to reduce the main especially when you did it too late

[@ellainthearctic]

@@ame2deo it got caught actually because I left too much slack in it before I started to hoist. Normally I am very careful to check it hasn’t gotten around a step, and this is the first time this problem has happened, because this time I simply didn’t check - so, I wanted a solution that would be helpful if I forgot to check again another time. The more I go offshore and alone, the more tired I become, the best it is to have solutions that help prevent problems caused due to human error. Pretty happy with my solution now, working very well so far :)

[@johnmclachlan1023]

I've seen a number of mast step set ups over the years with them connected as you're doing. With that mast/spreader gap, perhaps a piece of rope of appropriate diameter tied in there and then taped may serve you better.

[@ellainthearctic]

@johnmclachlan1023 thank you! Yes will definitely be considering a more permanent solution this winter and a neater job of tying the steps together 😅 just have to make do with what I've got on board for now. Good to know other people have done the same, as 3 boats in the marina I was in had steps and none had ever connected them or heard of doing it so I'm glad to know I'm not being a total muppet!