On Mon, 14 Dec 2009 20:26:21 -0600, cavelamb
wrote:

wrote:
Mast steps?

Nope.

You have a modified Top Climber ? as I recall...

Completely my own creation. No Top Climber components used. Same idea,
but using better components and several design improvements.


No offense intended, but i can't imagine actually trying to use that.

A bosun's chair on a rope is one thing. Your hands are (more or less)
free to do something.

But climbing up what amounts to a rope ladder and trying to do anything
beyond snapping pictures is way beyond me.

Richard

I had one of those "rope ladder" things once. It was on a boat that I
bought and on first inspection I thought it was a great idea. then I
tried it out. If you aren't on dry land you need to tie off the bottom
and then tension the "ladder"; and even then it still sags off. Once
you get up there you are standing in fabric loops that not only
support you but also compress your foot so it becomes uncomfortable to
work after a very short time.
My suspicion is that they probably work if you just want to go up and
clear a caught halyard but as far as doing any real work up there they
are a waste of time. Try doing a job that takes several hours - such
as cutting and fitting new upper shroud plates, or fitting a plate to
the top of the mast to hold your new raz-a-mataz VHF antenna and
re;positioning the tri-color to clear the new antenna. A couple of
hours in those fabric stirrups and you're a cripple.

Cheers,

Bruce
(bruceinbangkokatgmaildotcom)

On Tue, 15 Dec 2009 12:05:19 +0700, Bruce In Bangkok
wrote:

A couple of
hours in those fabric stirrups and you're a cripple.

If you go up wearing a seat harness, you can clip off on that once
you're on top.

On Tue, 15 Dec 2009 12:05:19 +0700, Bruce In Bangkok
wrote:

On Mon, 14 Dec 2009 20:26:21 -0600, cavelamb
wrote:

wrote:
Mast steps?

Nope.

You have a modified Top Climber ? as I recall...

Completely my own creation. No Top Climber components used. Same idea,
but using better components and several design improvements.


No offense intended, but i can't imagine actually trying to use that.

A bosun's chair on a rope is one thing. Your hands are (more or less)
free to do something.

But climbing up what amounts to a rope ladder and trying to do anything
beyond snapping pictures is way beyond me.

Richard

I had one of those "rope ladder" things once. It was on a boat that I
bought and on first inspection I thought it was a great idea. then I
tried it out. If you aren't on dry land you need to tie off the bottom
and then tension the "ladder"; and even then it still sags off. Once
you get up there you are standing in fabric loops that not only
support you but also compress your foot so it becomes uncomfortable to
work after a very short time.
My suspicion is that they probably work if you just want to go up and
clear a caught halyard but as far as doing any real work up there they
are a waste of time. Try doing a job that takes several hours - such
as cutting and fitting new upper shroud plates, or fitting a plate to
the top of the mast to hold your new raz-a-mataz VHF antenna and
re;positioning the tri-color to clear the new antenna. A couple of
hours in those fabric stirrups and you're a cripple.

Cheers,


It would be nice if you had some idea about what my rig is like. I sit
in a very comfortable bosun's seat with a solid and padded bottom, and
I have wide, solid footboards to stand on, just like you would have on
a wooden step ladder. I could take a nap up there.

"Bruce In Bangkok" wrote in message
...
I had one of those "rope ladder" things once. It was on a boat that I
bought and on first inspection I thought it was a great idea. then I
tried it out. If you aren't on dry land you need to tie off the bottom
and then tension the "ladder"; and even then it still sags off. Once
you get up there you are standing in fabric loops that not only
support you but also compress your foot so it becomes uncomfortable to
work after a very short time.
My suspicion is that they probably work if you just want to go up and
clear a caught halyard but as far as doing any real work up there they
are a waste of time. Try doing a job that takes several hours - such
as cutting and fitting new upper shroud plates, or fitting a plate to
the top of the mast to hold your new raz-a-mataz VHF antenna and
re;positioning the tri-color to clear the new antenna. A couple of
hours in those fabric stirrups and you're a cripple.


Surely, without making the whole thing too bulky by replacing all the canvas
steps with wooden slats, you could have one wooden step at the place where
you would have to stand while doing work at the masthead?

