[Stillraining]

Does Half way up count?..Im always doing things Half ***

 

[smackdaddy]

I thought it was Zappa.

 

[Bene505]

Does Half way up count?..Im always doing things Half ***

Only if you have the largest Flemish coil known to man.

Regards,
Brad

 

[Bene505]

... Bene505, sounds like you're using a single prussik on the spi halyard for backup. Which is a great idea -- but it's best to use two of em. Can't loosen one under load, so if you have two you can 'walk' them down, plus double your odds of it catching you in a fall.

We'd sometimes use a single prussik (or Klemheist) as backup on complicated rappels, with the understanding that it might save you in a fall but would be hell on roller skates to move again, even w/ the rappel device as a 'second' prussik. You can use just one, but have the means to rig a second (3' of shoelace will do ya).

It's worse than that, I think. The other end of the knot I used went to a bowline around my chest. I tie that backup knot to the spinnaker halyard. If the main sheet failed, I'd be dangling with a lot of pain on my shoulders. But I wouldn't be falling at least. And I could control the decent using the knot I used -- I tested it for a short distance.

This fall I took some of my halyards down, replacing them with a much cheaper line for the winter on the hard. On the spinnaker halyard, the smaller line "untied" from the halyard while running it through. It was "raining dacron line" for a few moments there.

In the spring I have to re-thread my spinnaker halyard through the mast. Anyone know if that's difficult to do? I figure I'll tie a 10 foot, thin messenger line to the end of it. I'll lower the spinnaker almost all the way down. Then I'll use a shop vac to suck the messenger line out through the opening in the mast where it's supposed to come out.

Regards,
Brad

 

[bubb2]

In the spring I have to re-thread my spinnaker halyard through the mast. Anyone know if that's difficult to do?

Regards,
Brad

go to you local home improvement store and get yourself a 100 ft stool of 3/32sd line to use a messenger. slip 8 to 10, 1/4 x 20 nuts onto the end of the line and tie a knot so they stay on. The nuts give the messenger weight so, you feed the line (knot end first) down the mast from the top, with a coat hanger fish out the line where it exits at the bottom of the mast. Then tie and tape the halyard to the end of the messenger over lapping by 6 inches and pull it on through.

 

[Bene505]

go to you local home improvement store and get yourself a 100 ft stool of 3/32sd line to use a messenger. slip 8 to 10, 1/4 x 20 onto the end of the line and tie a knot so they stay on. The nuts give the messenger weight so, you feed the line (knot end first) down the mast from the top, with a coat hanger fish out the line where it exits at the bottom of the mast. Then tie and tape the halyard to the end of the messenger over lapping by 6 inches and pull it on through.

That's excellent. Thanks Bubb!

There is very little extra space around the mast-exit hole. The halyard barely fits through. I lost the halyard because I used tape-only to hold the messenger line on. In the spring I may splice the messenger to the very end of the halyard using many "layers" of thread.

Regards,
Brad

 

[smackdaddy]

Does Half way up count?..Im always doing things Half ***

Still - I'd like to say that I'm very impressed with the nice, neat coil on that red line...but then I see the other spaghetti all over your deck and I can't help but shake my head and sigh quietly.

What would L38 think (WWL38T)?

 

[Bene505]

And with 3 better-looking volunteers available, I'm surprise he was the one going up.

 

[bubb2]

That's excellent. Thanks Bubb!

There is very little extra space around the mast-exit hole. The halyard barely fits through. I lost the halyard because I used tape-only to hold the messenger line on. In the spring I may splice the messenger to the very end of the halyard using many "layers" of thread.

Regards,
Brad

Brad, On the bitter end of the halyard starting 6 to 10 inches back. Take the messenger line and start making half hitches around the halyard. Make 10 to 15. pull them tight. If you like belts and spenders, then
get out your sail Needle and Waxed thread and run a few stitches though the both of them before you tape over them.

