[JBSNSW]

Hi all

Got some work to do aloft with my weather vane so got one of these...

Before i head up top and kill myself are there any words of wisdom from those with knowledge / experience with it?

Thanks

J

 

[PhilCarlson]

Don't worry about falling. That never hurt anyone; It's the sudden stop and complications due to rapid deceleration that you need to be concerned with.

 

[Alex W]

Did you get the Top Climber or Mast Climber? The Top Climber hasn't been made for a number of years.

I have the Mast Climber and it works really well. Just practice a bit going up and down the lower 10' of the mast to get used to how it works. It took me a while to figure out how far to descend per step when coming down.

You should have someone tailing you on a backup halyard for safety.

 

[jimgo]

Have a halyard attached to the harness and ask someone to belay you (take up the slack on the way up, give you slack on the way back down) just in case. If you have two friends, do it with two halyards.

 

[remetau]

Make sure you secure the shackles. I was using mine once, and the pin fell out of one of the shackles.

 

[sidney777]

How much do you weigh ?

 

[JBSNSW]

86kgs


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[Dave_E]

I have the Mast Climber. Works as advertized. Was fun actually. The condition of your halyard is what I'd pay attention to. An old, moldy, hard crusty halyard... would be asking for trouble. I like Jim's idea of having someone (even the wife could do it) take up the slack on a second halyard tied to the sling, as a "just in case". I weigh 172 lbs.

Dave

 

[JBSNSW]

Did you get the Top Climber or Mast Climber? The Top Climber hasn't been made for a number of years.

I have the Mast Climber and it works really well. Just practice a bit going up and down the lower 10' of the mast to get used to how it works. It took me a while to figure out how far to descend per step when coming down.

You should have someone tailing you on a backup halyard for safety.

I bought Top Climber.

Bosun Chairs by Topclimber : Distributors

Back up lines on halyards for safety .. absolutely.. I did notice some correspondence on safety and features, but it looks to be well made to climbing standards but with all the maintenance checks you would would do with climbing gear still withstanding.

 

[Bene505]

I use a line that came with the Top Climber for this sole use. I attach it with a bowline to the main halyard that is also tied in a bowline. I trust bowlines more than shackles or other knots.

I use a one-way knot on a second halyard, manually sliding it up and down as I go. It's tied to the TopClimber and also under my arms. The under-arms part won't help me live, but it will help me not fall, I do keep the line going to the one-way knot short so if I am hanging under the arms as part of plan B, that I could possibly decend.

I also keep a separate line that I wrap around the mast a couple times, and untie it to get by the spreaders. I tie it to things when I'm working in one spot.

I go up with absolutely no one around, without reservation. Those are enough backups for me.

The most dangerous part is decending the last 10 feet. You forget that there are a lot of hard things to hit your knees on. You'll see. Just come in for a landing slowly.

Check the seams before you go up each time.

Wouldn't be without a TopClimber. See this thread:

http://www.sailnet.com/forums/general-discussion-sailing-related/58053-view-top.html#post522895

And add to it with some pictures when you get back down!

Regards,
Brad

P.S. No discussion of climbing the mast is complete without referencing the ultimate "going aloft" video. Watch this to get mentally prepared!

 

[Alex W]

I bought Top Climber.

Bosun Chairs by Topclimber : Distributors

Back up lines on halyards for safety .. absolutely.. I did notice some correspondence on safety and features, but it looks to be well made to climbing standards but with all the maintenance checks you would would do with climbing gear still withstanding.

Interesting. In the US that used to be sold by ATN. They then improved it and made the ATN Mast Climber, but I guess the Top Climber is still sold overseas.

They both work effectively the same way, the Mast Climber just allows you to climb your halyard directly while the Top Climber has you pull a climbing line up the mast first. The ascender design is a little different.

Here is the Mast Climber info:
ATN Mastclimber | Single Handed Bosun Chair | Climbing the Mast

I like my Mast Climber quite a bit. The kit was expensive, but it works well and was easier than getting enough climbing expertise to learn how to assemble standard climbing gear to do the same thing.