On Tue, 10 Feb 2009 22:53:24 +0700, Bruce
wrote:

If your standing rigging is all hemp and manila how are you making
the terminations? Spliced eyes or served?

Perhaps deadeyes at the bottom end, so maybe both? My dad could do all
the splices. He made a rope ladder, all rope, no wood steps, and not
anchored at the bottom. Only a kid trying to get to the tree platform
would put up with it. To digress, the mountain climbers have short
rope ladders with four inch aluminum steps. Why not a long one and
haul it up with a halyard. I guess a bosuns chair is far better,
unless you are alone. I believe ladder steps are far cheaper than mast
steps. Not marine. I am a coward, and don't want to climb ladders
without a harness clipped to a halyard, with someone tending the other
end.

Casady