wrote:
On Wed, 29 Jul 2009 23:28:34 -0700, "Capt. JG"
wrote:

"cavelamb" wrote in message
...
Gordon wrote:
Good, bad or ugly? Any comments?
Gordon
Over $400 is certainly ugly.

Dunno about the rest...

Supposedly, it works great. I considered one for a while, but decided I
didn't really need it.

I assembled pretty much the same rig, but used all better quality
parts used in rock climbing, and a few parts I made myself. I ended up
spending as much, but my rig is safer and easier to use. I have a lot
of health issues and even had a stroke a while back, but I can get up
and down the mast on my boat without any outside help in a matter of
minutes.

It's actually fun. I try to remember to take my camera when I go up,
and often stay up for a while and just enjoy the view.

One big advantage I have over the ATN setup is that my etriers have
solid flat rungs for my feet. I could go up barefoot if I wanted to.
The ATN unit just uses loops, and unless you are wearing heavy work
boots, that is gonna HURT.


Do you mind posting some photos?
Show how it's made?

cavelamb wrote:
wrote:
On Wed, 29 Jul 2009 23:28:34 -0700, "Capt. JG"
wrote:

"cavelamb" wrote in message
...
Gordon wrote:
Good, bad or ugly? Any comments?
Gordon
Over $400 is certainly ugly.

Dunno about the rest...

Supposedly, it works great. I considered one for a while, but decided
I didn't really need it.

I assembled pretty much the same rig, but used all better quality
parts used in rock climbing, and a few parts I made myself. I ended up
spending as much, but my rig is safer and easier to use. I have a lot
of health issues and even had a stroke a while back, but I can get up
and down the mast on my boat without any outside help in a matter of
minutes.
It's actually fun. I try to remember to take my camera when I go up,
and often stay up for a while and just enjoy the view.

One big advantage I have over the ATN setup is that my etriers have
solid flat rungs for my feet. I could go up barefoot if I wanted to.
The ATN unit just uses loops, and unless you are wearing heavy work
boots, that is gonna HURT.


Do you mind posting some photos?
Show how it's made?


I'd be interested also.
Gordon

On Jul 31, 10:37*am, Gordon wrote:
cavelamb wrote:
wrote:
On Wed, 29 Jul 2009 23:28:34 -0700, "Capt. JG"
wrote:

"cavelamb" wrote in message
...
Gordon wrote:
* Good, bad or ugly? Any comments?
*Gordon
Over $400 is certainly ugly.

Dunno about the rest...

Supposedly, it works great. I considered one for a while, but decided
I didn't really need it.

I assembled pretty much the same rig, but used all better quality
parts used in rock climbing, and a few parts I made myself. I ended up
spending as much, but my rig is safer and easier to use. I have a lot
of health issues and even had a stroke a while back, but I can get up
and down the mast on my boat without any outside help in a matter of
minutes.
It's actually fun. I try to remember to take my camera when I go up,
and often stay up for a while and just enjoy the view.

One big advantage I have over the ATN setup is that my etriers have
solid flat rungs for my feet. I could go up barefoot if I wanted to.
The ATN unit just uses loops, and unless you are wearing heavy work
boots, that is gonna HURT.

Do you mind posting some photos?
Show how it's made?

* I'd be interested also.
* Gordon

Alisdair:

For prusiks on your feet, you put loops around your ankles and the
prusiks go under them and then to your feet. These loops are called
"Chicken loops" and can save your life.

wrote in message
...


One additional advantage I haven't mentioned is that unlike mast
steps, or being hauled up in a traditional chair, is that by attaching
the bottom of the static line to various points on deck, you can also
do things like access stuff all along the backstay, forestay and other
places you normally can't reach.

I have been up my forestay in a chair to check the joins in my foil.
Just wear a harness and clip a short loop around the foil.
Use the jib or spinnaker halyard for someone to haul you up.

On Jul 30, 2:05*pm, wrote:
On Thu, 30 Jul 2009 19:56:43 +0200, "Edgar"
wrote:





wrote in message
.. .