On Tue, 15 Dec 2009 12:33:11 +0100, "Edgar"
wrote:


"Bruce In Bangkok" wrote in message
.. .
I had one of those "rope ladder" things once. It was on a boat that I
bought and on first inspection I thought it was a great idea. then I
tried it out. If you aren't on dry land you need to tie off the bottom
and then tension the "ladder"; and even then it still sags off. Once
you get up there you are standing in fabric loops that not only
support you but also compress your foot so it becomes uncomfortable to
work after a very short time.
My suspicion is that they probably work if you just want to go up and
clear a caught halyard but as far as doing any real work up there they
are a waste of time. Try doing a job that takes several hours - such
as cutting and fitting new upper shroud plates, or fitting a plate to
the top of the mast to hold your new raz-a-mataz VHF antenna and
re;positioning the tri-color to clear the new antenna. A couple of
hours in those fabric stirrups and you're a cripple.


Surely, without making the whole thing too bulky by replacing all the canvas
steps with wooden slats, you could have one wooden step at the place where
you would have to stand while doing work at the masthead?


The problem is that you now have a ladder attached to a rope which
leads to the top of the mast. Ever tried to do any work attached to a
rope? Tighten a bolt - you pull on the wrench and you move...

Try standing with your upper body above the masthead as you need to do
to actually do any work on the top of the mast.
Cheers,

Bruce
(bruceinbangkokatgmaildotcom)

On Tue, 15 Dec 2009 12:05:19 +0700, Bruce In Bangkok
wrote:

A couple of
hours in those fabric stirrups and you're a cripple.

Climbing boots will not crush even slightly. Cowboy boots are designed
to go in stirrups.

Casady

Richard Casady wrote:
On Tue, 15 Dec 2009 12:05:19 +0700, Bruce In Bangkok
wrote:

A couple of
hours in those fabric stirrups and you're a cripple.

Climbing boots will not crush even slightly. Cowboy boots are designed
to go in stirrups.

Casady

You are NOT wearing those on MY deck, sonny!

On Fri, 18 Dec 2009 10:22:54 -0600, cavelamb
wrote:

Richard Casady wrote:
On Tue, 15 Dec 2009 12:05:19 +0700, Bruce In Bangkok
wrote:

A couple of
hours in those fabric stirrups and you're a cripple.

Climbing boots will not crush even slightly. Cowboy boots are designed
to go in stirrups.

Casady

You are NOT wearing those on MY deck, sonny!
Two things. Leather doesn't mark decks. and:
I am not going up any mast unless it is a matter of life and death. At
that point you will be glad it is me and not you and I will be glad I
had them in my luggage.

Casady

wrote:
On Fri, 18 Dec 2009 10:22:54 -0600, cavelamb
wrote:

Richard Casady wrote:
On Tue, 15 Dec 2009 12:05:19 +0700, Bruce In Bangkok
wrote:

A couple of
hours in those fabric stirrups and you're a cripple.
Climbing boots will not crush even slightly. Cowboy boots are designed
to go in stirrups.

Casady
You are NOT wearing those on MY deck, sonny!

I have a pair of steel-toed work/hiking boots with light (almond)
colored soles that do not seem to mark. My climbing rig has nice wide
footboards, so I could theoretically go up barefoot comfortably, but
the opportunity to smash or sever toes would be great.



Yeahbut - he was talking Cowboy boots - probably with spurs.

(people DO wear spurs around here)

"cavelamb" wrote in message
m...
wrote:
On Fri, 18 Dec 2009 10:22:54 -0600, cavelamb
wrote:

Richard Casady wrote:
On Tue, 15 Dec 2009 12:05:19 +0700, Bruce In Bangkok
wrote:

A couple of
hours in those fabric stirrups and you're a cripple.
Climbing boots will not crush even slightly. Cowboy boots are designed
to go in stirrups.

Casady
You are NOT wearing those on MY deck, sonny!

I have a pair of steel-toed work/hiking boots with light (almond)
colored soles that do not seem to mark. My climbing rig has nice wide
footboards, so I could theoretically go up barefoot comfortably, but
the opportunity to smash or sever toes would be great.



Yeahbut - he was talking Cowboy boots - probably with spurs.

(people DO wear spurs around here)

No one is talking Cowboys anything today~