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Capri 25 Specific Forum

Bosun's chair or drop mast

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leebitts
Navigator

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USA
122 Posts

Initially Posted - 06/03/2008 : 15:19:41

I launched my boat on Sunday for the first time. We got everything squared away and left the dock for the 11 mile sail to her home on the northern end of Long Lake in Maine. As we were hoisting the main I looked up to the windex to see our position relative to it. Yes, I forgot to put it on. I've typically had larger boats and dropping the mast was not an option. I assume that a bosun's chair to the top of the mast is within the capability of the rigging, any thoughts on fixing my error? I'd drop the mast without any hesitation except that attaching the fore stay was a bit of a pain because of the roller furling (getting the stay to come down a bit out of the roller gear required using a screw driver to pull it down).

Thanks in advance and yes it's ok to snicker.

LeeBitts
1981 Capri 25 Hull # 142
Sailing in NH and Maine

Edited by - on

Ericson33
Admiral

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USA
892 Posts

Response Posted - 06/03/2008 : 17:29:37

I have been to the top in a chair, well a rope attached to some wood, it was blowing really hard that day, allot of swaying, but was a fun ride. It will take allot more time to drop the mast.

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joearcht
Navigator

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USA
241 Posts

Response Posted - 06/04/2008 : 07:36:57

Does anyone know how much weight can be applied to the top of the mast before the boat becomes unstable?
I did a quick rough calc and came up with 150 lbs based on the design information in the Capri 25 Seatrials article. Based on that I'd say that anyone over 150+ lbs should be careful of overturning the boat when going to the top of the mast.
I went to the top of my Catalina 25 way back when I was about 180 lbs and experianced a lot of swaying also. I'm sure the rig is strong enough to handle any reasonable persons weight, but I'd maybe tie the boat to a dock or something to reinforce the stability if I was a heavy person going up this boats mast.

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1981capri
Navigator

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USA
175 Posts

Response Posted - 06/04/2008 : 17:10:27

I just saw a guy go up his mast on and even smaller boat. He threw a line up over his spreaders and then pulled them around the mast and tied them down to the dock cleats on the opposite side of the slip.

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Pirate Princess
1st Mate

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USA
37 Posts

Response Posted - 06/08/2008 : 00:06:06

Last November we were out for a fun sail and the wind kicked up to over 20 mph. Our friends on a Beneteau lost their mainsail hanks, the old Capri took a beating but held up beautifully. After coming into the dock, someone asked me if my spreaders were ok.

My eyes not being what they used to be, I asked my new crew member if he could see anything. He quietly walked over to the boom, stepped on it and shimmied up the mast to the spreaders to peek at the issue first hand. He used no halyard, no chair, nothing just his strength to pull his 6' frame up there. He had returned from Florida where he earned his living cutting trees and doing alot of climbing.

Now keep in mind he is a hunky 28 year old guy and alot to prove. So once done he proceeded to the top of the mast as well.

Find yourself a young guy/mast monkey for crew and it helps to have young ladies around to see this spectacle. He will scale that mast in no time flat and I did not notice any swaying or weakness in the mast.

I have photos but cant figure out how to attach them.

Karen

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leebitts
Navigator

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USA
122 Posts

Response Posted - 06/10/2008 : 14:15:46

I think you are on to something. My son returns about June 18. I'll let him be the mast monkey.

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Andy_334
Navigator

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USA
206 Posts

Response Posted - 06/21/2008 : 22:00:34

Our foredecker is 150lbs soaking wet. We had him up the mast (in the chair) on Thursday to fix the windex.

Used jib and main halyards, run to cabin top secondaries. Two grinders = fast assent. Even faster descent!

Edited by - Andy_334 on 06/21/2008 22:01:32

leebitts
Navigator

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USA
122 Posts

Response Posted - 06/25/2008 : 11:29:30

I think I understand, you attached the jib halyard and the main halyard to the chair and had two people crank him up. That sounds both clever and safer

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leebitts
Navigator

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USA
122 Posts

Response Posted - 07/07/2008 : 16:18:21

My son went up the mast in a bosun chair. The whole experience was about 15 minutes. He did request a beer when he came down.

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Stardog
Captain

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USA
319 Posts

Response Posted - 07/08/2008 : 08:48:10

I used to climb the mast, I did it all the time, but I'm older now and not in the same condition, so these days I hook a climbing rope to the jib halyard and attach an ascender to it. I put on a climbing harness and go up that way. Gear, tools and all I'm probably 225 lbs, so assuming your halyard is in good condition I don't think you'll have any trouble with a bosun's chair.

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joearcht
Navigator

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USA
241 Posts

Response Posted - 07/09/2008 : 07:52:18

Stardog - do you tie the boat to the dock before you go up? If not, how is the boat stability when your at the top of the mast?
I'm 240 lbs and just wondering if I'd get in trouble if I went to the top from an overturning standpoint.

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RonE
1st Mate

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USA
37 Posts

Response Posted - 07/27/2008 : 08:00:28

I have been thinking of installing mast steps sold by West Marine. Does anyone have an opinion on this or has done it? RonE

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John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 07/27/2008 : 10:26:01

I don't know about the mast steps but, I was in a WM store yesterday and saw this: [url="http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/DisplayPageDynamicView?storeId=10001&langId=-1&catalogId=10001&page=Content&section=services&content=R_BosunChairRecall.htm"]Bosun's Chair Recall[/url]

Check yours before climbing.

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Breezy Cat
1st Mate

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38 Posts

Response Posted - 07/27/2008 : 11:31:10

I use a "mast ladder" to go up when needed. It is made of webbing and has PVC tubing on the steps.
I single hand so it is the best choice for me.
It needs to be pulled down and be under tension. It's stable when tacked down and stows easily.
I run it up the main halyard and tie a saftey around the ladder and through the eye in the halyard. "Suspenders and belt" approach as I do this alone.
I use a climbing harness and two slings with carabiners for saftey and clip and unclip as I go.

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Andy_334
Navigator

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USA
206 Posts

Response Posted - 11/23/2008 : 18:43:58

Mast lowering tip

http://www.catalina-capri-25s.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=18902

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Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5377 Posts

Response Posted - 04/10/2009 : 17:04:19

Do you have a reference or a picture of the Mast Ladder? Or is it just an aluminum ladder that you lean on the mast?

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Peregrine
Admiral

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830 Posts

Response Posted - 04/10/2009 : 18:31:51

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Voyager
 Do you have a reference or a picture of the Mast Ladder? Or is it just an aluminum ladder that you lean on the mast?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Like Breezy Cat I use a webbing mast ladder.
Here is one version called [url="http://www.mastmate.com/"]The Mast Mate[/url]

Mine has PVC tubes on each footstep so it is a bit easier to climb.
Be sure tension it down to the deck so it is pulled taut and wear a harness to clip in as you climb. I use a rock climbing harness, carabiners and a sling to go around the mast when I get to the top as I do this alone.

I forgot to say most of these ladders have grommets for track slides to keep the ladder tight to the mast.

You remove the main and insert the slides on the ladder and hoist with the main halyard.
I had enough slides to leave on the ladder, it's worth buying another set, they're cheap.


Underlined words are HOT links.

Edited by - Peregrine on 04/10/2009 19:35:00

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