 

[mintcakekeith]

I notice there was a mention of using prusick loops for self protection which is a good idea but you do need practice and it helps if you have a foot loop on one .I tend to use SRT kit to go up mast but use a shunt on a second halyard as back up .K

 

[smackdaddy]

Hey mint - what's an SRT kit? I shall use the Google now.

 

[mintcakekeith]

SRT kit (single rope techique)Normaly used by cavers. Basical 2 ascenders (clogers) one on your harness the other on a foot loop but also attached to your harness with a cows tail for safety. Clip both on to halyard hang a weight on the bottom ,stand in the foot loop straighten legs ,weight then comes on waist cloger . lift legs and move cloger up ,straighten legs move up (frog techneque) I use a shunt on seperate line when sailing as a back up but not usualy used caving.you have to absail down.hardest part is changing over from up to down.its harder to describe than to do but you do need someone to show you properly first. K

 

[Bene505]

Anyone else "go up" lately? On the hard now so I can't go up. But I'm planning for April.

Regards,
Brad

 

[smackdaddy]

I've got another hop coming up in the next couple of weeks to replace the anchor light bulb and a couple of sheaves.

Good times.

 

[kwaltersmi]

I'm sending my wife up the mast this spring with the climbing harness (Black Diamond Alpine Bod) she bought me for Christmas. Ha!

We need to re-tape our spreader boots, check the rigging and see if there's something going on at the top of the mast that prevents us from taking the main up the last 2 or 3 inches.

 

[sharps4590]

Holy flippin' cow!!!!!! I've been up 80 ft. poles to change ball park lights, (but not in 20 years and probably won't again), but they're stuck firmly in the ground....and they still move around a bit in the wind. But my gaffs were firmly stuck in the pole. I wasn't hanging on by my toes!!!! From that height with that much leverage how much did the mast move around? My hat is off to you guys! You shoulda been linemen! Great pics too!

Vic

 

[smackdaddy]

Why thanks sharps. In my case, a wakeboard boat cruised through the marina a bit fast and threw me a nice phat roller. It was quite a ride.

Up to that point it was surprisingly stable.

 

[klem]

Holy flippin' cow!!!!!! I've been up 80 ft. poles to change ball park lights, (but not in 20 years and probably won't again), but they're stuck firmly in the ground....and they still move around a bit in the wind. But my gaffs were firmly stuck in the pole. I wasn't hanging on by my toes!!!! From that height with that much leverage how much did the mast move around? My hat is off to you guys! You shoulda been linemen! Great pics too!

Vic

I can say from going aloft on traditionally rigged vessels when underway that it is quite a lot of movement. The only second of vertigo that I ever got in my life was 75' up checking a bridge clearance with really gusty winds. The bad part was when we would heal over a lot more since I was moving significantly in the horizontal direction.

The guys that impress me are the ones who are up aloft on a vessel like the Mir furling the royal in a storm. And I thought the mast was moving a lot at 80', they are almost 200' up.

 

[Bene505]

Holy flippin' cow!!!!!! I've been up 80 ft. poles to change ball park lights, (but not in 20 years and probably won't again), but they're stuck firmly in the ground....and they still move around a bit in the wind. But my gaffs were firmly stuck in the pole. I wasn't hanging on by my toes!!!! From that height with that much leverage how much did the mast move around? My hat is off to you guys! You shoulda been linemen! Great pics too!

Vic

Thanks Sharps,

I had a calm day both times. When up their I took the opportunity to shake back and forth a bit to test out what it felt like down on the boat. It was definitely felt below. Not sure I want to do that again. No sense stressing the rigging.

Klem: Bridge clearance? You are madman. What was that like? Did you stay at the top as the bridge went over? Say more please.

Regards,
Brad

 

[smackdaddy]

The best thing about already having gone up the mast? I knew exactly what to expect the second time.

So I sent my buddy up instead and drank beer in the cockpit and chatted up the ladies in the surrounding slips while he installed the new sheaves, deck light bulb, and anchor light bulb:

Much easier that way.