ATN MastClimber - NEW Design - Mast Climber from ATN

[sailingstpommedeterre]

THANK YOU Sailrite for making this video. I will be climbing my mast tomorrow (03Apr2023)...which I never did before. Your instruction video is very straightforward. I'll let you know how it goes.

[vincebednar]

We just used ours for the first time yesterday, and we couldn't be happier! Once I got used to using it (after only a few minutes) this product worked exactly as advertised. I felt perfectly safe using it. I went up the mizzen without a safety line to untangle a flag halyard from the man overboard pole with no problems. When I went up the main to install our wind inst., my friends insisted on tying me off with a safety line. Looking back I felt more comfortable and safer without it. Being so high up it was hard to hear each other and we couldn't get a good rythem to get me down smoothly.

[humanbeing]

Don't trust shackles or splices ever. Bowlines only! She should have had a safety line to something like the topping lift or another halyard using a Prusik knot to slide along as she went.

[SailriteDIY]

Comment from Etienne Giroire (ATN Inc) - With the mastmate, you cannot go work on the spreader'ends. Using the mastmate an extra chair is needed to sit on and to free your hands. I know of many 60+ using their ATN Mastclimber often, and while it is not as obvious to use as the mastmate initially, it is not rocket science and after a few trials, it gets easier & feels very comfortable, much better than standing and holding yourself on a soft webbing ladder. Thanks for the opportunity to respond.

[SailriteDIY]

@FullCanvasMedia It is always wise to either have a safety line or wear a separate harness with second halyard and have someone on deck taking up the slack. Descent is really just as easy. We may add that video next spring. It would be very hard to get inverted. Straps can be secured very tight and if you tried to invert, you could recover before falling out of the harness. I must admit I have never been in this position, nor have I felt in danger of inverting when using the ATN Mastclimber.

[peterogilvie]

The foot loops on harness are connected together.  Way more stable to climb with your feet on each side of mast.  You can climb only using one hand with the other hanging on to the mast as a stabilizer.  You can also loop a rope and your waist and the mast to to stabilize you.  Tried climbing with the line attached outboard and it is more challenging.   Unless you have a need to attach the climbing line outboard, it's way better to attach it to the mast or near the mast base.  Even with the climbing line attached at the mast base was able to work on spreader tips on my 28' boat.

Use a Klemheist or Prusik Knot as a safety line on another halyard.  I use one safety line and keep another in the bag that goes up with me.  Figured out if the climbing line breaks, I'd be stuck up the mast hanging from the Prusik knot line and have no way to climb down.  Added an additional saftety line to the kit to use as a foot harness to lower myself back down.  Didn't want to have to call the Fire Department if I ended up suspended by the safety line.

I'm 73, over weight and not in great shape but regularly go up the mast with the Mast Climber.  When I first got it several years ago climbed to the mast head just to get familiar with it.  Looked at the headstay and discovered two broken wires at the swage. The Mast Climber probably saved me from losing the stick.

[BruceMoodysails]

Just tried out my ATN mast climber today.  I felt absolutely secure and was able to work at the top of the mast, with both hands.  No worries there.  My problem is that with each movement up or down, I spent most of my effort trying to prevent the mast climber's line jammers from scraping the paint.  I got through the trip up and down with minor scratches, but if I am to use this on a regular basis, I will have to fashion some kind of covering where the jammers meet the mast.  It's a workable solution when you have to climb the mast alone.  But, when some is around, I would certainly opt for my bosuns chair.

[azoresmarine]

Its a great idea but if something hapens to your single haylyard your are done. I would have to have a safety line.

[obkcaptain]

Climbing at the top to replace the wind vane?...Why not?

[johnx]

Cassie didn't come down. Problem?

[GoofieNewfie]

There is a reason that organizations like UIAA and CEN exist. They certify climbing equipment to an internationally recognized standard. Would you trust your life to a cheap knok-off life vest or a quality certified one. Whats wrong with frayed sheets and halyards, they still hold strain right

[erichschinzel]

Trouble is one keeps spinning around the halyard..besides its hard to find a tie off point in front of the mast, not too far and not too near away from the mast..

[MaximusPanin]

Never use a Climber without fixation on the chest, especially on your own. This will save you from turning over when you lose consciousness and will not let you hang upside down for a long time - this is deadly.

[adventureswithfrodo]

Buy a book called on rope. A book for cavers on asscending and descending ropes.

[rayman]

Looks great, would look even better if you were to have a safety line. Things do go wrong

[hldevore]

"Just reverse the process"!!?? Would be a better video if you actually showed that! The ATN instructions say something about the release pin without identifying how or what that is

[toddwever]

I would never trust a schackel to a cleat. Use a knot, much more safe!