Dont try to unfurl the headsail with the halyard slack

Dont try to unfurl the headsail with the halyard slack

When we got our shiny new furler installed the rigger used a halyard that was way too long.  Not a big issue but it looked a bit messy at the bottom of the mast even coiled up.  All our halyard are at the mast not in the cockpit so it was coiled up at the mast pulpit.

To shorten the halyard one must know how much to shorten by and the only way to do that is to lower the genoa to work out how much we need as too short and the tail would go up the mast and out of reach too easily.  So as instructed by the rigger (or was it a random Internet post) we release the tension on the halyard when not sailing.  Forgetting I had done that I start to unfurl the genoa in order to lower it when it became hard to unfurl.  Looking up through the binoculars I see the halyard is wrapped around the top of the foil......bugger.

Out with the ATN Mast Climbing equipment all shiny and new in it's bag.  This will be fun said I with a grimace.  I had never been up the mast and Fiona would not be able to winch me up on her own as I'm no lightweight.
That's not me, he looks way too calm :)


I attached the ATN Mast Climber to another halyard tighted to the mast pulpit and a 2nd one that Fiona controlled on a winch....safety first.  Off I went.

As mentioned earlier, I'm no lightweight so it took awhile to get a rythem going but it was hard work.  I was pretty glad we were on our mooring so it was calm except when the odd boat went past in which case I clinged to the mast with all my strength.  It took awhile and I was totally knackered by the time I got to the top.  Very quickly unwrapped the halyard and then the fun began.....descending.  I struggled with the technique.  You have to take the weight off the clamps before you can lower then so it took a bit of trial and error (and sweating) but I got back down.

This one is me

I was shaking from the exertion and needed a big drink of water (beer would have been better).  At that stage I thought that the mast ascenders we're too hard and would have geiven then a 3 out of 5 star rating.  Upon reflection and after calming down a little I think I used way too much energy clinging onto the mast instead of trusting the equipment and just climbing.  So have since chaged by rating to a 4.5 

Oh it was also a nice reminder that I need to go on a diet :)


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