sailboat mast climbing harness

Yachting Monthly

• Digital edition

The best mast climbing gear for sailors & solo climbers

• April 19, 2023

The best mast climbing gear for sailors isn't necessarily anything fancy and marinised with a premium price tag, instead you can pick up the best mast climbing gear from a regular high street store with a climbing department. This buyers guide has all the gear for climbing a mast solo, double handed or fully crewed.

The best mast climbing gear for solo sailors or double handed sailors can be found in some well known high street stores and not necessarily in a chandlery.

This buyers guide curates all the gear you might need with plenty of alternative options to suit individual tastes and needs.

If you are unsure how to climb a mast on your own or with a short handed team of two, then you can read how to do that in my other article explaining in a step by step guide how to climb a mast , using some of the gear in this buyers guide.

Happy climbing!

The basic set up at a glance

DMM Women’s Vixen Harness – Buy now from GoOutdoors.co.uk

Petzl ascension ascender – buy petzl ascension left handed from gooutdoors.co.uk, petzl gri gri + – buy grigriplus from decathlon, best mast climbing gear: essential buyer’s guide, harnesses and bosun’s chairs.

DMM Women’s Vixen Harness

Reasons to Buy: Light weight, easy to stow, custom fit and secure Reasons to Avoid : Can cut off circulation to legs if hanging around a long time

This is the harness I used in the video. It is designed for women. I’ve used it for about 8 years and it is still in great condition. It comes in sizes XS to L. I bought the L to fit over my foulies or larger clothes, but it is a little big when wearing just light form fitting clothes. Ideally I would get a smaller sized harness for that purpose.

Specifications • 5 gear loops • breathable • 345g (xs) – 410g (large)

Buy now from GoOutdoors.co.uk

Reasons to Buy : Light weight, easy to stow, custom fit and secure Reasons to Avoid : Can cut off circulation to legs if hanging around a long time

The Beal harness, which is designed for high level climbing is my second harness for use when I am not wearing full foulies. It fits comfortably over shorts or leggings. The soft fit feels snug and comfortable around my hips and thighs and the harness has a good number of gear loops to clips bits and bobs to. It has a double ziplock fastening and is a little lighter weight than the DMM harness above. The leg loops are nicely adjustable to avoid pinch too.

Specifications • 4 gear loops • breathable • 321g (size 1 – waist 61-76cm, thigh 45-57cm) • 358g (size 2 – waist 75-90cm, thigh 54-66cm)

Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence. Where indicated, items have been tested independently of manufacturers influence.

PETZL Adjama Harness

Reasons to Buy: Light weigtht, easy to stow, custom fit and secure Reasons to Avoid : Can cut off circulation to legs if hanging around a long time

 Leg loops adjustable with doubleback buckles, to adapt to different body types and to seasonal clothing. Capacity to carry large amount of gear.

Specifications • 5 gear loops • 460g (s) – 545g (large)

Buy now at GoOutdoors.co.uk

Buy now at Amazon.com

Lalizas Bosun’s Chair

Reasons to Buy: comfortable for lengthy spells working up a mast, built in tool stowage, can be used in conjunction with a harness Reasons to Avoid : smaller users might find the metal triangles can hit their chest, not as secure as a dedicated harness

Rigid seat, basic bosun’s chair  from Lalizas as seen on many boats around the world. I have used this one a lot. The only niggle I have with it is the hard metal triangles used for attaching to the halyard have bruised the middle of my chest when they push back while working aloft. I make sure I wear good padding when I use it now, and this may not affect taller people. I keep using it because the hard seat suits me and it’s better than a wooden plank with carpet stapled to it.  Combine this with a harness when working aloft on a lengthy job.

