up the mast

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Kia Orana
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Joined: Sat Nov 19, 2011 8:50 am

up the mast

Post by Kia Orana »

For those who find it necessary to go up the mast we have learned of a fairly easy
way to get someone up there. Both DeWalt and Milwaukee make heavy duty drills, with
24 volt batteries. And there is a website where you can get a bit for such a drill that fits
in a winch. Thus it is possible to use this to winch someone up the mast. I have found that
it works best when the drill is in the remove-a-screw mode, but this sometimes ends up
releasing the bit, so I keep needle-nosed pliers available to retrieve the bit and start again.
I can easily send my wife up the mast, but she can also send me up there.
Dick Wood, on Kia Orana
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chicagocat
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Re: up the mast

Post by chicagocat »

Thanks Dick,
That's exactly what I use as well. I get about 1.5 times up the mast per charged battery. I may buy a second battery soon.

Brendan
PDQ 36052 - 1996 LRC - "Anne Z" - Chicago
and 2001 PDQ 36 Classic (Tall Rig)- "Cat Tales" - Punta Gorda, FL
Dan White
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Re: up the mast

Post by Dan White »

I have one of those as well. Gets my 200 pounds up the mast with no problem. A nice bonus is that with the winch bit, it doubles as a way to have electric winches, which I love, especially when sailing short-handed..
Bob
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Re: up the mast

Post by Bob »

I go 210 and when my wife tried to winch me up I noticed hairline cracks in the gelcoat at the base of the winch molding profile. This also happened on my previous PDQ as well. Anyone else notice this? I now have an ATN mast climber but with short legs it looks like a monkey changing a diaper when I use it.
Bob Johnson
Hull 36045
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thinwater
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Actually, I pulled a winch out of the deck on a breezy day.

Post by thinwater »

It was installed (I think) by the PO and did not have a backing plate nor over-size washers.

Yes, I would take it seriously. Pull the ceiling and see how it is mounted.
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Marc Gershel
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Re: up the mast

Post by Marc Gershel »

Bob wrote: I now have an ATN mast climber but with short legs it looks like a monkey changing a diaper when I use it.
I also have a ATN climber. I've had it for 11 years, and it works great. I could care less how I look going up. I'm sure it's ugly.
Marc
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