Climbing the Mast with Webbing Ladder

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by cr180

I’ve tried the web steps secured to the mast via slides in the track. Find the climb to be very difficult because I need to lean back to see the next step and secure my foot. Been climbing all my life, in my younger days (now in 70s), used ascenders. Retired from ascenders, thought the web ladder would be the thing, but not comfortable at all. Have gravitated to a bosun’s chair, halyard rigged to Genoa winch powered by Milwaukee angle drill. Admittedly do need a helper.

So I've only gone up my new webbing ladder once and when I got near the top I was having trouble getting my fat boot into the next step so I would just hold myself to the mast with one arm then reach down with the other to put the webbing step under my boot.

I'll try and position the steps better next time like was mentioned above.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by thomm225

So I've only gone up my new webbing ladder once and when I got near the top I was having trouble getting my fat boot into the next step so I would just hold myself to the mast with one arm then reach down with the other to put the webbing step under my boot.

a. Don't wear boots. Wear deck shoes and point your toes vertically, as though inserting into a vertical crack--they slide right in.


b. If you roll the ladder correctly the rungs fall open.



c. pretension the ladder.


In the first image you can see my fall protection device (Camp Goblin) at my knee). It just tracks up and down, unattended.



You should NEVER have to reach down. My wife videoed this once, and it was about 2 minutes going up and about 1 minute coming down (40 feet).

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by thinwater

a. Don't wear boots. Wear deck shoes and point your toes vertically, as though inserting into a vertical crack--they slide right in.


b. If you roll the ladder correctly the rungs fall open.



c. pretension the ladder.



You should NEVER have to reach down. My wife videoed this once, and it was about 2 minutes going up and about 1 minute coming down (40 feet).

Nice.

I'm way too cheap to buy special shoes (especially deck shoes) just to climb a webbing ladder.

I'm sure I'll be better next time up.

Like I said, I've only been up once.

I guess I could wear my old Rockports that I used to wear for work. I still have one tan/brown pair and one black!

But I'll probably still use my boots or gym shoes which ever I happen to be wearing the next time I go up the mast.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by thomm225

Nice.

I'm way too cheap to buy special shoes (especially deck shoes) just to climb a webbing ladder.

I'm sure I'll be better next time up.

Like I said, I've only been up once.

I guess I could wear my old Rockports that I used to wear for work. I still have one tan/brown pair and one black!

But I'll probably still use my boots or gym shoes which ever I happen to be wearing the next time I go up the mast.

Those will work!


The problem is tread and width. Court and gym sneakers should be fine, but not sneakers with dirt tread; they will catch going in and out. I actually keep an old pair of slippery deck shoes in the bag with the ladder, just for climbing. They are slick as hell and I can barely stand on a dry. level deck! I also keep the pads for the harness in the bag and tape them on if I will be up there more than a few minutes.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by thinwater

Those will work!


The problem is tread and width. Court and gym sneakers should be fine, but not sneakers with dirt tread; they will catch going in and out. I actually keep an old pair of slippery deck shoes in the bag with the ladder, just for climbing. They are slick as hell and I can barely stand on a dry. level deck! I also keep the pads for the harness in the bag and tape them on if I will be up there more than a few minutes.

Okay got it.

Narrow slippery old shoes bad on deck; good on webbing ladder.

And the Rockports do have a heel which would seem good to stop shoe at edge of each step etc.

I may give those a try ........

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by thinwater

a. Don't wear boots. Wear deck shoes and point your toes vertically, as though inserting into a vertical crack--they slide right in.


b. If you roll the ladder correctly the rungs fall open.



c. pretension the ladder.


In the first image you can see my fall protection device (Camp Goblin) at my knee). It just tracks up and down, unattended.



You should NEVER have to reach down. My wife videoed this once, and it was about 2 minutes going up and about 1 minute coming down (40 feet).

Actually for me it's not about going up and down fast.

[thomm225]

Went up the mast again today to inspect the rigging and remove an old bullet block that was swing around up there

It was an interesting experience.

My rigging is at an unknown age so I strengthened the backstay with the main halyard and forestay with jib halyard and webbing ladder.

The Rockports made it easier than my boots, but it was still difficult since the steps are so wide apart.

A very good workout either way and gut check.

[thomm225]

Up the mast again today.

This time in hiking boots again to run my backup backstay which is 3/8 polyester line doubled.

So this makes three trips up there and so far everything looks normal on my old boat.

No cracks around the mast where it meets the deck and the prebend is still noticeable in the mast that I set 10 years ago.

It's always an interesting experience though going up there with.

Today there were several wakes when I was at the top

A beautiful day though all in all

[thomm225]

So I built up a backstay with Sta-Lok fittings.

Now I'll need to do real work up top and will need both hands.

I don't have the belt that comes with a mast mate so I was thinking either to tie myself up close to the mast with my tether wrapped around me or wear the upper small harness I usually hook my "stay on board" tether to then tie that to the mast.

I also use a harness that comes up to my waist that my ascender is attached top.

I still don't enjoy going up there, but it appears everything is strong enough to support me as this will be my 5th time up, but I'll need to stay up there longer this time.

I did notice that my webbing ladder does have the double steps side by side at the top so I'll adjust the webbing ladder lower so I can use these and be supported by both legs equally.

What do others use to stay attached to the mast when working with both hands aloft?

[George_SD]

One word of advise with the soft ladders made of webbing - it helps to tension them so that you are not swinging all over the place and it stays more or less in line.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by George_SD

One word of advise with the soft ladders made of webbing - it helps to tension them so that you are not swinging all over the place and it stays more or less in line.

On the one I bought, the sail slides keep the ladder in line plus my weight.

I just need to get a belt or something similar to secure myself to the mast once I'm all the way up so I can work with two hands.