Specifications • tool pockets and loops • rigid seat • no frills but does the job

Buy now on Amazon.co.uk

Lalizas Professional Bosun’s Chair

Reasons to Buy: comfortable for lengthy spells working up a mast, built in tool stowage Reasons to Avoid : smaller people might feel a bit too enclosed in this larger seat

A comfortable bosun’s chair with secure back to avoid slipping through. Good tool storage onboard and tool loops. I’ve used this one on various boats over the years including in the opening picture to this article. It always inspires confidence and comfort.

Specifications • Used by many professional riggers • Comfortable for lengthy spells • Lots of tool storage

Buy Lalizas Professional Bosun’s Chair from Bataeu Plus via Amazon.co.uk

Petzl Ascension Ascender

Reasons to Buy: good for use on most boats using up to 13mm halyards Reasons to Avoid : if you have halyards larger than 13mm this wont fit

This is the ascender I use on my own climbing gear. I use a left handed version because I am right hand dominant and it’s easier for me to slide the ascender up with my left hand while pulling up on the lazy line with my right hand.

Specifications • line size: 8mm – 13mm • 165g • left or right handed versions

Buy Petzl Ascension from Amazon.com

Climbing Technology Quick Up+ Ascender

Reasons to Buy: good for use on most boats using up to 13mm halyards, two seperate holes for gear and lanyards on the bottom keeps gear organised Reasons to Avoid : if you have halyards larger than 13mm this wont fit

The easy-to-use Quick Up+ ascender from Climbing Technology comes with an ergonomic, glove-friendly grip that makes it a solid option for fixed-rope ascents.

Specifications • line size: 8mm – 13mm • 215g • left or right hand versions

Buy CT Quickup Ascender from AlpineTrek.co.uk

Belay Devices

Petzl GriGri+

Reasons to Buy: enables a smooth controlled descent and easy to take up slack when climbing, easy to use Reasons to Avoid : a little pricey for some, involves moving part so you need to ensure you use it correctly to avoid damage

This belay device can be used with all single ropes (optimised for 8.9 to 10.5 mm diameter ropes) and is equipped with an assisted breaking function. Suitable for beginner mast climbers to expert riggers.

Specifications • line size: 8.9mm – 10.5mm • 200g • auto-locking

Buy GriGriplus from Amazon.com

Matik belay

Reasons to Buy: enables a smooth controlled descent and easy to take up slack when climbing Reasons to Avoid : a little pricey, if you prefer to side feed you may want the other style of belay device

This works in a similar way to the GriGri but the line feeds in a straight line rather than from the side. Some people prefer this to avoid their lines becoming twisted.

• line size:  8.6mm to 10.2mm

• antipanic auto clutch engagement

Buy Matik Belay from Amazon.com

Petzl Reverso

Reasons to Buy: enables a smooth controlled descent, simple device with very little to go wrong Reasons to Avoid : requires a little more skill to use

No moving parts, the Petzle Reverso is a simple belay device that can be more easily put on or taken off a line as you go. You push a bight of rope through one of the apertures and clip a carabiner through to act as the friction turn. A really handy bit of a kit.

Specifications • line size 8.5mm to 10.5mm • 57g • very simple device with little to go wrong.

Buy Petzl Reverso from Amazon.com

Grivel Mega K6N Screw Lock Snap Hook

Reasons to Buy: You need several carabiners to rappel, good value for money Reasons to Avoid : Don’t use in places where cross loading might be likely

For belaying and rappelling. It is designed for use with both single and double ropes.

I use two of these in my solo mast climb gear. One is used from the bottom of the ascender to hold the footloop and personal lanyard and the other is used on the top of the ascender to work as a reduction turning point for the belay lazy line.

Specifications • 7000-series aluminum • Screwgate • 78g

Buy Grivel K4n Carabiner from Trek Inn

Black Diamond Gridlock Screwgate Carabiner

Reasons to Buy: use these in areas where cross loading is likely to happen, easy to use Reasons to Avoid : they don’t fit on to the ascender as easily as some others

Designed specifically for belaying, the GridLock isolates the belay loop behind its uniquely shaped gate, thereby keeping the carabiner in its proper orientation.

