My DIY mast ladder

Made from hardware store and available materials, no expensive 'marine' materials.
***Postscript:- I have used the ladder several times but found the flexibility of the hose tended to bring the sides together under load so I've replaced the hose for more rigid 20mm (15mm internal dia) blue plastic water pipe found in the building industry. I'd welcome comments from anyone who built their own ladder. I have had slippage of the rungs and recommend better lashing. I will try to add a photo or video clip sometime. +++++ I HAVE A NEW IDEA WHICH COULD ELIMINATE LASHING AND TAPING WHICH IS TO PUT PIPING ALSO ON THE SIDES AT A LENGTH TO SUIT REQUIRED SPACING. I HAVE ALSO EXPERIMENTED WITH CORD EITHER SIDE, CLOVE HITCHED TO EACH RUNG AND A SINGLE WRAP AROUND THE WIRE THEN HITCHED TO THE NEXT RUNG etc. THIS WOULD ALSO ELIMINATE THE LASHING AND TAPING WHICH IS LABORIOUS AND IN MY CASE ANYWAY NOT COMPLETELY SUCCESSFUL. +++++

[@ndeffee831]

The best solution would be a Deffees yacht mast ladder made to measure,tried and tested in use aboard yachts all around the world.

[@05Cat28]

Interesting idea but I would go with a stronger wire, webbing or aramid fibre. 10x man weight I think is more appropriate, as you are already loading the wire with the halyard tension, think of pulling a guitar string sideways, your foot pressure won't always be directly vertical. What if it's the main that is fowled? What will you use for a safety? Used climbing gear really isn't that expensive and much safer, people are always trading up to the latest, greatest light stuff.

[@mjcooke2sailingmostly]

Thanks for your input, stronger wire would be good, I had a reel of that wire already and the idea was to use available materials. That boat did have another halyard which although a spare headsail halyard could have been used at a pinch if the main halyard was fouled. My ideal would be permanent fixed steps but I change my boats too often!

[@Gaudacorte]

Have you considered electrical plastic ties for securing the wire between the rungs rather than the clove hitch method.

[@mjcooke2sailingmostly]

Hello James, I had thought of it, I do have some larger ones that could have worked. If you mean to make your own try that and comment again on how it goes. I did get some slippage on some of the rungs but did not check which style of the two bindings caused that. I'd suggest longer lengths and more binding. As you may have seen from the postscript written above I'd also suggest using the blue semi rigid water pipe.

[@Neverwho667]

Your peak load is where the halyard hooks to the ladder cable, so you do not have the load capacity of a doubled cable. I agree with other suggestions about safety.

[@mjcooke2sailingmostly]

Thanks for your input, the more the better. I used two halyards and the wire was about 350kg strength. My latest version used the semi rigid blue plastic water pipe instead of hose. There is also a simple webbing ladder on KZbin where foot loops are just knotted in.

[@santamulligan676]

@@mjcooke2sailingmostly I guess you could knot in the same way any decent sized rope

[@santamulligan676]

Cable ties for the hose ends?

[@mjcooke2sailingmostly]

I updated the design in the description. I changed the hose for blue plastic underground type water pipe. The hose tended to collapse and trap my feet with my weight. I had some fairly strong cable ties but they were not strong enough. I hope someone comes up with a better solution. My lashings did slip.

[@shoestringsailor3889]

Genius idea. Thanks.

[@mjcooke2sailingmostly]

Don't know about the 'genius', ha ha, my last one was climbing rope which was two steps up, one step down with the stretch. I'd put the halyard in the washing machine (low temp) so there was some stretch to overcome there. I'm sure viewers will find ways to refine this attempt too. I hope you have your Halcyon ready for some sailing.

[@shoestringsailor3889]

Oh yes. A bit late this year but very much in the water and in use.