Climbing the mast

Does he have trouble with his feet slipping of the folding steps?
I also thought of using the vang purchase and climbing safety lock to hoist myself up.
You are probably right not to make it too easy.....
Great atlantic story Seadler btw.

He did not mention feet slipping but I have heard that is a problem. If the boat lurches and you are twisted to the side, then your outside foot could slide off. In any case you need a way to hold the core of your body close to the mast if it is moving. One problem with the folding steps is that on the outboard end there is only a small lip, not a full strap back up to the mast to hold your foot from slipping completely off like the triangle shaped straps do.  One option I have seen is having a few steps at the top of the mast only so you can stand comfortably once you get there by some other method. Or putting steps up to the spreaders only. This is usefull for half the jobs. Is a safer distance to fall. Adds weight down low only and allows you to quickly get up above the deck if you need to see around.

My first trip up the mast, excluding using the yard's crane, was a memorable one.  I clipped the main halyard to my bosun's chair (a plank of wood with four stout ropes attached to a ring) and had a friend haul me up.  I'd seen this done before.  I'd seen it done on my boat in fact in exactly the same way.  What I didn't account for is that I weigh 210 lbs and the person I'd seen go up before weighed only 150 lbs. 

A pendulum effect ensued.  Or is that a pandemonium effect?

I could easily have worked on the neighbouring boat's mast as it was periodically and frequently within arm's reach, even though there was a slip between us, but would have only had a second or two before I was rudely swung many degrees to the opposite side.  At this point a friend from the yard climbed aboard to take control of the situation.  His 250lbs on top of the coach house may have helped...or maybe not.  Then the original person who had hauled me up decided he'd better get off so he stepped (jumped really) off the coach house onto the side deck with his 225 lbs.  He felt it best to do that at the exact moment we I was accelerating to that side, further adding to my velocity.  Another friend, watching from his boat, later stated that this was the moment he went below as he "could not watch anymore".

Finally someone realized that if they lowered me everything would stabilize.  And, just as Mr. Newton would have predicted, it did.

Lesson learned: sailing may be an art but science still applies.

That's hilarious, and4ew!  Can I see that on youtube.com?  Seriously though, I would suggest using a hand operated crane to haul up a person which we have at Harbour West in Hamilton.  We, of course, use the crane to step and un-step masts so the weight of one person wouldn't have any adverse effects on the equipment.  I truly would recommend a bosun's chair just so you're snug and make sure that there isn't any excess movement of the mast to prevent injury to the hoisted volunteer.  Once you're up there,  tie a strap to yourself and to the mast loosely just so you have another thing catching you in case what's holding you up fails and make the necessary repairs.  I've seen it done before but I've also done the bosun's chair hoisted via the main halyard and it worked fine.  Mind you, I only weigh 165 pounds and the boat was snug to the dock so that may have played on its stability.  In any case, good luck on the climb.

José

Regarding bosun's chair...if you have to go up definitely use the chair.  You don't want to be thinking about hanging on, doing the repair, finding tools, etc., if you're not in a (relatively) relaxed position.  Take a bag or something to hold your tools in as your pockets will be squished.