I use two of these carabiners, both from my harness. The anti-crossloading design is reassuring as the repeated loading and unloading of both the belay and ascender has a tendency to make standard carabiners rotate and there’s a high risk of crossloading when solo rappelling.

Specifications • Anti cross load design • 76g

Buy Black Diamond Gridlock from GoOutdoors.co.uk

DMM –  Rhino Quicklock – Locking carabiner

Reasons to Buy: anti crossloading horn can be useful, some love the twist lock feature of the gate Reasons to Avoid : the twist lock gate might not suit some people

For regular users of pulleys or GriGri like belay devices.

I use this carabiner on my prusik line. The horn stops the hitched on line sliding around the carabiner as it is repeatedly adjusted.

Specifications • Anti cross load horn • Quicklock gate • 81g

Buy DMM Rhino from Alpine Trek.co.uk

Slings and quickdraws

DMM Dyneema sling

Reasons to Buy: basic lanyard, nothing to go wrong Reasons to Avoid : some might find they need a greater degree of adjustment

Dyneema has several advantages over traditional nylon webbing – it’s incredibly light and strong, less susceptible to UV degradation and is more abrasion resistant. I use this sling as my personal lanyard between harness carabiner and the ascender. You need to find a sling that can be adjusted to your own personal reach length. I double this one over to give me the correct length.

Specifications • 11mm Dyneema tape • 120cm • Strength: 22kN

Buy DMM Dyneema sling from GOOutdoors.co.uk

Multi Chain Evo Daisychain

Reasons to Buy: gives a greater degree of adjustment than a simple sling, easy to use Reasons to Avoid : Costs more than a simple sling

A daisy chain is a versatile alternative to the above single sling option. You can use this to adjust lengths for multiple applications, which might be ideal if more than one of you will be using it to climb the rig, especially if you’re notably different heights. Obviously there’s a cost implication as it’s four times the costs a basic dyneema sling.

Specifications • 90g • Tensile strength: 24 kN • Dyeema loops

Buy Multi Chain Evo from AlpineTrek.co.uk

Beal Nylon Sling

Reasons to Buy: a budget way to get a good quality footloop, can be used for a multitude of other tasks Reasons to Avoid : some prefer a rigid foot section to their footloop, not as easy to adjust as a dedicated footloop

A basic Nylon loop, ideal for use on a multitude of climbing uses, I personally use this as my footloop. I have two of them. They are cow-hitched onto the bottom of my ascender, one is tucked away and the other used for climbing. When I reach working height I use the second loop to stand up with both feet or to wrap one around the mast. It’s very handy to have two of these.

Specifications • length 120cm • width 16mm

Buy Beal Nylon Sling from GoOutdoors.co.uk

PETZL –  Footape – Foot loop sling

Reasons to Buy: Adjustable footloop with a decent foot spreader to avoid your foot being squashed under tension Reasons to Avoid : a bit more pricey than a basic loop, designed solely as a footloop so not suitable for other jobs

Specifications • 65g – 20mm webbing • Minimum length 84cm • Maximum length 125cm

Buy Petzl Foot loop sling from AlpineTrek.co.uk

Black Diamond Quickdraw

Reasons to Buy: really handy for carrying kit or gear aloft, useful for tethering yourself in place to hold you while you work Reasons to Avoid : none

Wire gate and solid gate carabiners. quick and easy to clip to a harness and then to secure tools, gear, or yourself to a solid point while you work at height.

Specifications • 103g • 12cm sling

Buy Black Diamond Quick Draw from Decathlon

DMM Quickdraw Shadow

Two solid gates on an 18cm sling. Quickdraws comes in a variety of wire and solid gate styles with a variety of sling lengths. You can buy them in multipacks or individually.

