Our two head sails were still out of action after the shemozzle that was Easter.
With the halyard from the Code-0 still wrapped around the top of both sails we weren’t going anywhere.
I had lined up a rigger to come and try and sort it out, however the weather on Anzac day was good: no rain and only 5knts wind.
I asked Evan if he wanted to come and winch me up the mast once we’d finished up with the cubs Anzac service.
Evan brought along both his kids which was lucky, as Aidan could operate the 2nd winch that had the backup halyard.
My rock climbing harness (only ever used for cave diving activities) went on first, and the bosuns chair over the top.
Aidan had control of halyard on the harness, and the Evan the other on the chair attached to the electric winch.
With the stage set, it was time to don my safety helmet and get on up there.
I had to unwrap the halyard on the way up, and once up the top discovered the rest of the mess you couldn’t quite see from below:
My knife got a bit of a workout at the top… maybe a bit too much as after cutting through the halyard it slithered right back down inside the mast :(
… oh well, no Code-0 for us anytime soon… more room up the front for dive gear though :)
The mast itself is just over 19m tall, so combined with the deck height you end up just over 20m up in the air.
Really glad there was no wind and the boat wasn’t moving!
I had recently listened to this podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/alex-laline-clipper-round-the-world-skipper/id711410636?i=1000652848456
Alex spent three hours dangling in the air in the Southern Ocean getting swung all over the place after he’d climbed up the mast on a 70ft boat.
As such:
I now have the two head sails back to normal - thanks Ev!
Time to go sailing.