Mountain Climbing gear

stiffwind · #1 (**permalink**) 10-19-2008

Has anyone utilized any mountain climbing equipment or gear to up the mast, ie. harnesses, and all those metal gadgets (I don't know the correct names yet) that can be used to hoist yourself and to act as safety devices if you begin to fall. I could picture some type of pad-eyes attached to the mast to act as safety latches as you hoist yourself up the mast??

sailingdog · #2 (**permalink**) 10-19-2008

Yes, I normally go aloft in a climbing harness and use two Petzl ascenders to go aloft. I wouldn't recommend adding padeyes to the mast to act as safety latches, because most reasonably sized padeyes can't take the shockloading a person falling would generate. I highly recommend using static safety line with an ascender on it to "catch" you if you fall. The safety line should probably not be a marine line, but a climbing line, since most marine lines are static lines and may break under a high shock load, where climbing lines are dynamic lines and designed to work in the case of a shock load like a person falling.

bobmcgov · #3 (**permalink**) 10-19-2008

Be careful in your choice of ascenders -- some can handle shock loading, some can't. For backup purposes, a Soloist or SoloAid or Gibbs are the best in a fall. I've been caught by a Soloist on a twenty-foot lead fall. Can't say my underwear was clean.

Be aware that all these devices can fail and all are tremendously sensitive to line diameter, weave, and sheath material! Put a narrow, slickery spectra halyard into a Gibbs, you will deck.

Keeping your daisies short will help. Could add a Yates Screamer, Scream Aid, or IceScream to your harness. As for static v. dynamic rope ... don't worry too much about it. I guess if your safety line runs thru a sheave or biner at the masthead and returns to deck, it might have enough stretch to matter. But if it's tied off at the masthead and you are working up high, there won't be any give. I've seen really stout, well-placed gear break or tear right out of granite even with dynamic ropes. As climbers are fond of saying, "Don't fall on your first piece, man."

For the most part, I'd use 5/16" diameter line at a minimum and jump simple prussiks up the thing. Any spare 3/16" cord will serve. Keep your high prussik snug and tie off short below you. Just like aid climbing, no different at all.

You can use an ATC or Stitch plate or Figure 8 as a boom brake for jibing.

Or a Munter hitch, or 3-biner brake, or hip belay. Lost arts, all of them. Bitter old trad am I.

Allanbc · #4 (**permalink**) 10-19-2008

I have been a caver for 30 years. I have done pits deeper than 1000 feet. Send me a PM and I will help set you up with a system.

gramcko · #5 (**permalink**) 10-19-2008

One note, climbing harnesses are really hard on the family jewels. Bosun's chairs are far better in that regard. I think there is a product that combines both, or at least has a canvas seat.

sailboy21 · #6 (**permalink**) 10-20-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by gramcko

One note, climbing harnesses are really hard on the family jewels.

I disagree 100% I find a cheap climbing harness far more comfortable, and it lends a greater sense of security. I always felt like I was going to fall out of my old bosun's chair. The climbing harness also stows better, and doesn't have any metal rivets to corrode out. I have no climbing experience other than masts, and have no idea how to use acenders, but as a direct purpose replacement for a bosun's chair a climbing harness gets an A-. A+ if it had a built in tool bag

sailingdog · #7 (**permalink**) 10-20-2008

Not sure what climbing harness you're using, but most of the better ones don't affect the family jewels unless you have misadjusted them pretty badly. They attach around the thighs and the waist.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gramcko

One note, climbing harnesses are really hard on the family jewels. Bosun's chairs are far better in that regard. I think there is a product that combines both, or at least has a canvas seat.

tenuki · #8 (**permalink**) 10-20-2008

Sort of on the same topic I use spectra runners for things like attaching spin sheet pulleys, barber haulers, etc to the toe rail. Way cheaper than the ronstan alternative and smaller and easier to work with than wide webbing. I picked up a handful at REI for like 3 bucks apiece.

xsboats · #9 (**permalink**) 10-20-2008

One other consideration in choosing ascenders is how they are designed to grip the line they are on. Jumar types grip the sheath and are affected more by mud, ice etc.. on the line surface. They will also be more likely to strip off the sheath than a Gibb type ,which compresses the whole line when loaded. Ascenders should be constructed from a rolled aloy not cast, which can crack and fail when shock loaded. Gibbs have always been my favorite for caving , haul systems, and rig climbing but require two hands to add or remove from a line. Petzl makes several single handed models.Check an R.E.I. catalog. Etriers , which are steps made from flat nylon webbing, work well up top for reaching above the mast. When possible, I attach a static line to a halyard to ascend instead of the halyard and anchor it with a little tension in the middle of the foretriangle to keep it from lifting when resetting the ascenders and to keep off the mast on the way up. The ropewalker system is my system of choice because it leaves your hands free, but I often use the froggie system for it"s simplicity and ability to keep the intersection of my legs away from the mast.

Allanbc · #10 (**permalink**) 10-20-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by gramcko

One note, climbing harnesses are really hard on the family jewels. Bosun's chairs are far better in that regard. I think there is a product that combines both, or at least has a canvas seat.

We have a saying about this. A poorly designed harness is like a cheap hotel, there just ain't no ball room.

That said, a well designed harness is quite comfortable.