Specifications • 113g • 18cm sling

Buy DMM Shadow quickdraw from GoOutdoors

How to climb a mast: Step by step guide

Don’t forget to use your own judgement when following our advice, or use a professional. Here’s our full disclaimer.  

Further reading on mast climbing methods and equipment

How to climb a mast safely at sea – masterclass with Pip Hare

Mast Climbing for short handed crews

7 mast climbing kits on test

12 Bosun’s chairs tested

What happens when you dismast in the antarctic

Enjoyed reading Climbing a mast – best climbing gear & practical guide?

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How To: Sailboat Mast Climbing Guide

Climbing your sailboat mast can be an easy and enjoyable activity. With the right equipment and information you will successfully be able to access all exterior parts of your mast. In this guide, I will teach you how to climb your mast with confidence. As with so many activities on a boat, safety must be your top priority when climbing your mast.

Regardless of your crew situation, the equipment necessary to safely climb your mast is basically the same: two halyards, a bosun's chair, and some form of harness. You can be hoisted by crew or ascend using an ascension device. The particular equipment you choose is up to your preference and budget.

Sailors die every year from improper climbing techniques. By doing your due diligence, you will be ready to safely climb your mast. Ascending your mast is not the time for cursory preparation, so you must double up on all safety equipment. Redundancy is key. Don't put yourself in a position where a single failure of equipment could mean your death.

I have been up my sailboat mast half a dozen times and have never felt unsafe or afraid while aloft. By always following thorough safety precautions and having solid communication with my crew, I actually enjoy going up the mast. It gives me perspective of my vessel and the surrounding area that is normally out of view. I hope this guide helps you enjoy your first time climbing your sailboat mast, as well.

I am not an expert on climbing sailboat masts. I do not know the condition or quality of your equipment. It is your responsibility to ensure your safety and the safety of your crew. This is solely a guide to help you feel better informed on this topic.

Table of contents

The Crewed Climber

The most basic way to climb a mast is to have a crew member crank you up using a winch. This method requires you to have a crew member on board with the brawn and willingness to do that job. If you are lucky enough to have a beefy, willing crew member then this section is for you.

Primary Safety Equipment (w/Crew)

• Bosun's Chair
• Main Halyard

Your primary safety equipment will consist of a bosun's chair  (or equivalent) connected to a halyard. Ideally the halyard will be one that does not have a free-standing block at the top of the mast. Your main halyard will likely be your best option for your primary line.

Feed your primary line through your bosun's chairs double d-rings and secure using a bowline knot. Tying your halyard to your bosun's chair will eliminate possible failure at the halyard shackle.

Once you have tied your primary line to your bosun's chair using a bowline knot, clip the halyard shackle to the d-rings as a redundant safety measure.

Prior to using your bosun's chair, be sure to read the instruction manual for your particular model so that you are properly secured within the chair.

Secondary Safety Equipment (w/Crew)

• Secondary line

On my sailboat, my husband and I have climbing harnesses that we use as backup to our bosun's chair. A foul weather harness will work for this application as well.

Put on the harness prior to getting into the bosun's chair. Just as with the primary line, use a bowline knot to secure the second halyard to your harness. On my sailboat, I use the spinnaker halyard as my secondary line. You may have a line better suited for the job such as a removable topping lift.

Which Winch?

Now that you have your primary and secondary gear set up, it's time to deal with the working end of your primary and secondary lines.

Due to the variation in block, winch, and cleat locations from boat to boat, it is difficult to give exact directions for how to set up your lines. On board my vessel we use the main halyard as our primary line. The main halyard runs out of our lower mast, through several blocks and back to our cockpit. We run the primary line back to our starboard jib sheet winch because it is self-tailing and has two speeds. Our secondary line runs back to the port jib sheet winch.

In this method it is necessary for both winches to be self-tailing.

Whichever line you choose to use as your primary line, you will need to find as unobstructed a path as possible for that line to join with your winch. Use blocks as needed to create a chafe-free path for your primary.

