Monday 24 February 2014

Working aloft



Colin had a wee trip up the mast during a recent calm spell of weather at Ardfern.  We were bringing down the wind instruments, which were to be sent off down south for servicing. 




 Careful planning is essential as you don't want to get to the top only to discover you left behind that one essential screwdriver, so all the necessary tools need to be assembled along with head torch, spectacles and of course a woolly hat, as it can be very fresh up there!

To get up the mast we use a bosun’s chair - a rigging safety harness with the addition of a plank or a rigid seat for added comfort during extended periods aloft. There are two loops: one for your bottom and the other for your back. The bosun’s chair is secured to a halyard and, on Moonshadow, we use an additional safety line, attached to another standing halyard using a prussik knot.  Along a tight rope, this knot slides when not weighted, but jams solidly when under load. 



It goes without saying that the person pulling you up the mast in the bosun’s chair should be someone who can be trusted. Good communication is vital, especially an understanding of the hand signals or instructions from the masthead, as sometimes, from 29 meters up in the air, things don’t seem quite so clear.  Fortunately, after 30 years of marriage we seem to have have this down to a fine art!