Up the mast

Simon had to go up the mast today. We were short of an essential Halyard, so it had to be rectified. He enlisted the help of a young Sunsail person called Jacob. He was ropes in to help one day  whilst in the bar( Porto). He came along after his work at about 5.30. Simon had prepared by removing the Genoa, thereby releasing a halyard  that could be used to hoist. He also strapped himself into his newly purchased bosun’s chair and pur heard a mousing line. 

Pictures and video to follow.

• It was quite scary to watch. He took the mousing line up with him, it had a weight tied on the end and he dropped it down inside the mast. Jacob, at the bottom of the mast with a hook, when he saw it he hooked it out of the slot in the side of the mast. The he taped and wired the new (very expensive) Hayward to the housing line and Simon pulled it back up through the mast and kept pulling till it reached back down to Jacob, who tied it off in a convenient place. Job done! Oh, then he lowered Simon back down to a round of applause.  All in a day’s sailing work. Jacob told us he’s been up 25 masts in 3 days this week. And at Sunsail, they just hoist the to the first cross trees and then they have to climb! They hold on to the shrouds(wired that go out in a triangle from the top) and kind of walk up the mast. I’d like to see that!

Julie x