Every time I have climbed our mast, my husband has been below at the winch. Even though we use a winch that is self tailing, whenever possible we have a friend tailing the primary line. This additional safety precaution prevents line slippage and a possible accident.

The Hoisting Begins

You now have your harness on with your secondary line attached and you are in the bosun's chair with the primary line attached. It's time to test the system's strength. First, have your winch handler take out any slack in the primary line while you stand with knees bent at the mast base. Have your mate cleat off the primary line. Then, test the strength of it all by bouncing a few times in the bosun's chair.

It might seem silly bouncing around in the bosun's chair just above the deck, but it sure makes me feel better knowing that I have already put more stress on the system than I will at any other point during my climb.

Feeling confident that all systems are go, your crew member will begin cranking on the winch from the cockpit. Being raised up the mast can take a while. Be sure to wear shoes and gloves so that if you decide to assist in your ascension, you don't end up with paint slivers in your hands and feet.

Your crew member will crank you up a few feet at a time or perhaps a few inches at a time, depending on their vigor. Every time they pause on the primary winch, they will pull in slack on the secondary. They must secure the primary line prior to attending to the secondary. This will ensure that if your primary fails you will only drop a short distance onto your secondary line.

Once you have reached your working point on your mast, your crew member below will cleat off both lines. Your winch handler will surely feel like it's nap time but their job isn't over yet. While you're working, be sure your crew member stays attentive in case you realize you don't have the necessary tools for the job or you are ready to descend.

I have been at the top of my mast only to realize that I need a flat head instead of a Phillips, or electrical tape, or a multimeter. It's beyond frustrating to be at the top of the mast and realize that you forgot something or don't have what you need.

To save the arms of your cranking crewmember, bring a long piece of string in the pocket of your bosons chair. If you realize you need an additional tool, you can lower the string to your crew member and they will tie on the forgotten item for you to pull up. If you happen to be particularly forgetful, it would be clever to employ a canvas bag to receive the tools.

I have found that it's difficult to see the top of my mast while sitting in the bosun's chair even when it's fully raised. I remedy this by bringing a looped piece of webbing (a sling) which I connect with a carabiner to the top of my mast. I then step into the piece of webbing which raises me high enough to see the top of the mast .

The Fun Part

One of the most enjoyable parts of climbing the mast is coming back down. The work is done and now you get to enjoy a smooth, steady descent to deck level.

It's essential that your crew member below wear gloves for this part of the job. I recommend gloves for the entire job but certainly for this bit.

From the cockpit, your crew member will uncleat the secondary line and remove that line from it's winch. Your crew member will then take the line out of the self-tailing mechanism on the primary winch while maintaining a firm grip on the line. They will slowly let out the primary line while keeping three wraps on the winch. Continue slowly releasing line until all crew are deck side.

To aid in exiting the bosun's chair I recommend descending until you are sitting on deck. The extra slack will help you remove yourself from the bosun's chair as gracefully as possible.

The Crewless Climber

Knowing how to climb your mast independently is invaluable, even if you never sail solo. Lifting an adult using a winch can be difficult, time consuming, and tiring. By having the right equipment you can climb your mast with very little to no assistance.

Primary Safety Equipment (Solo)

There are many types of products on the market to help you climb the mast. There are ladders which utilize your mainsail mast track, webbing loops raised to the mast top using the main halyard, and permanently installed mast steps. Alternatively, there are devices which attach directly to the main halyard which allows you to climb the halyard. I'm going to refer to any device that is used to climb the halyard as an "ascension device".

Regardless of the ascension device you choose, these items are essential:

• Ascension Device
• 3 Climbing Carabiners
• 2 Foot Slings

Secondary Safety Equipment (Solo)

• Secondary Line
• 1 Climbing Carabiner

Sailboats are not all rigged the same. You may find that your spinnaker halyard is your only option for the secondary line. On some vessels, the topping lift will be the best option. You will need to determine which line works best for you.

