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Going Aloft...

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dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Initially Posted - 06/08/2004 : 13:39:48

Due to a recent storm a week or two ago, I needed to go aloft to replace the two tabs on my Windex that had blown off in the 80 mph winds. So with replacement tabs and a borrowed bosun chair, I hooked up my 4:1 mainsheet to the main halyard and sent it to the top of the mast. I then rigged the chair to the mainsheet and proceeded to haul myself up the mast.

When I got to the spreaders, I stopped to replace the burgee halyard and, after that was done, proceeded to the Windex at the top of the mast. As I went higher and higher, I found that the mast is ten times taller from the air than it is from the ground. Now mind you, I'm not particularly afraid of heights, but I am afraid of dying.

Anyway, when I got to within 4ft of the masthead, I heard a...POP...POP...from my somewhat vintage borrowed bosun chair. I immediately stopped my upward progression, tied off the mainsheet tail, and tried to inspect the chair and seams that currently held my life within its nylon grasp.

With sweat trickling from my forehead, I couldn't feel or see anything wrong with the chair so I thought I would go up the last couple of feet, replace the tabs, then hightail it down.

When I pulled myself up another foot closer to the masthead, it happened again, but this time it wasn't the singular...Pop...Pop, like before, but a rapid...POP,POP,POP,POP,POP!

With threads popping like a short burst of automatic gunfire, I decided that I really didn't need the tabs anymore and made quick work getting back down to terra firma or in this case terra boata!

Once down and with my heart rate at a more manageable level, I examined the chair to see if I had soiled it

and then I looked at the seams. The chair had a few repairs from years past, and appeared to be okay with no visible signs of threads blowing out, but I didn't particularly care for the design of this chair with the main strap not going completely under the chair, but just simply sewn to the sides of it.

Anyway, I will probably have to wait a week or so before my next attempt, but next time it will be with... a DIFFERENT chair!

Don Lucier

North Star SR/FK

Edited by - on

megrier
1st Mate

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USA
55 Posts

Response Posted - 06/08/2004 : 14:10:51

This is why I love this forum. I get to read stories that make me laugh because they remind me of myself.

Edited by - on

Gary B.
Admiral

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USA
969 Posts

Response Posted - 06/08/2004 : 14:24:39

I soiled myself just READING this! (I send my daughter up!) ;)

Gary B.
Vice Commodore
s/v Encore! #685 SK/SR

You must have one LONNGGG mainsheet!

Edited by - Gary B. on 06/08/2004 14:26:27

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 06/08/2004 : 14:45:35

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Gary B.
 ...You must have one LONNGGG mainsheet!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Actually, the mainsheet line itself will only get me to just above the spreaders, to get to the masthead I used the 4:1 mainsheet blocks with my spare anchor line.

Edited by - dlucier on 06/08/2004 14:46:21

Ray Seitz
Captain

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USA
416 Posts

Response Posted - 06/09/2004 : 07:16:47

Great story Don. When I was a much younger lad I climbed trees for a living and I use my old tree saddle for lofty excursions. In the past I have used my 6'-2" 200lb half brother on the stbd. primary to get me to the top. This worked great (with the exception of a lot of complaining) until my 6'-1" 325lb father moved to the stbd. side of the boat that my brother was on. That action sent me at the top of the mast out about two feet at which point I told my Dad (rather robustly)to get back where he was. By then he had realized the folly of his move and was making haste to the other side of the boat. I think there were a couple of other people involved that were already on the stbd side and my dad must have been offsetting all that weight. A few degrees is really magnified up at the top. I can't imagine what courage it takes to go up in foul weather.

Edited by - Ray Seitz on 06/09/2004 07:19:14

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 06/09/2004 : 08:26:45

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Ray Seitz
 ...I can't imagine what courage it takes to go up in foul weather.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Definitely more courage than I can muster!

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frog0911
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1349 Posts

Response Posted - 06/09/2004 : 10:14:24

Boson's chairs do tend to frighten me that is why I use a 32 foot extension ladder firmly attached to the mast. I, like Ray, use part of my climbing gear,(safety harness) but my spikes don't want to stick in the mast therefore the requirement for a ladder.

Edited by - frog0911 on 06/09/2004 10:38:25

Champipple
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
6855 Posts

Response Posted - 06/09/2004 : 10:22:02

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by frog0911
 Boson's chairs do tend to frighten me that is why I use a 32 foot extension ladder frimly attached to the mast. I, like Ray, use part of my climbing gear,(safety harness) but my spikes don't want to stick in the mast therefore the requirement for a ladder.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

That sounds scarier than the chair frog.... not to mention you "Frimly" attach it to the mast - no telling what happens when you frimmle with things

Edited by - on

frog0911
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1349 Posts

Response Posted - 06/09/2004 : 10:34:51

That's one of the getting old things. The brain goes faster than the fingers. I think the doctors call it losing motor skills or for common folk just being in a hurry.

Edited by - on

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