One additional advantage I haven't mentioned is that unlike mast
steps, or being hauled up in a traditional chair, is that by attaching
the bottom of the static line to various points on deck, you can also
do things like access stuff all along the backstay, forestay and other
places you normally can't reach.

I have been up my forestay in a chair to check the joins in my foil.
Just wear a harness and clip a short loop around the foil.
Use the jib or spinnaker halyard for someone to haul you up.

The main difference is that I don't need anyone else. The limits of
mast steps are obvious. I also don't risk kinking the foil.

GAWD I hate Etriers, dangle and thrash and friggin difficult to climb
and then they twist, almost worse'n a cable ladder. Look into
vertical caving gear, you'll find something cheaper and easier to use.

On Thu, 30 Jul 2009 21:08:57 -0700 (PDT), Frogwatch
wrote:

On Jul 30, 2:05*pm, wrote:
On Thu, 30 Jul 2009 19:56:43 +0200, "Edgar"
wrote:





wrote in message
.. .

One additional advantage I haven't mentioned is that unlike mast
steps, or being hauled up in a traditional chair, is that by attaching
the bottom of the static line to various points on deck, you can also
do things like access stuff all along the backstay, forestay and other
places you normally can't reach.

I have been up my forestay in a chair to check the joins in my foil.
Just wear a harness and clip a short loop around the foil.
Use the jib or spinnaker halyard for someone to haul you up.

The main difference is that I don't need anyone else. The limits of
mast steps are obvious. I also don't risk kinking the foil.

GAWD I hate Etriers, dangle and thrash and friggin difficult to climb
and then they twist, almost worse'n a cable ladder. Look into
vertical caving gear, you'll find something cheaper and easier to use.

As I pointed out, I built my own substitute for etriers that I find
vastly superior. My setup has flat footboards that would allow me to
comfortably go up barefoot if I so desired.

One other big advantage over a conventional bosuns chair and being
cranked aloft is that I can stand on the stirrups and be positioned
over the top of the mast looking down. Makes working on items such as
the wind instrument a LOT easier. You can actually see what you are
working on, which some people find to be an advantage.

wrote in message
...
On Thu, 30 Jul 2009 21:08:57 -0700 (PDT), Frogwatch
wrote:

On Jul 30, 2:05 pm, wrote:
On Thu, 30 Jul 2009 19:56:43 +0200, "Edgar"
wrote:





wrote in message
.. .

One additional advantage I haven't mentioned is that unlike mast
steps, or being hauled up in a traditional chair, is that by
attaching
the bottom of the static line to various points on deck, you can also
do things like access stuff all along the backstay, forestay and
other
places you normally can't reach.

I have been up my forestay in a chair to check the joins in my foil.
Just wear a harness and clip a short loop around the foil.
Use the jib or spinnaker halyard for someone to haul you up.

The main difference is that I don't need anyone else. The limits of
mast steps are obvious. I also don't risk kinking the foil.

GAWD I hate Etriers, dangle and thrash and friggin difficult to climb
and then they twist, almost worse'n a cable ladder. Look into
vertical caving gear, you'll find something cheaper and easier to use.

As I pointed out, I built my own substitute for etriers that I find
vastly superior. My setup has flat footboards that would allow me to
comfortably go up barefoot if I so desired.

One other big advantage over a conventional bosuns chair and being
cranked aloft is that I can stand on the stirrups and be positioned
over the top of the mast looking down. Makes working on items such as
the wind instrument a LOT easier. You can actually see what you are
working on, which some people find to be an advantage.


Sounds like my setup. My method of getting up the mast is similar to the
$400 ATN, but costs next to nothing in additional kit -
just some ends of rope and prusik knots. I learned the hard way that you
definitely need something other than plain loops for your feet.


--
Alisdair

http://sailing.agurney.com/

On Fri, 31 Jul 2009 14:16:18 +0100, "Alisdair Gurney"
wrote:

I learned the hard way that you
definitely need something other than plain loops for your feet.


Prusics are fine with ultra stiff climbiing boots as worn by the
people who invented it.

Casady