reeeeally cool. just what I was looking for. I like to know the brute force brainpower way, not the: get this fancy gear way of doing things. its fascinating to me that people figured this stuff out centuries ago. thanks for the great video!
At 7:43 you have the problem of loose line under the lower prusik. Second hand you need to hold yourself upright. If you interchange the prusiks: feet-prusik lower one, harness prusik upper one, it's much easier: Loose line is when you're hanging at harness and have both hands free. One to hold lose line fixed, other to move feet-prusik upwards.
Great video. I learned some things. Like the loop harness. You only said "you may need to adjust this to fit" once but it applies to all the scraps of line. The most obvious one in your demo being the lower prusik loop could well have been smaller and would have allowed larger "steps". I guess that is the good thing about using bits of rope, one can size everything to suit. Huh, and lots of the comments have some other good ideas.
Great video as usual. Don't see many people running a Swiss seat and prusik aid climbing rig anymore. The prusik will slide when you move the locking bar so it's important to reset it after.
Good point! You also need to completely unload the prusiks to move them. I made several trips up that mast with prusiks before somebody had mercy and bought me a GriGri!!!
If somebody is winching you up it’s a good idea to use a Prusik Loop on a second static halyard as a safety device - then they can’t drop you! Or instead of a Prusik Loop you can use a Munter Hitch on a carabiner, which would also allow you to rappel down the static halyard!
Yes a backup is a good idea and there are lots of options for that like 1) prussik around another halyard 2) prussik around the mast 3) muenter hitch on another halyard etc.
@@SailingTipsCa #1 there is best. I prefer icicle (aka klemheist) knot--easier/faster to tie, easier to slide upwards (very underappreciated knot). #2, prussik around mast, is very slow & awkward. I only use the mast for the backup when a halyard is not available or is wire or is on a block rather than a sheave or is sketchy old/worn rope, and I use a girth hitch with 1" webbing instead--it's stickier. Even then you need to be very very careful to snug it well after each slide. Has to be re-tied at every spreader, stay, etc. Also be very aware it has a terrible "fall factor", the lack of stretch you get when on very short lead. You can use two and alternate them if you really want continuous 2-point attachment. #3, muenter hitch, sucks for sliding. Good to know about as an emergency descent mechanism (just requires 1 'biner) but isn't locking, and imparts a lot of twist in a rope that requires a lot of work to completely remove.
Grigri not really designed for repelling. Better to use something like a Petzel Rig designed for repelling or the ID. Use a backup safety line attached to harness. Most halyards are over 13 mm so attach a dedicated climbing line to the halyard and haul that up as the ascent rope. I find even a dedicated climbing harness kills me if I spend more than 30 min hanging in it. I invested in a Petzel harness with wider leg support and a Croll chest ascender which I find super comfortable when spending time undertaking rig inspections. Thanks for the vid
Good suggestions! Yes a GriGri is fine for occasional use but I would use something else for rappelling if doing it more often. Most of the boats I race on use HMPE halyards between 9-12mm which work okay in the GriGri. These same boats would use larger halyards if double-braided polyester which wouldn’t work so well.
Novice here. Do sailboats have a dedicated line just for climbing the mast? Just wondering how you get the rope up there if not. Or do you just use the haylard for climbing?
Mine is a Petzl Microcender which according to the forums they may not make anymore :( www.mountainproject.com/forum/topic/112809195/solo-top-rope-petzl-microcender
Looks like the Petzl Rescucender is the updated product from the Microcender I used in the video - it appears to have a smooth cam locking mechanism and not gnarly teeth!
Sorry, but it is wrong an dangerous instruction. Please do repeat it at home. First of all, you do not have any second security, your lag loop should also be attached to the harness in case of main attachment failure. Ideally to have some holding device on separate line. Secondly, never grab prusik knot with hand over the knot, if you start falling you will automatically grab the knot, that prevents it from tightening itself. Hands movement around prusik should be very careful. Even though prusik usually works, it depends on ropes, and I would not trust my life solely to it.
Yes you should absolutely test everything before trying something like this and also use safety lines! I didn’t use safety lines in the video because I was trying to illustrate the concept of using Prusiks with a makeshift harness, and safety lines make it difficult to see and understand what is actually going on. Thanks for your very valid points! Here's a video of a climber demonstrating the same technique of climbing a line with prussiks: ruclips.net/video/bscpdQ6fcPQ/видео.html I agree that you should avoid touching the prussiks if you're using them to arrest a fall, but it's not obvious to me how you release the prussiks for climbing without touching them. You're also using two and one is always biting while you move the other.
