[Alberg30] Anyone own a Mast Mate?

[R.C. Alley]

Ok, girls: here is how you go up a mast by your lonesome anywhere, anytime.
You need:
1 pr mechanical ascenders
1 bosun's chair
2 carbiniers
2 halyards of proper size
Any other halyard
1 -2 ft length 5/16 line
1 shackle
1- 6 ft length of 1/2 inch line

Mechanical ascenders are used by climbers to attach to lines when
rock/mountain climbing.  If you don't understand their operation, go to any
web site that sells them--they will be explained.

Proceed as follows:
1. Attach 1 ascender to bosun's chair w/ 1 carbinier
2. Make a pair of foot loops out of your 6 foot length of 1/2 inch line and
attach to the other ascender w/ carbinier
3  Pass your 5/16ths line through the becket in your shackle and knot.
4. Attach shackle to bosun's chair
5. Cleat all halyards TIGHT.
6. Attach mechanical ascender on the chair on the first halyard and sit down
in the chair.
7. Attach mechanical ascender on the foot loops on the second halyard
8. Stand up in the loops.
9. Slide the mechanical ascender for the chair up, and sit down in the
chair.
10. Slide the foot loops up, and stand in the loops.
11. Slide the mechanical ascender attached to the chair up, and sit down in
the chair
12. Repeat, (7,8,9,10,11) ETC, up the mast.
13. Descent is the opposite of ascent, for some strange reason.
The line with the shackle is optional--it is a safety line. Attached to the
chair by the shackle and to a spare halyard with a prussic knot, it will
slide up or down the halyard (or any other line) as long as it is not under
load. When loaded (ie., something else failed) it will hold fast.

The art of traversing a halyard by means of mechanical ascenders is
remembering VERY CAREFULLY where you are and what you are doing.  I have
been up my mast many times in this manner--even once under way(which was not
really necessary--I just wanted to see how difficult it was. It was
difficult--the motion of a mast under way, even at the spreaders, must be
experienced to be fully understood).

The benefit of this is that mechanical ascenders weigh a couple ounces and
take up a space about 3x6x1 inch each.  I already had a chair and line and a
spare shackle.

There is only one thing really important to remember--you are trusting your
life to your halyards.

Rob
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bill Blevins" <billblevins at mac.com>
To: <public-list at alberg30.org>
Sent: Friday, May 16, 2003 6:55 AM
Subject: [Alberg30] Anyone own a Mast Mate?


> Does anyone own or have experience with this product? I'm considering
buying one already (I just put the mast up 2 weeks ago and I already need to
go aloft!) One person recommended it to me but I've never seen it in person.
Expensive, but there is no way that Tracy could winch me up in a bosun's
chair. http://mastmate.com/
>
> Bill Blevins
> "Sabrina" #158
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