Going aloft lifting tackle

[Ian McColgin]

Mountaineers have been going up fixed ropes with ascenders for many years. You can set up any halyard as a fixed line just by belaying it at the hoist end and then tightening and belaying the fall. You may have to use this approach if you are going up a halyard where the fall runs inside the mast. Brion's books illustrate this as well as some other techniques.

Being lazy and, at 61, somewhat less vigorous than I was some decades ago, I like all external halyards. Then I can go up on a single block purchase with my sit harness on the hoist and ascenders on the fall. One ascender is run to a pair of foot loops. The other to my sit harness.

Just that has nice mechanical advantage because all the power I put into the ascender through my legs also reduces my effective weight on the hoist.

But this system does not work perfectly because, especially at the start, the fall does not have enough weight below where the ascenders are for them to be slid readily. And as you go higher, you develop a puddle of spaghetti at the mast base. If that fouls you will have a hard time getting down.

So I run the fall through a block at or near deck level - lash it to the mast if nothing else - and run the fall back up and belay to my sit harnes. A couple of bounces will take the stretch out of the line so you can draw the knot up nice and tight.

With this system it's really easy to go up and down. If you want to go down faster and easier than climbing down, put some slack in the fall, slip the part of the fall that comes from above through a descending ring, ease off both ascenders, and let 'er rip.

Practice everything, especially down climbing which most people find harder than climbing up, while still in reach of the deck.

For safety, it's well to wrap a safety tape around the mast two or three times with both ends fastened to your harness and some slack just held in place by your legs. If you fall because your prime gear broke, this will tighten up like a selvegee and bring you to a nearly painless halt, from which you can then work out how to shinney down.

Stay safe, have fun up there, & G'luck

Ian