Using The Ascension Device

The ladder style ascension devices are fairly self-explanatory. If you know how to climb a ladder, you're all set. So, I will not go into their use here. In this section, I will explain how to use a rock climbing ascension device to climb your mast.

This is an example of a rock climbing ascension device:

Beth lives on board her 1983 30ft S2 sailboat with her husband, 6 year-old son, and her two fur babies. She has been sailing and boating for most of her life. Beth has been blessed to experience cruising in the Great Lakes, the Bahamas, and in Alaska. She loves to travel and adores living on her tiny boat with her family.

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> > Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on Cruisers Forums. 13-02-2024, 08:35   Boat: Cutter-Rigged Moody 54 and the other led back through a turning block to an . Both halyards through clutches. I put on BOTH a climbing harness AND a bosun's chair. Two additional crew are required -- one to man each . The lifting is done with the winch, and the other is the line. During ascent, the crew at the winch only needs to pull the slack out through the closed . So far so good, but it gets interesting on the descent. Here, both clutches have to be open, and my life depends on the crew not mishandling the ropes on the winches. This is the part I would really like to improve. So what I think about is securely fixing the end of the line halyard at the mast base. Using an ascender and/or grigri myself on this line, instead of having a crew man the safety line. This has the additional benefit of making mast climbing possible with only one helper. Other issues -- getting high enough to at the very top of the mast. My fear of the crew on the electric winch not taking his finger off the button soon enough when I reach the top, and jamming the end of the halyard in the block, or God forbid, breaking something. For the first thing, I guess I will make some stirrups which I can sling over the top of the mast. Or is there some other solution to this? 13-02-2024, 09:21   Boat: Beneteau 432, C&C Landfall 42, Roberts Offshore 38 for any fuzzy sections denoting wear. And I don't trust my life to the snap shackles on the end of the halyards, attached to the bosun's chair, no thank you. Nothing less than a bowline tied with my own hands. Electric winch ?? fugetaboutit, I want an experienced " hand" on the manual winch and if that means hustling up some experienced hands, so be it. I've had masts steps on a previous , which I thought were secure enuff for me to shimmy up the mast, but still had a halyard around a chest brace. I don't much like heights, especially so when I'm dangling on a tall stick the size of lamp pole. My paranoia aside, you could consider some mast steps near the top of the mast, just a pair, side by side, to give you some extra footing and support. 13-02-2024, 09:35   Boat: Under construction 35' ketch (and +3 smaller) soon to be wet but mostly handling I've thought about ladder, just hoist up with halyard and tighten with winch, maybe a couple of "stays" to half way on both sides. 13-02-2024, 09:47   Boat: Murray 33-Chouette & Pape Steelmaid-44-Safara-both steel cutters 13-02-2024, 09:50   Boat: O'Day 30 CB , I drop the main sail slugs out of the track and rig a MastMate. I'll wear both a climbing harness and bosun's chair, both on the same halyard. I'll climb the ladder, with Sheila just keeping a bit of tension on the safety halyard. The halyard gets a wrap or two around a winch before the . The MM has twin loops at the top, so it's (relatively) easy to stand in it. For a quick trip up, I'll usually just wear the climbing harness and get lifted on a halyard. As a safety, I'll have a sling & a Prussik on a different halyard. (I'm an idiot & gave away most of my climbing , including Grigri's and ascenders. D'oh!) It's not too much of a hassle. Years ago, I helped teach rock climbing . I'd NEVER hear the end of it if I broke myself climbing a sailboat! 