CLIMBING THE MAST!!

[Bob23]

Has anyone ever attemped to climb the mast of a 23 while in the water? I'm wondering if the keel is heavy enough to overcome my weight (190 lbs.) 30 feet above the water. Simple physics in my mind tell me no. Seems like she would want to go over.
Bob23 on the hard, sandin' and varnishin' and lovin' every minute? hour?

[Craig Weis]

My sailing buddy has climbed the mast on his 23 foot sail boat [not a Com-Pac] fitted with a 300 lb centerboard. He actually made and screwed into the mast...hoops for steps going all the way to the top! And he went up on a stormy day in Lake Michigan to put a halyard wire back onto the pulley at the masthead as I took the tiller. Good old Bob DeBuke. He is not a small man.

Anyway I have seen a 18 year old kid skinny up the mast to flip mixed up halyards on a 26 foot center board sail boat and the same kid went up hand over hand on a 20 foot cat boat.

So yea, no problem. You have 40% of the boat's weight in the keel. On a 25 foot mast, 1 lb at the top requires 8 lb in the keel to counter that load.

Additionally my buddy Steve screwed up his furler at the top on his 19 foot Com-Pac, Wind Rover and the two of us just lowered the mast while in the water, and raised it while in the water. No big deal. Just do not take the mast out of the Tabernacle. No need to undo any standing rigging 'cept the forestay after the back stay is loosened. skip.

[edbuchanan]

Hi Bob,

With the boat in the water, I've been up to the spreaders several times, but no higher than required to change the steaming light lens and inspect the lower shroud tangs.  Despite power boat wakes and breezes, the boat feels very steady with my 155 pound weight (plus a solid bosun's chair and a good supply of tools).  I have also changed the spreader boots, so I have been some small distance from the mast.  I enjoy my trips up there and will eventually try to go higher.  If you try it, try to enjoy the view!

Ernie (Molly 23/II 1984)

[kchunk]

If you try it, try to enjoy the view!

Make sure you take a camera and a wide angle lens. I had a Catalina 27 and took some of my favorite pictures of the boat from atop the mast.

About climbing the mast on a 23, however, I'd just bring the mast down. This way you can take your time and give the whole stick a good once-over.

[curtisv]

Bob,

Now that I have installed mast steps (in 2005) I don't hesitate to go up the mast.

No problem doing so on the water.  Haven't had a good boat wake but I'm prepared to hang on if that happens.

I'm about the same weight as you and the 1300 pound keel does its job nicely.

Curtis

[Bob23]

TO ALL:
  Thanks for such quick replys! I only posted last night! I take the mast down every fall for winter storage. At that time I inspect everything and put it on my "winter list". Part of my reason to go up was ...just to do it!
And in an emergency, it's nice to know it can be done.
   Good advice about the camera kchunk. If I go up, you'll see the photos here.
   For now, she's in the back yard on her winter home (the trailer). I really must learn how to post photos here so you guys can see what I'm up to.
The winter list is doing 2 things: Getting smaller as I complete things and getting larger as I add things! I'll be done, though: when launch day comes, I launch!
  bob23 on the hard in southern NJ

[NormD]

On a calm day at the dock, you should be fine. I have been up the mast to the top on a previous  boat, an Abbott 22 with a 1500lb keel, with no problems.
However, I wouldn't think of doing it under sail in such a small craft.

[Bob23]

Norm:
   I also wouldn't go up under sail. That sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.

[mike gartland]

When I was forced to replace the steaming light assembly (above the spreaders) on my 23 due to corosion and too much resistance in the wires (which entailed also rewiring the mast and replacing the through-deck cable fitting) I knew I would be making many trips up and down the mast with a multitude of tools, including an electric drill, I decided to lash a 16 ft extension ladder to the mast and then back it up with a climbing harness attached to the main halyard and belayed by my wife.  The base of the ladder was tied off snuggly to the base of the mast and two stanchions in a triagular pattern that proved to be bomb-proof.  About half way up the ladder and again from the top rung of the fully extened ladder I again tied it off to the mast.  The whole arrangement was very stable and trustworthy.....I never needed the back-up harness and halyard belay but it was comforting to have it there when the wind picked up or my wife steppend on or off the boat while I was up there doing my things.  The boat rocked quite a bit at times but I felt perfectly safe to carry out my work.

Fair Winds,

Mike

[Bob23]

Thanks, Mike:
  I think my wife would tie off my main halyard, go off to the mall and leave me dangling there for the buzzards! But the ladder is a great idea.
  Right now, the mast lies parallel to the boat- it's my ridgepole for my winter cover... about 1 inch of the white stuff on it!
  I also have a problematic steaming light. It's the only electrical item on the boat that I haven't got fixed yet...the problem continues to elude me. I think it's the deck fitting.

Spring's comin!!

[edbuchanan]

Hi Guys,

Molly's masthead VHF antenna had a problem and needed to be replaced.  With some planning, the work was over in about 2 hours.  The pictures are in the gallery.

Ernie (Molly 23/II, 1984)

[Bob23]

Thanks, Ernie. Great pictures. What a view! I haven't  gone up...too busy sailing! Gotta prioritize in life, you know.
Bob23 in NJ

[newt]

Whats your priorities Bob?
1. Sailing
2. fooling around on the boat
3. work?, wife? children?
and don't forget taxes and jury duty















because inquiring minds want to know...

[Bob23]

You really want to know my priorities? Ok...here goes:  2 catagories:
A. Things I want to do:
God
Family (Wife, 2 kids)
Relationships with relatives and friends
Work
Sailing
Rowing, bike riding
Working on the boats.
General schenaniganizing and comic relief
Reading and writing (boat stories)
Posting on the Compac site

B. Things I have to do:
Taxes
Office paperwork
Jury Duty? Never been called!
Buying cards and gifts for people. Actually, I love to buy stuff for folks but I always wait till the last minute and place unneccesary stress on myself.
You get the idea,
Bob23, philosophizin' again!

[newt]

I thought you were a good man Bob, now I know for sure. Thank you for such a refreshing reply to a flippant question. I'd go sailing with you (and your top prorieties) any day. You can bet the things that come first in my life are very close to the same.