Up the mast when boat is on hard stand

[Ian McColgin]

Some boat yards prohibit going aloft when the boat's on the hard but i believe their fears are mistaken.

If a boat is properly chocked and blocked and all, it's really hard to see how the weight of a person aloft if centered could possibly be more of a problem than the same weight on the rail when boarding. Even if the person swings out to the spreader tips, the net pull--over vector is less than just hanging on the rail.

The weight aloft would accelerate things a bit if the boat started toppling from some other cause, in which case the person aloft might actually emerge the less damaged than people aboard that or other near-by boats.

Since it's easier to beg forgiveness than ask permission, many might be tempted to scamper up without checking. I expect to go back to the same yards year after year working on friends' boats and therefore think it better to clear things in advance.

G'luck

Ian