Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.
The mast is almost 25 (24.66)feet tall. Adult male let's say #200. Draft is 4 feet. Keel weight is #1900.
200:25=8 1900:4=475 Since the keel counter acts the mast no matter what angle the boat is heeling it will upright itself.
The wind load when one is close hauling is much more than a #200 body hanging off the mast... I have to spend some time on my wind load calculator to get a correct answer.
The other day I saw a picture of one of the VOR sailboat's mast winched parallel to the water onto another dock. Wonder what was the liad on that line...
Why would weight divided by the distance from the center of gravity? Shouldn't it be multiplied?
Just guessing, I wouldn't think 200 lbs at the top of the mast is enough to move the center of gravity above the water line but it would move it enough to make the boat very tender.
1988 C25 Wing Keel Std Rig Tohatsu 9.9 Tiller Steering and 2003 C250 Wing Keel Std Rig Inboard Diesel Wheel Steering
The first time I ever went up to the masthead, I had 3 200+ lb friends step from gunwale to cockpit to other gunwale to dock. At the end of each mast swing I was looking down on the decks of the boats on either side. If this wouldn't capsize a C22 SK you certainly don't have to worry on a C25 masthead.
Derek Crawford Chief Measurer C25-250 2008 Previous owner of "This Side UP" 1981 C-25 TR/FK #2262 Used to have an '89 C22 #9483, "Downsized" San Antonio, Texas
Made a mast ladder out of webbing. Hoisted it up with the jib halyard. Climbed the ladder. Above the spreader I cowhitched a runner and locked it to my harness for safety and slid it up as I climbed. Replaced the boom topping lift. Masthead light was seazed shut, so couldn't replace bulb. Retrieved spinnaker halyard. Safe back on deck.
Next time I will tie two opposing lines from half way up the ladder down to the deck to stabilize it in a triangle and maybe secure it to the mast too to keep it from swaying. I should have done the safety runner around the mast underneath the spreader, but I let it "slide" at this time.
At one point I leaned out as far as I can to see if the boat would start heeling, but it was minute.
BTW I misspoke in the video... it wasn't the jib sheet I have tried the first time, it was the jib halyard and I only did two things on the mast not three. Well, I was gonna replace the bulb on the masthead. I should have done my research on how to do it.
Another idea would be to tie sail slugs into the foot loop knots. Feed the slugs into the mast as you raise the ladder and they should keep the ladder attached to the mast.
Scott-"IMPULSE"87'C25/SR/WK/Din.#5688 Sailing out of Glen Cove,L.I Sound
I have one of the Captain Al's mast ladders that I have used many times on my Cat 25 as well as other boats. I have also just used a bosuns chair and had someone just hoist me up. Always use a knot and not a splice to connect to whatever you are using and I always use two halyards. One to hoist my ladder or bosuns chair and the other goes to a rock climbing harness that I wear on me as a safety harness. Probably overkill, but that is what I am comfortable with. I have a friend that has a Top Climber. I have used it as well. I really like the Top Climber, but am too cheap to buy one.
Next time I will set up a 3:1 block and tackle with a capture device and hoist it up to my jib halyard and will use the mainhalyard as a backup. The webbing ladder was not a good way to go.
Always use a knot and not a splice to connect to whatever you are using and I always use two halyards.
Why do you suggest a knot instead of a splice? Are not splices preferable to knots because knots significantly reduce line strength while splices do not?
Always use a knot and not a splice to connect to whatever you are using and I always use two halyards.
Why do you suggest a knot instead of a splice? Are not splices preferable to knots because knots significantly reduce line strength while splices do not?
Yes, a splice will retain more strength than a knot given that the splice is done correctly. However there is no guarantee and I would trust my knot more. I also do not like using the shackle. IF the halyard is in decent condition you are no where near the breaking strength of the line or the knot/splice so that is not really an issue. It is just a question of the quality of the splice.
Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ. The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.