13-02-2024, 09:52   Boat: 1999 Pacific Seacraft 40 13-02-2024, 09:53   Boat: Beneteau 432, C&C Landfall 42, Roberts Offshore 38 13-02-2024, 10:12   13-02-2024, 10:14   Boat: Tartan 3800 safety wise. Look for "rope walk ascent" -- there are many web sites, videos, . In essence: - Use a line, one designed for climbing with a sewn eye in one end. (For mast work, this is shackled to the halyard and hoisted before climbing). - Use a harness and a hybrid ascent/descent device. I have a rock exotica akimbo, there are others. Using a hybrid eliminates the need to switch from ascenders to descenders at height which is a potential source of accidents. - Use a foot ascender on one side and a knee ascender on the other side to allow walking. These operate on the same rope as the hybrid. Practice near the ground first so that you have confidence in the motions to clip and unclip everything and to control your descent. The Akimbo requires some dialing-in for the proper amount of friction for the rope in use and the weight of the climber and will slip if set wrong. This will allow you to ascend and descend by yourself with whatever halyard you're using securely tied off. There's no potential for miscommunication with whoever's on the winch. You can stand on the foot and knee ascenders if you need to work above the top of the mast though this will be most comfortable and secure if you use a flipline and a harness equipped for a flipline. I carry a figure 8 and some extra carabiners, and a knife, so I can improvise an descent if necessary. 13-02-2024, 10:30   Boat: 46' custom cat "Rum Doxy", Roughwater 41"Abreojos" winch. Both halyards through clutches. I put on BOTH a climbing harness AND a bosun's chair. Two additional crew are required -- one to man each halyard. The lifting is done with the electric winch, and the other halyard is the safety line. During ascent, the crew at the mast winch only needs to pull the slack out through the closed clutch. So far so good, but it gets interesting on the descent. Here, both clutches have to be open, and my life depends on the crew not mishandling the ropes on the winches. This is the part I would really like to improve. So what I think about is securely fixing the end of the safety line halyard at the mast base. Using an ascender and/or grigri myself on this line, instead of having a crew man the safety line. This has the additional benefit of making mast climbing possible with only one helper. Other issues -- getting high enough to work at the very top of the mast. My fear of the crew on the electric winch not taking his finger off the button soon enough when I reach the top, and jamming the end of the halyard in the block, or God forbid, breaking something. For the first thing, I guess I will make some stirrups which I can sling over the top of the mast. Or is there some other solution to this? 13-02-2024, 10:43   Boat: Niagara 35 halyard attached to a separate harness I wear. I control both ascent and descent with the main halyard and attached line secured in place before going up. When I reach the top my wife tightens the halyard which pulls my chest up and almost against to the top of the mast. Makes it relatively easy to work on things above the mast. Been doing this for years and it works well. 13-02-2024, 10:48   Boat: PDQ Altair, 32/34 shoes are good. With this set-up you should be able to climb any stick in about a minute. Feet go in the holes, swaying from side to side in a rhythm. The hands go around the mast, or to spreads or stays when more convenient. Pay any attention and you will not slip. Focus on the climbing. For safety, use a Petzel ASAP or Camp Goblin. They slide both up and down the safety line without climber attention. Like a crew tailing a winch that won't screw up. They can be locked, like an ascender, but when descending they will only lock if you fall, which you won't. Unlike ascenders, they are . Very important. I also use these for solo top rope climbing, and I have taken many falls. When you reach the top, switch the Goblin or ASAP to lock and connect your self to the mast with a sling for better leverage and positioning (this should be done, IMO, with ANY climbing method). You should always have a trail rope to haul a tool bag and potentially for descent if something jams (more likely with crank-up systems), and a few slings and carabiners for utility use. I can climb up and down faster than most of these responses were written. 