Association Forum - bosoms chair

Assn Members Area · Join

Home.

Association Forum

Ships Store

Cruising

Racing

Technical Tips

Photo Gallery - New

Boat Search - Updated

Manuals & Brochures

Swap Meet

Links

Officer Flag Line & Staff

Bylaws & Constitution

Members Area

Join the Association

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.

Association Forum

Username:	Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

All Forums

Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

bosoms chair

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Author

Topic

Adam
1st Mate

Member Avatar

USA
44 Posts

Initially Posted - 02/18/2011 : 12:52:30

Has anyone used a bosoms chair to climb up their mast? I have an '85 catalina 25.
thanks

Edited by - on

Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 02/18/2011 : 14:15:03

Not a bosun's chair but a proper harness. How heavy are you, what is your mast and keel configuration, and what are you doing up there? Read past threads - this one sometimes gets interesting.

Edited by - on

Adam
1st Mate

Members Avatar

USA
44 Posts

Response Posted - 02/18/2011 : 14:20:05

I weigh 180lbs. I am going up to replace light bulbs in the mast. I have a regular sized mast with the swing keel.

Edited by - on

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

Members Avatar

USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 02/18/2011 : 21:46:26

I went up in a bosun's chair to replace a bent spreader with no difficulty. We used the 4:1 mainsheet tackle and a friend hoisted my 190 lbs up and a dock neighbor managed an unloaded safety line on a winch. Dropping the mast isn't that hard. It does take longer, but it also reduces risk.

Edited by - on

dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 02/19/2011 : 08:23:02

I'm 170 lbs and I've been up the mast once in a bosun's chair to try an unjam a main halyard. I think I'd rather lower the mast for bulb change-outs. Much safer!

Edited by - on

JohnP
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

1520 Posts

Response Posted - 02/19/2011 : 15:06:50

In Don Casey's book on sailboat maintenance (and in the smaller book on sailboat electrics), he explains how to test the mast circuits for faults. A break anywhere in a circuit would test the same as a burnt out bulb, and replacing a worn-out mast wiring harness really requires dropping the mast, unless you're experienced with the steps from a previous repair.

Why do you think the bulbs need changing?

Edited by - on

Adam
1st Mate

Members Avatar

USA
44 Posts

Response Posted - 02/19/2011 : 19:22:21

I am just assuming the bulbs need changing. I have replaced almost every other one. I bought the boat last Fall and it had not been properly maintained. I have a harness and have spent the better part of 20 years rockclimbing, so the process doesn't scare me. It just seems so much harder to drop the mast...

Edited by - on

JohnP
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

1520 Posts

Response Posted - 02/19/2011 : 19:37:28

I thought the same thing when I bought my boat and the anchor light failed to function when I flipped the switch. I found, however, that one of the 3 previous owner had completely removed the fixture from the masthead. There was no bulb to change, and I needed to install wires from the deck upwards. I was surprised that no one had missed an anchor light all those years!

I hope you will just be able to climb up and change the bulb on your boat.

Edited by - on

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

Members Avatar

USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 02/19/2011 : 19:47:58

Go for it. It is an interesting perspective, but be aware that there is a pretty good chance that you'll end up dropping the mast for the real fix anyway. I think bosun's chairs are like chainsaws - most serious chainsaw injuries happen to professionals who become complacent with them; amateurs tend to stay very aware of the danger. I would think that rock climbing, which doesn't produce a lot of serious injuries, might be higher risk than going up the mast on a boat properly secured boat in her slip.

Edited by - on

PCP777
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1225 Posts

Response Posted - 02/20/2011 : 11:21:15

We sent a 150 pound guy up the mast this weekend to tighten my windex and to tighten the bracket for my anemometer. It is hard to see the top of the mast when you go up in a chair. I have a tall rig fin keel.

Edited by - on

aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 02/25/2011 : 08:40:54

At 202 lbs I went half way up the mast to replace the steaming light - while motoring underway. We used one of the halyard winches to get me up but I did some climbing to help the wincher as well.

