[Public-list] Mast Steps

[Rachel]

I will post another opinion on mast steps, just to add to the mix.

I have to say first, that we did not have them on our cruising boat.  
But, a buddy-boat of ours did, as did other boats we've moored or 
anchored next to; and the thing that made me feel I'd never want them 
is the noise they make in a wind.  I just couldn't stand that whining.

Perhaps there are some new designs that eliminate this; the ones I've 
seen are flattish strips of metal.

Perhaps a compromise would be something we had (actually we didn't use 
them, but sold them - they had come with the boat - people sure seemed 
eager to buy them at the swap meet).  This was a webbing version of 
mast steps that you'd hoist up in the mainsail track.  Obviously not as 
"instant" as mast steps, but there for your feet to step on.

We did use a good old bosun's chair and both liked it.  One adaptation 
we made:  My cruising partner was pretty heavy so I sometimes had a 
hard time hoisting him up.  Actually, I could do it fine with the winch 
on the mast, but we preferred to lead the hoisting line to a jib winch 
in the cockpit for a couple of reasons (visibility, no tools fallling 
on my head, more securely attached winch).  On that run there was more 
friction so it was a bit harder.  What we did was get a little climbing 
accessory from an outdoor store (REI in our case) which is a webbing 
contraption with about four steps on it that look just like mast steps 
but are made of webbing.  We'd hoist that along with the rest, and my 
partner would step into it and give a boost when I winched.  It also 
gave him somewhere to put his feet.

We did cruise in the tropics, in coral reef areas, and while I'm not 
sure it would have been necessary to go all the way up the mast, I 
could see having one or two steps at a convenient height for 
coral-spotting.  Perhaps the folding ones- or ratlines could be another 
good option.  We had wooden pin rails on the shrouds and often one of 
us would stand there, or on the boom.  It was nice to be close enough 
to hear each other over the engine, if we were motoring, although we 
did have hand signals too.

I've also heard that a pair of steps can come in handy right at the 
top; and it would have been nice in our case the one time we had to 
change the anchor light bulb.  Although we had no trouble doing a 
repair on the VHF antenna utilizing our chair and the little REI steps.

I did see several times when folks with mast steps "just needed to go 
up in a hurry" and so they just ran up without prudent safety backup.  
But of course that's up to each individual, and there's nothing saying 
you *have* to be unsafe just because you have mast steps.

Oh, I just thought of something else (but of course have never used 
them).  I wonder if it would be difficult to go up the mast steps in a 
seaway because the mast would be swaying so much side to side?  At 
least in a Bosun's chair, you just have to wrap your legs and hang on, 
but don't have to match you feet up to little slots.

Again, it's all personal preference.  And I never see the use in being 
shy about giving opinions when they are asked for :-)

HTH --- Rachel


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