Climbing the mast?

[Knot Tied Down]

Has anyone climbed up the mast on their 26? Just wondering if it would be strong enough to support a person? I'm about 175 lbs.
Theres no reason I NEED to go up it...was curious to know if in the event I ever had to...

Thanks!

Dustin

[Divecoz]

Never done it but I wouldn't.. whne sitting at anchor , I can swing the boat a bit with the mast.. Why bother.. or Why push the envelope / fate / Darwin disease hahahaa

[Knot Tied Down]

I was putting up the main a couple weeks ago after leaving the marina...and when the main got to the top..the shackle let loose and bounced twice...and disapeared over the side. This resulted in the main screaming toward the deck..while the halyard was racing up to space. It stopped at the block at the top of the mast...which left me with a tough decision! haha I ended up rigging down and pulling it back down. But the thought DID cross my mind to go up it :p

[Mac26Mpaul]

No sure if the mast would take the weight but you are enough weight to pull and hold the boat over on its side, as per the Mac26 video. Dont think I'd be climbing up there

[zoneboy]

I saw a video where a guy climbs up and down on his Mac 25 mast, I wouldn't want to do it but he seemed fine with it. In fact, the mast has steps installed on it.

Go to the 4 minute mark.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0JONTUZKdc

[Knot Tied Down]

Hmm interesting! I think it would be a totally different story on the water though! I bought the lazy jack system from Harken, and will be installing it next week when I get back...the installation video they have shows them going up the mast in a bosun chair *i think thats what its called?* to drill the holes, and install the hardware. I could probably do everything with the mast on the ground just fine I imagine

[Russ]

Seeing the Mac promo video makes one think the boat can be held down with a man holding the top of the mast. Since it's so easy to drop the mast, why risk such a feat.

With that said, last year we watched a Mac M out in the middle of the lake floundering around. Soon we saw a person climbing up the mast with a boat hook. He eventually stood on the spreaders and appeared to retrieve what he was after. I was waiting for a wave to come by and pull the boat over. 'Course I didn't bother to video the event. That might have turned out to be entertaining for us all.

[DaveB]

Well said, no one should climb the mast in a bosum chair on a Mac. even if your boat is on a trailer. Mast strength is not there and in the water even in calm conditions will have a large effect on heel and could capsize.
I can't imagion someone going aloft to even the spreaders, the weight of a person would have dramatic negitive effect on a Mac.
Just lower the mast fix the prolem.
Me on my Alberg 35 after the wire/rope halyard jumped the pully at top of mast, could not lower sail.

Dave

Seeing the Mac promo video makes one think the boat can be held down with a man holding the top of the mast. Since it's so easy to drop the mast, why risk such a feat.

With that said, last year we watched a Mac M out in the middle of the lake floundering around. Soon we saw a person climbing up the mast with a boat hook. He eventually stood on the spreaders and appeared to retrieve what he was after. I was waiting for a wave to come by and pull the boat over. 'Course I didn't bother to video the event. That might have turned out to be entertaining for us all.

[Knot Tied Down]

Wow Dave thats a long ways up! What are you actually using to hoist yourself? The main Halyard block at the top of the mast?

[phoenixtoohot]

Me on my Alberg 35 after the wire/rope halyard jumped the pully at top of mast, could not lower sail.

Dave

Great picture ... I'll bet the keel on an Alberg 35 has 5000 pounds of lead and 20,000 foot-pound righting moment ... quite a bit more than the 125 pounds needed to hold the Macgregor down

[THE CUSCUS]

I had a rigger go up mine to install spreader boots and a Windex. He said the only reason he went up it was because he knew the history of the rig (he re-rigged it himself) and the halyard. It was a windy day, and I had to stand on the windward deck to keep the boat level. The mast had a slight bend to it as he went up, he only weighs about 150 lbs and don't think you'd want much more weight than that up there.

[madguy]

Hi guys, not been on here for ages but still stick my nose in every now and then to see whats going on..

Have to say, I have been up the mast on my old X, however it was on the trailer, and yes it was scarey.

The mast is strong enough to hold you, well me anyway and im not small. 6 ft and 17 stone.

It is possible but you do need someone strong and who you trust to haul you up on the winch, to be honest its actually quicker to drop the mast dow.


Cheers all.

Madguy

[DaveB]

Main halyard is the one that jumped the sleave, was a rope to Braided Halyard,I changed to all rope halyard. I used the Jib halyard to hoist me up.
I couldn't get the mainsail down until I was at the top to unhook it from the halyard. Was a major job and I still couldn't get the halyard free so had to take the mast down.
Dave
PS: I have a phobia about heights, I just didn't look down.

Wow Dave thats a long ways up! What are you actually using to hoist yourself? The main Halyard block at the top of the mast?

[DaveB]

5200 lbs lead with 5ft.2 inch draft.
In this issue of Good Old Boats. The owner of the Magizine did a nice write up on the 35 ft. Alberg.
I have knocked here down to 40 degrees a few times during my trip from Beaufort N.C to St. Thomas when I hit a major storm for 3 days with waves 40 ft. high, 6 ft breakers on the top or them.
Dave

Me on my Alberg 35 after the wire/rope halyard jumped the pully at top of mast, could not lower sail.

Dave

Great picture ... I'll bet the keel on an Alberg 35 has 5000 pounds of lead and 20,000 foot-pound righting moment ... quite a bit more than the 125 pounds needed to hold the Macgregor down