Sailor stranded up mast - solve this one!

[pdqaltair]

Originally Posted by Barquito

And if you fall toward the bow... you can bounce off the tramp, and do a graceful twisting flip into the sea

Actually, once in heavy going I was working near the mast, turned to walk to the head stay... and the bow fell into a HUGE trough. As an alternative to falling down the front of the cabin on my knees, I intentionally did a front flip and landed on my back in the center of the tramp, as you describe, without any harm, and rebounded to a position facing the forestay on my knees, as though I had rehersed it one hundred times. I was clipped in and had the tether in one hand; it twisted in that hand without causing a tangle. Scared my wife, but my daugter and I though it was nearly funny. A real circus trick.

[CarbonSink62]

They SANK the boat?

I'd have them send me up a sandwich or two so I'd have some time to think of a better way. Maybe I would just stay there; the view must be fine (and I've got a couple of sandwiches).

I'll bet it would be quite pleasant...

...until the wind picked up.

[pdqaltair]

Originally Posted by CarbonSink62

They SANK the boat?

I'd have them send me up a sandwich or two so I'd have some time to think of a better way. Maybe I would just stay there; the view must be fine (and I've got a couple of sandwiches).

I'll bet it would be quite pleasant...

...until the wind picked up.

a. It was raining in Canada. I bet it wasn't pleasant. And I know is legs were asleep.

b. They "sank" the boat in a lock. That is, they lowered the water.

[sck5]

Climb down the mast steps

[bob77903]

Jump, the fall won't hurt. The sudden stop might be a different matter

[Andyman]

Originally Posted by dabnis

Get someone else to go up and then supervise his rescue from the deck

I fell off the roof shoveling snow off of it and was saved by a line secured from above but the climbing jam cleat kind of thing couldn't be loosened with my weight on it. My wife was going to cut the line from the porch but I convinced her to get me a pair of pliers to unlock the jam cleat (don't know the proper term for it) a little at a time. Sounds like Sailor's fix might work even if you hurt for a few days, better than falling through the deck or being plucked off by a crane

Dabnis

Reminds me of the guy who up on his roof doing some work. It was a steep rood so he tied some rope around his waist and tied the other end to the bumper of his car. His wife didn't know what he was doing and at some she decided to drive to the store...you can figger out the rest of the story.

[Northeaster]

In all seriousness though, PDQ brings up something to think about, before one goes aloft again. For example, you may have 3 or 4 "spare" halyards on the mast, any of which could be used to descend on, with a spare biner, descending device and/or the proper knowhow to make a munter hitch, and transfer your weight to the spare line. (with another spare line attached as a backup vis a prusik knot). But, and this is a "big but", if they are all fastened hard at the mast base and tensioned (per normal), then you will not be able to use them to desend on, as you will not be able to get any slack in them to make a munter hitch, or pass through a rapell device.
So, make it a habit to loosen a couple of halyards, with at least a foot of slack (and make sure the other end is tied off safely.
Practice going up the mast 3 or 4 ft off the ground and pretend to be stuck. Now, do you have the spare equipment and knowhow to transfer safely and descend (and at no time trusting your weight to only one line ( ie no backup).

[Dean101]

I think I would have showed the fire brigade a thing or two about sliding down a pole before I would let them sink my boat. I'm sure the rash would heal eventually...

[sawingknots]

even though i'm not as young and strong as i once was i believe i could do a controled slide down a bare pole,i believe in my heyday i could have skinnyed up too,a few rub burns maybe but pride intact

[dabnis]

Originally Posted by Andyman

Reminds me of the guy who up on his roof doing some work. It was a steep rood so he tied some rope around his waist and tied the other end to the bumper of his car. His wife didn't know what he was doing and at some she decided to drive to the store...you can figger out the rest of the story.

Oh my, that will give me nightmares. In my case my wife didn't know I was hanging there she just happened to come out to see how it was going. Her first instinct was the knife. I was about 20 feet from the ground, that would have made a mark.

Dabnis