@@SailingTipsCa When you release prusiks you obviously touch them, but only one of them. I commented on your standing-up technique. When you stand you grab your hand on top of the leg prusik while simultaneously releasing the bottom one. The bottom is not holding anymore, and you grab the top one, so it is easier to you to lift yourself up. It is a moment when you can fall down. This timecode ruclips.net/video/uLYYDmmxx4A/видео.html I tried to find the video which describes the safest method and looks like that ruclips.net/video/CKOZDe0J4bI/видео.html
@@SailingTipsCa Yep, you should never touch that one that is holding your weight. The reason is that it may stop holding if your hand squeezes it which may happen as an unconscious panic reaction when anything happens such as a small drop.
@@SailingTipsCa I tried out my ascenders today, but chickened out about 3 ft above my boom, 6' or so from the deck, mainly because I didn't like my equipment though, I need some locking carabineers at least, and my halyard while looking okay is I know aged and the ol wire and rope type, I pulled another to climb on, the part that's getting me most confused is where the second halyard comes from except form the jib/ Genoa which mine is a roller and my top bearing is seized so I can't get it down without going up and being first time inexperienced I'd at least like to rig a prussik on a secondary, heck I've already got a bunch of metal in my back!!! A fall would end my sailing days for sure!! Lol!!! But last time I paid somebody qualified they charged me 250, for a bulb change that took 10 min, I get paying for the experience but I gotta say 250 made me feel a bit raped! But I'm stuck between paying it again , or risking the end of my dreams if it goes south! Anyways thanks for the vid!
@@SaltySoul-p3w Always good to be on the safe side if you’re unsure! And yes definitely use locking carabiners! I’ve done it all on one halyard but then again mine are quite new with Dyneema cores and I’m not concerned about them breaking. If yours are wire and rope they’ve probably been around for a while! It also depends on which side of the mast you need to go up. For example I’ve climbed the spinnaker halyard and flicked the main halyard over the shrouds to use as a safety with a figure 8 belay device and a second locking carabiner. Are there any mountain climbers in your area to tap into, either to show you how to do it or even do it for you?
I would definitely recommend using a second halyard with a Munter hitch or clove hitch as a safety but didn't in this video because I thought it was distracting with too many lines and I wanted to focus on the prussik climbing technique. This is a pretty common technique in mountaineering and they tend to climb a single rope with the safety tied in below the prussiks.
Good observation! It is a good workout, but it was also more tiring in the video than climbing an actual mast for a few reasons: 1) My makeshift harness was too big and should have been tighter, but I thought a looser harness would be easier to see in the video. But this led to the foot loop and harness prusiks being too close together which in turn led to smaller inchworm steps. With a properly-sized harness and foot loop you can take bigger inchworm steps. 2) I was dangling in mid air, which put my feet out at 45 degrees, and required more upper-body strength to maneuver. On an actual halyard taught against the mast you can brace your feet against the mast so they are more underneath you, and push more with your legs instead of using as much upper-body strength. 3) While I have gone both ways on a single halyard with prusiks, I would prefer to take a second halyard with a Munter Hitch to rappel down, which is obviously easier than inchworming back down again. But I wanted to keep the video simple and not introduce too many concepts, but maybe I should have!!!
@@SailingTipsCa Maybe its informative enough for experienced people in such field. Thanks for answer man. I guess it all makes sense, riding a bike is much harder if it's too short for your legs. Guess strong guys like you can handle such physical load i shouldn't try putting myself in such situation :D
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reeeeally cool. just what I was looking for. I like to know the brute force brainpower way, not the: get this fancy gear way of doing things. its fascinating to me that people figured this stuff out centuries ago. thanks for the great video!
Glad you liked the video! I can attest that a GriGri/ascender/harness is much more comfortable and efficient than prusiks and a rope harness though!!!
At 7:43 you have the problem of loose line under the lower prusik. Second hand you need to hold yourself upright.
If you interchange the prusiks: feet-prusik lower one, harness prusik upper one, it's much easier: Loose line is when you're hanging at harness and have both hands free. One to hold lose line fixed, other to move feet-prusik upwards.
Thanks I’ll try that!
the only video on this subject i pretty much understood. thanks
Great - glad you liked it!!!
Great video. I learned some things. Like the loop harness. You only said "you may need to adjust this to fit" once but it applies to all the scraps of line. The most obvious one in your demo being the lower prusik loop could well have been smaller and would have allowed larger "steps". I guess that is the good thing about using bits of rope, one can size everything to suit. Huh, and lots of the comments have some other good ideas.
