Ratchet Blocks for going aloft

[Mark Johnson]

Bob, I leave the upper ratchet block engaged at all times. I CAN come down with both engaged, but slowly. It will even stop at times, then I would give the leg of the line in my hands a little shake. So for coming down from say, the upper to the lower spreaders, I leave both engaged. To come from the top to the bottom quickly, I disengage the bottom one only. Then there is no more than 5 or 10 lbs of pull on the line in my hands as I come down. It is so minimal that I can control the rate of decent with very little hand pressure and I don't get "rope burn". I do of coarse stay mentally ready and keep a good grip, in the possability that the upper (only engaged) ratchet should let go. (hasn't happened in hundreds of assents, but...) With both blocks in the ratchet possition, one acts as a safety for the other. If I used a slicker rope than Regatta, perhaps StaSet, I think both blocks could always be left in the ratchet possition, even comeing down. This would I suppose be safer, as then BOTH blocks would have to fail... Nevertheless, I prefer the 1/2" Regalla braid as it doesn't get hockles, and has a good hand. The only cost is that I do have to disengage the lower block for a "fast" decent.

The beauty of this system is this... I used to climb ropes hand over hand for fun, but now I'm 56 and avoid such shenanigans. With this system I'm only lifting 1/3rd of my weight, and each pull is with both arms "working together". Inbetween pulls, or every 5th pull, one can rest if needed, as there is now only about 1/2 a pound of pull on the line in your hands! The ratchets & friction hold you there... untill the next pull.

The problem with leg assenders (or mast steps), is that then both your arms and legs are occupied. I use my legs to fend off from swinging into the bimini, then the mast, (if she's rockin), get past the radar, etc. I use my legs a lot to possition myself.

So I have my legs free and one of my hands. Doing an inspection I start at the top and come down in a controled way, with one hand providing control only & "0" effort. Helps to focus on the job at hand.

regards, Mark

[seawolf]

Mark,
I am also at the age where the hand over hand system is a bit much.
Last year I re-rigged my Columbia 29 in the slip, one wire at a time with that method. But now, like you, feel it best to take it easy.
One question that did not get answered in the post was, the two ratchet blocks available with the white and black switch. I assume the ratcheting action is in opposite direction for these different blocks?
And in your application, you would want the same ratcheting action on both blocks, both white or both black?
Thanks again for sharing your experience. It is very helpful.
Bob

[Mark Johnson]

Bob, The blocks I use are Harken #s 1549 and 1550. They have a WL of 1,800 lbs. and both have a "black" sliding switch for on and off. Neither will reverse, but on orrigional set up of your rig, you just flip flop the block if necessary, to get it where it is ratcheting in the direction that you want.

I would NOT CONSIDER the smaller ratchet blocks with their 750lb WL! When I started using this rig 25 or so years ago, I started with these smaller 750 lb WL blocks. Even though I was only 130 lbs, (at the time), I seriously cracked one of the blocks! I used slicker rope then, and liked to come down really fast, then snap to a stop when I got where I wanted to be. This "shock load" is multiples of the static load. I talked to Harken about this application and what had happened. They recomended the larger pair, and kindly sent one of the larger ones (1,800 WL), as a no charge replacement. I immediately bought the other block to match. I've been using them ever since...

This is no place to skimp! Regards, Mark

[Stumble]

Mark,

I actually only use my system for work at a dock, and would completely agree that if you are attempting to go up a rig underway then a purchase assending system would be preferable. That being said, I would really consider something like the self belay gear used by climbers.

There are a number of them on the market, and all works pretty much the same way. What a line is moving faster than some given there is a cam that locks the line in place, preventing a free fall. I haven't used these things before, but if you go up solo on a hand over hand rig it seems like a much safer way to come down than to click off the ratchiting block. Where one hand slipping from the line could result in a free fall to the deck.

[Mark Johnson]

Stumble, For my rig to result in a freefall to the deck, the 1,800 WL blocks would have to fail. I would have to not only loose my grip on the rope in my hand, (which has almost no load on it), but the ratchet feature of both blocks would have to fail. With both engaged, it requires a little shake to let me down at all. If I disengage the lower block only, and totally release the line in my hand, the always engaged upper block still lets me down quite slowly. The weight of the last leg of this 1/2' Regatta braid alone is enough to create the required friction in the upper block. These blocks do not have a smooth sheave, they get quite a grip... in a controlled slipping sort of way. So, even if I was falling at 3 MPH, the line that is slipped out of my hand is only moving @ 9 MPH! I can just grab it when ready. (We're talking about no more effort than say... picking up a cup of coffee.) I have done this countless times, it works well and is nothing like a free fall, even if I let go.

If I leave both blocks engaged, which I do when I have one hand occupied for example, I can let go of the line altogether, until I shake it to get me going down again... ever so slowly.

In this case, the ratchet feature of BOTH blocks would have to fail, to create an "almost" free fall.

I NEVER disengage the lower block, (thereby relying on the integrity of the upper block's ratchet feature alone), UNLESS I have a firm grip on the business end of the rope that is gently slipping through my hand, (with < a 2 pound load). I assume the worst case scenario, and that the upper blocks ratchet feature might fail.

It is not perfectly safe... their are varying degrees of safety. Going up a rig without anyone else around is inherently unsafe, but more often than not, this is what I need to do. Even if the client is there, I consider this set up safer than having a stranger winch me up. (OR my wife for that matter)!

If it is my 3rd or 4th trip up in a row, I do accept help from the client on deck, helping to pull on the tackle's last leg. Otherwise, if it is available, I have a "safety halyard" hooked in, and the client tails it after a winch.

What I really consider unsafe is when the only halyard available is the spinnaker halyard. Then my rig is dangling from a block (of questionable size & condition), In front of the mast. I now use a spinnaker halyard on my boat only!