13-02-2024, 10:57   Boat: Vaporware . Much of that gear is designed to be used on dynamic (stretchy) ropes. Using an open grigri or ascender as a backup that you release in the event your primary fails will result in a severe shock load. Any system where you are standing up at the top with an unloaded primary, counting on it catching you if you fall, is at risk of severe shock loads on your attach system. There have been many documented fatalities in climbing where someone has the rope unloaded while working at an , counting on their (static) tether to catch them if they fall, and when they do the shock load causes a failure at some point in their system (not to the rope). Keep your primary line loaded at all times and have your backup almost as taut. Also, if you think you can use an ascender as an fall arrest device by manually engaging the cam once you have started falling, please don’t, or at least go try it in a climbing gym or somewhere safe first! It is NOT designed to do that.. 13-02-2024, 11:57   Boat: Tartan 3800 . Very important. I also use these for solo top rope climbing, and I have taken many falls. 13-02-2024, 12:13   rope climbing techniques with prussiks on long loops. It's a lot faster and easier and can be done alone using about as much energy as climbing a ladder. I've done it at least 3 times in the last 9 months trying to release stuck halyards after the shackle opened on its own🙄 If you're interested you can look up this technique in any copy of Mountaineering - The Freedom of the Hills. It's a technique tha probably hasn't changed in 40+ years. Just make sure your halyards are all cleated off to at least three points and your safety (fall arrest) line is different from your climbing line. You always want redundancy. Thread Tools Rate This Thread : Posting Rules post new threads post replies post attachments edit your posts is are code is are are are Similar Threads Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post For Sale: lazystar General Classifieds (no boats) 0 27-07-2021 12:54 For Sale: Switters General Classifieds (no boats) 10 20-08-2017 15:21 - - - - - - - Privacy Guaranteed - your email is never shared with anyone, opt out any time. 210 IMAGES Climbing your sailboat mast can be an easy and enjoyable activity. With the right equipment and Petzl Harness Ultimate Mast Climbing Four Ways to Climb a Mast Solo Mast Climbing ATN Mastclimber COMMENTS The best mast climbing gear for sailors & solo climbers Apr 19, 2023 · The Beal harness, which is designed for high level climbing is my second harness for use when I am not wearing full foulies. It fits comfortably over shorts or leggings. The soft fit feels snug and comfortable around my hips and thighs and the harness has a good number of gear loops to clips bits and bobs to. How To: Sailboat Mast Climbing Guide - Life of Sailing Jun 15, 2022 · Harness; Secondary line; On my sailboat, my husband and I have climbing harnesses that we use as backup to our bosun's chair. A foul weather harness will work for this application as well. Put on the harness prior to getting into the bosun's chair. Just as with the primary line, use a bowline knot to secure the second halyard to your harness. Mast Climbing Harness, M/L | West Marine The West Marine mast climbing harness is easy to adjust by the four auto-locking buckles. It is fitted with wide, comfortable, and breathable paddings. It has front and back halyard connecting loops as well as five gear loops arranged to avoid accidental snagging. Tested at 330 lbs. / 150 kg. Size - M/L; Waist range - 30" (75 cm) to 43" (110 cm) Mast Climbing Harness | West Marine Mast Climbing Harness. The West Marine mast climbing harness is easy to adjust by the four auto-locking buckles. It is fitted with wide, comfortable, and breathable paddings. It has front and back halyard connecting loops as well as five gear loops arranged to avoid accidental snagging. Two Sizes Available: Size: M/L. Tested at 330 lbs. / 150 kg. Brion Toss Yacht Riggers, Sailboat Rigging::Aloft Gear Imagine a climbing harness that lets you get higher on the mast, is impossible to fall out of, and allows utter freedom of movement. Imagine further that it has a built-in tether, 3 halyard attachment points, two loops for hanging extra gear from, and a large multi-pocket pouch, the Rigger's Tool Pouch, for cotter pins, small tools, tape and ... Mast Climbing -- Best Practice - Cruisers & Sailing Forums Feb 13, 2024 · I put on BOTH a climbing harness AND a bosun's chair. Two additional crew are required -- one to man each halyard. The lifting is done with the electric winch, and the other halyard is the safety line. During ascent, the crew at the mast winch only needs to pull the slack out through the closed clutch. catamaran gulet motorboat powerboat riverboat sailboat trimaran yacht