Yes completely customizable - I really didn’t optimize the geometry before making the video so lots of opportunities for improvement!
Great video as usual. Don't see many people running a Swiss seat and prusik aid climbing rig anymore. The prusik will slide when you move the locking bar so it's important to reset it after.
Good point! You also need to completely unload the prusiks to move them. I made several trips up that mast with prusiks before somebody had mercy and bought me a GriGri!!!
I am impressed!
Cool - glad you liked it!!!
I just did this last month in a hobie beachcat harness getting towed/ climbing up. Fun times this looks safer
If somebody is winching you up it’s a good idea to use a Prusik Loop on a second static halyard as a safety device - then they can’t drop you! Or instead of a Prusik Loop you can use a Munter Hitch on a carabiner, which would also allow you to rappel down the static halyard!
Thanks. Great video and isntructions.
Thanks so much!!!
I'm an old rock climber and would really emphasize a back up.
Yes a backup is a good idea and there are lots of options for that like 1) prussik around another halyard 2) prussik around the mast 3) muenter hitch on another halyard etc.
@@SailingTipsCa #1 there is best. I prefer icicle (aka klemheist) knot--easier/faster to tie, easier to slide upwards (very underappreciated knot). #2, prussik around mast, is very slow & awkward. I only use the mast for the backup when a halyard is not available or is wire or is on a block rather than a sheave or is sketchy old/worn rope, and I use a girth hitch with 1" webbing instead--it's stickier. Even then you need to be very very careful to snug it well after each slide. Has to be re-tied at every spreader, stay, etc. Also be very aware it has a terrible "fall factor", the lack of stretch you get when on very short lead. You can use two and alternate them if you really want continuous 2-point attachment. #3, muenter hitch, sucks for sliding. Good to know about as an emergency descent mechanism (just requires 1 'biner) but isn't locking, and imparts a lot of twist in a rope that requires a lot of work to completely remove.
Grigri not really designed for repelling. Better to use something like a Petzel Rig designed for repelling or the ID. Use a backup safety line attached to harness. Most halyards are over 13 mm so attach a dedicated climbing line to the halyard and haul that up as the ascent rope. I find even a dedicated climbing harness kills me if I spend more than 30 min hanging in it. I invested in a Petzel harness with wider leg support and a Croll chest ascender which I find super comfortable when spending time undertaking rig inspections. Thanks for the vid
Good suggestions! Yes a GriGri is fine for occasional use but I would use something else for rappelling if doing it more often. Most of the boats I race on use HMPE halyards between 9-12mm which work okay in the GriGri. These same boats would use larger halyards if double-braided polyester which wouldn’t work so well.
Looks pretty good, kind of sketchy still but looks pretty good 👍
Definitely not as comfortable and efficient as a proper harness and ascenders but works in a pinch!!!
That may work. I guess you have to be reeeeealy strong though.
It’s quite a workout!
Novice here. Do sailboats have a dedicated line just for climbing the mast? Just wondering how you get the rope up there if not. Or do you just use the haylard for climbing?
Good question! Some sailboats have fold-out steps on the mast, but for those that don't it's typical to climb or be hoisted up with a halyard.
Looking for an ascender recommendation (I agree, most are way too aggressive) your's looks good! Brand?
Mine is a Petzl Microcender which according to the forums they may not make anymore :( www.mountainproject.com/forum/topic/112809195/solo-top-rope-petzl-microcender
Looks like the Petzl Rescucender is the updated product from the Microcender I used in the video - it appears to have a smooth cam locking mechanism and not gnarly teeth!
An atn mast climbing gear is the same idea. It's all built for sailboats and the learning curve is much smaller
@@gillejohn9 The ATN gear looks pretty similar, about twice the price though!!!
Sorry, but it is wrong an dangerous instruction. Please do repeat it at home. First of all, you do not have any second security, your lag loop should also be attached to the harness in case of main attachment failure. Ideally to have some holding device on separate line. Secondly, never grab prusik knot with hand over the knot, if you start falling you will automatically grab the knot, that prevents it from tightening itself. Hands movement around prusik should be very careful. Even though prusik usually works, it depends on ropes, and I would not trust my life solely to it.
Yes you should absolutely test everything before trying something like this and also use safety lines! I didn’t use safety lines in the video because I was trying to illustrate the concept of using Prusiks with a makeshift harness, and safety lines make it difficult to see and understand what is actually going on. Thanks for your very valid points!