Edited by - on

Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 02/25/2011 : 12:10:33

I think it is admirable that folks here have shown such restraint in not pointing out thedifference between bosuns and bosoms.

If you know someone whose bosoms get their own chair(s) I'd like to meet her.

Edited by - on

Ryan L
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
230 Posts

Response Posted - 02/25/2011 : 14:04:20

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by PCP777
 We sent a 150 pound guy up the mast this weekend to tighten my windex and to tighten the bracket for my anemometer. It is hard to see the top of the mast when you go up in a chair. I have a tall rig fin keel.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

When I go up I use a climbing harness and girth hitch a sling of webbing (onto the belay loop) long enough to place a foot in and "step" up. That does two things, it allows me to easily see and work on the top of the mast and it allows me to take the load off the harness (more comfortable when working for extended periods).

As for what system I use it's probably a bit of overkill but aside from sailing I have formal training in vertical rescue (cliff rescue) as well as rock climbing so I rely on those skills.

-I run static rescue rope to the masthead using the spinnaker halyard. I tie a bowline in the spin halyard finished with the a half hitch and shackled to the mainline. Then I use a figure 8 follow through for the static line tied into the bowline like you tie into a harness. This serves as my primary belay line (static belay).

-I kit up in a standard climbing harness with a tool pouch clipped to the side. While standing aft of the mast I tie into the main halyard (through both loops of the harness, NOT just the belay loop) using a figure 8 follow through finished off the same way as the spin halyard in the first step. This becomes the mainline.

- I have multiple prusik "loops" of relatively thin cord clipped into locking carabiners on the harness.

- One of those prusiks I rig as follows: clip one end into the belay loop of the harness. Wrap the loop 4 or 5 times up the static belay rope. Clip the end back into the same carabiner and lock the biner. This makes a knot that works much the same way as a prusik but has less tendency to lock out thus making it easier to guide it during ascent and to escape the system if need be.

-I take a webbing sling, clip one end into a separate locking biner on my belay loop, wrap it around the mast, then clip the remaining end it, lock the biner. This keeps you close to the mast, provides something to lean back and provide better angles for "climbing" the mast, and it will keep you close and more controlled should all other systems fail leading to fall. Remember to clear it around the spreader as your climb.

-Using standard signals I have someone grind the mainline thus hoisting me up the mast. The rope is through a closed rope clutch (allowing only one direction of travel), is wrapped a minimum of three times around the winch drum, and slack is occasionally taken out and set one turn around a jam cleat. This provides multiple backups.

-After work is completed the main line is locked off on a cleat (still with multiple wraps on the winch). The rope clutch is opened and I am lowered with a half turn on the jam cleat to serve as a belay device in conjunction with the winch. At the same time the prusik is still providing backup belay on the static rope.

All this sounds complicated but it can be rigged and deployed in just a few minutes by anyone with a basic knowledge of knot and ropes. It is a very easy system to operate once you have it worked out. Obviously I suggest checking shroud tension and condition (as well as all connection points) prior to going up and have someone watching your mast for obvious signs of bend or sway...

Edited by - on

Derek Crawford
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
3323 Posts

Response Posted - 02/27/2011 : 10:19:24

I was hoisted up the mast in a bosun's chair yesterday to fix the windex. Took about 25 minutes all told.

Edited by - on

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Djibouti
9087 Posts

Response Posted - 02/27/2011 : 10:51:50

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Prospector
 I think it is admirable that folks here have shown such restraint in not pointing out the difference between bosuns and bosoms...<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I was indeed stifling myself from asking if he planned to use a wench to raise the bosoms... till you broke the ice.

Edited by - on

Jan Briede
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
162 Posts

Response Posted - 03/21/2011 : 07:10:08

I don't know about this ... it was so easy to lower the mast this past weekend even with the boat floating in the water.

Edited by - on

Topic

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Jump To:

Association Forum

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.