The only " rope " on a boat is the anchor rope .

It isn't an anchor rope .

The other long tangly things are called sheets and halyards and braces .

Sorry that is as far as my smart arse / ass comments can go .

I know nothing , nuuuuuuuuthhhhhhhhingggggg.

Definitely a double braid rope. A staple on most mid-range yachts but I'm not sure of it's suitability for climbing. I'm guessing you guys have different requirements as far as stretch and shock absorbance are concerned.

The brand Sampson comes to mind. Marlow is another one.

Ricweb said...

Hi all, First of all I have to apologise for 'crashing' your forum, I do not sail at all, the reason i have signed in is because i need your help to Identify a 'Mystery rope'. Why am i asking, well i am a Caver....and i have been 'given' a new rope which was identified to me as a Tendon Static rope,[or mammut rope] i was going to use it for cave access, but when i inspected the rope it did not fit the usual braid size weave etc for abseil rope.

I have been looking into climbing ropes of late because of a sudden interest I have in the climbing equipment yachties use to scale the mast. Friend of mine has been doing a lot of mast climbing of late using the normal gear climbers use but utilizing his standard 10 to 12 mm halyards. The ability to climb quickly and easily singlehanded is very impressive. There are dedicated climbing kits for yachts and some of these use a climbing rope hauled up the halyard. I notice on an English yachting forum that people are recommending buying secondhand climbing rope to reduce damage to the outer layer on their halyards so I'm guessing climbers rope has a tougher outer layer. Strength and safety is probably not an issue, its probably more to do with how it is effected by descenders. Yacht braid has to be able to be held in jammers at probably much higher loads than what a climber would need so I'm guessing it has larger and softer outer weave.
As usual check out Youtube to get the good info.

It does look like a sail sheet! You could try contacting the Sydney heritage Fleet ask for Morrin or Lesley Grigg they run the TOM MORT ROPE AND RIGGING COURSE and thay have a exceptional knownledge of rope, knots, spicing and rigging, I'm sure they could help.
Morrin Grigg, Course Convener, 9871 7919

Keithw

I have been selling and splicing yachting ropes for 10 years and it is nothing like anything I have seen in Oz.
My guess is it not a sailing rope or if it is it is of a cheaper quality as sailing ropes are made to splice (usually) and splicing this would be terrible!!

I would say a climbing rope as it looks to me like it might have quite a bit of stretch in itas all the layers compact together.

Try Whittams Ropes in Melbourne for more info. Ray has been making ropes for years.

Wollemi said...
FWIW, I am a lead rock climber, and a canyoner. I have dabbled in caving; read overalls over a wetsuit and multiple headtorches - ugh! (Have also crewed a few blue-water classics).


I have asked questions about some of my many carabiners and rappel racks in the past, only to be told, if you are worried about any of your gear in the slightest, stop using it....

So what equipment would you use if you needed to climb your mast singlehanded?

Here are a few methods of mast climbing for appraisal and opinion sharing. Sorry for completing the hijacking of the thread but it has already gone in this direction.

Does anybody here have experience with any of them or know of any failures with any of them??

www.atninc.com/atn-mastclimber-sailing-equipment.shtml

I am not fussed on this "Mastmate". Looks very dangerous to me.

mastmate.com/

This one looks good using the same principle as the mast climber but has a cam cleat type gripper for the halliard. I would suggest a line between the grippers to limit the distance between them just in case the grippers get too far apart for your reach.

www.topclimber.us/

There are mast steps, fixed and folding but I have never liked them. Apart from fouling halliards etc they also reduce sailing efficiency with their windage and increase weight aloft.

I once hoisted a friend up a mast which had a Lewmar "self tailing" winch on it which turned out to be a "self Jamming " winch. The top jaw of the tailer, the line stripper and the retaining nut of the winch were one and the same cast component. As the line was gripped by the jaws it tightened the top of the winch onto the drum and jammed it solid. Mate's bosun's chair was a sling type with no base board so his cods got a good old squeezing for the hour it took to get him down.

That was a very simple and basic design fault which for me has blown all credibility for Lewmar products.

A few safety rules I suggest for mast climbing:-

1. NEVER do it alone. ALWAYS have an assistant on deck who understands how to lower you down with the halliard clipped to your bosun's chair at one end and with two or more turns around the halliard winch at the other.

2. ALWAYS use a bosun's chair with a base board in it. If you are stuck aloft in a sling type chair, it will cause physical stress which in time may cause you to lose consciousness.

3. Take a plastic bottle of water aloft with you.

4. As possible have all tools secured to the chair with lanyards to avoid dropping them on your assistant on deck.

5. NEVER go up the mast of a yacht on hard stand.

This is a good article that covers different methods of mast climbing and reiterates the need for safety back up.

www.goodoldboat.com/reader_services/articles/upthemast.php

BlueMoon said...
I used to do a fair bit of rock-climbing when I was younger. The main thing is to only use "life-support" rope that was designed for that purpose, additionally you need to know the history of every life support rope you have or intend to use. A mate got home one day & his flat-mates where using his climbing rope to tow one of their car up the hill!! He had to retire the rope.
Climbing ropes (as do all life support ropes) have a limited life-span, & need to be retired. Amongst other things....dirt works its way into the rope & wears it from the inside.
Not worth the risk of using an unknown rope & its history, even if it were just for your exclusive use....but definitely putting other people onto it is a no-no.
Caving & canyoning ropes have a hard life.

cheers

This of course is very true. The real danger climbing yacht masts is not the rope but the shackle pins or sheave shaft, especially the first time you climb the mast and one of the main reasons to have a back up line. Of course the back up line could be similarly poorly secured!

Hi Guys
Ok first of all I'm a crap speller and as I have't been able to find a spell check on this this thing you will just have to deal with my spelling.
First of all a climbing rope is constructed to strech so that when a leader falls the rope act like a rubber band absorbing the engery from the distance that the climber has fallen, thus not stopping him with a hard jolt, causing injury. The construction of a clinbing rope is a bunch of single fine fillaments running the full length of the rope incased in a sheeth, these ropes are known as DYNAMIC ropes. Absailing, Caving and Sailing ropes are known as static ropes, as the last thing you would want is for these ropes to strech in these activities. Construction is usualy plated or braided rope inside a sheath. This sheeth is known the kermantal ( if my spelling is correct) on both type of ropes, it's purpose is to protect the construction of the rope where the real strength is. Two different types of rope for two different types of uses, But both look the same from the out side.
Dear ricweb Ring Donaghys and speek to one of their rep's. They sell Ropes for All activites and can best advise you.

You have to think about getting down too!,
I use the "Prussik Knot" see example via link at the end of presentation in cisco's link. Prussik knot is main climbing knot pro tree climbers use.
Its very cheap, easy to get down again (simply twist the knot gently), no need to disconnect from the rope.
Only disadvantage is you cant get above the mast head, but you could make a strop or something to attach to the masthead to allow that.

cheers