[Public-List] Mast up! No halyards~!

[Gordon Laco]

Hi again Jeff - 

I just read Mike's message and want to reinforce something he said.... I
agree with him and would say that going up without a halyard is not wise.
Even when yachts are equipped with steps, one should use a halyard.

G




On 16/06/11 8:44 AM, "Mike Lehman" <Sail_505 at hotmail.com> wrote:

> Jeff,
> 
> You need a sky hook - I cannot tell you how often I wish I had one. There
> should be no problem with 225 pounds going up the mast, aside from the
> cranking that person up. If you go up without halyards...you are a much
> braver man than me.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jeffrey
> Sent: Thursday, June 16, 2011 8:29 AM
> To: Alberg 30 Public List -- open to all
> Subject: [Public-List] Mast up! No halyards~!
> 
> Well,
> 
> We launched the boat yesterday in fine weather. Everything went
> smoothly (for a change). Our boatyard helps us raise the mast with a
> crane. We had the spreaders on, stays arranged and all looked neat and
> tidy. Mast went up fine & we motor out to the mooring to finish
> rigging. We were there for a couple hours enjoying ourselves when I
> looked for a halyard to check the positioning of the mast and there
> were no halyards! We pulled the halyards last fall and forgot to
> string them back in.  The only line going up the mast is 1/8 flag
> pennant.
> 
> I'll likely ask the yard to let us come back in and use the crane &
> bosuns chair to thread the two halyards, but I'm wondering if I could
> figure out a way to safely do this myself. I've got years of
> experience with technical climbing, & aid climbing experience and I'm
> very familiar with prusik hitches. I'm not sure I'm comfortable with
> climbing the smooth mast with prussic hitches alone though. I've got
> some small cord that seems to grip well with lots of wraps but
> still..the mast is a smooth pole.
> 
> I've also though if I could raft up alongside a similar sized boat, go
> up the other boat's mast then we shift ballast to lean the boats into
> each other? Getting a willing participant is the tough part of this.
> 
> Can't think of a big tree near deep water, or a suitable bridge.
> 
> Any other possibilities?
> 
> 
> Another question: is there any practical limit to how big a person an
> Alberg 30 mast will safely hold? Last season I needed to fix my
> anemometer atop the mast and a buddy of mine wanted to go up in the
> worst way. He's about 225 lbs and I carefully squirmed my way out of
> it. My wife is 100lbs and has no trouble with heights.  Truth is, I
> was concerned for the rigging & my 45 year old mast beam. Should this
> be a concern?
> 
> 



 1308228489.0