Here's a video of a climber demonstrating the same technique of climbing a line with prussiks: ruclips.net/video/bscpdQ6fcPQ/видео.html I agree that you should avoid touching the prussiks if you're using them to arrest a fall, but it's not obvious to me how you release the prussiks for climbing without touching them. You're also using two and one is always biting while you move the other.
@@SailingTipsCa When you release prusiks you obviously touch them, but only one of them. I commented on your standing-up technique. When you stand you grab your hand on top of the leg prusik while simultaneously releasing the bottom one. The bottom is not holding anymore, and you grab the top one, so it is easier to you to lift yourself up. It is a moment when you can fall down. This timecode ruclips.net/video/uLYYDmmxx4A/видео.html
I tried to find the video which describes the safest method and looks like that ruclips.net/video/CKOZDe0J4bI/видео.html
@@andrii.b9788 Thanks for the clarification - you’re saying only touch one of them at a time right?
@@SailingTipsCa Yep, you should never touch that one that is holding your weight. The reason is that it may stop holding if your hand squeezes it which may happen as an unconscious panic reaction when anything happens such as a small drop.
@@andrii.b9788 Thanks for the excellent safety tip!!!
That looks downright sketchy
Yes it takes some getting used to! Thankfully you can test it all out just a foot off the deck and choose not to go higher if anything is amiss…
@@SailingTipsCa I tried out my ascenders today, but chickened out about 3 ft above my boom, 6' or so from the deck, mainly because I didn't like my equipment though, I need some locking carabineers at least, and my halyard while looking okay is I know aged and the ol wire and rope type, I pulled another to climb on, the part that's getting me most confused is where the second halyard comes from except form the jib/ Genoa which mine is a roller and my top bearing is seized so I can't get it down without going up and being first time inexperienced I'd at least like to rig a prussik on a secondary, heck I've already got a bunch of metal in my back!!! A fall would end my sailing days for sure!! Lol!!! But last time I paid somebody qualified they charged me 250, for a bulb change that took 10 min, I get paying for the experience but I gotta say 250 made me feel a bit raped! But I'm stuck between paying it again , or risking the end of my dreams if it goes south! Anyways thanks for the vid!
@@SaltySoul-p3w Always good to be on the safe side if you’re unsure! And yes definitely use locking carabiners! I’ve done it all on one halyard but then again mine are quite new with Dyneema cores and I’m not concerned about them breaking. If yours are wire and rope they’ve probably been around for a while! It also depends on which side of the mast you need to go up. For example I’ve climbed the spinnaker halyard and flicked the main halyard over the shrouds to use as a safety with a figure 8 belay device and a second locking carabiner. Are there any mountain climbers in your area to tap into, either to show you how to do it or even do it for you?
pretty cool, but i think irresponsible. no secondary safety halyard, the entire weight is on the climbing line... etc
I think this dangerous advice.
I would definitely recommend using a second halyard with a Munter hitch or clove hitch as a safety but didn't in this video because I thought it was distracting with too many lines and I wanted to focus on the prussik climbing technique.
This is a pretty common technique in mountaineering and they tend to climb a single rope with the safety tied in below the prussiks.
you look pretty tired climbing just couple feet. This looks very exhausting.
Good observation! It is a good workout, but it was also more tiring in the video than climbing an actual mast for a few reasons:
1) My makeshift harness was too big and should have been tighter, but I thought a looser harness would be easier to see in the video. But this led to the foot loop and harness prusiks being too close together which in turn led to smaller inchworm steps. With a properly-sized harness and foot loop you can take bigger inchworm steps.
2) I was dangling in mid air, which put my feet out at 45 degrees, and required more upper-body strength to maneuver. On an actual halyard taught against the mast you can brace your feet against the mast so they are more underneath you, and push more with your legs instead of using as much upper-body strength.
3) While I have gone both ways on a single halyard with prusiks, I would prefer to take a second halyard with a Munter Hitch to rappel down, which is obviously easier than inchworming back down again. But I wanted to keep the video simple and not introduce too many concepts, but maybe I should have!!!
@@SailingTipsCa Maybe its informative enough for experienced people in such field. Thanks for answer man. I guess it all makes sense, riding a bike is much harder if it's too short for your legs. Guess strong guys like you can handle such physical load i shouldn't try putting myself in such situation :D
@@boyinpyjamas It was also definitely easier 10 years ago!!!