sailboat mast ladder

My Cruiser Life Magazine

How to Climb a Mast – Is a Mast Ladder Worth It?

One of the inevitable parts of owning a sailboat is climbing the mast. Some people enjoy this task. For them, it’s another part of the adventure. But I am not one of those people.

For me, there is only one task that is worse than going up the mast. I will spare you the gory details, but it may surprise you to learn that it does not involve the toilet. That’s right, climbing the mast is worse for me than dealing with toilet issues.

Mast climbing is made even worse due to my trust issues. While I usually have two or more people around to winch me up, I don’t trust any of them. Not my wife, not the weirdo from the next dock, and not the “professionals” I know who would be willing to help. 

So I set out to learn how to do it myself. I am by no means an expert, but I have successfully climbed up and back many times now on several boats. I can do it myself if needed, but I still like having a helper around to hear my screams and fetch me tools.

Table of Contents

Safety first, self-climbing gear — block and tackle climbers.

• ATN Mast Climber 

Hoistable Sailboat Mast Ladder

Mast climber sailboat options for every boat, mast ladder and mast climbing faqs, how to climb a mast with two people.

Before diving into how a solo sailor might climb up the rig, let’s look at how most people tackle the problem. The traditional sailor’s solution is the lowly bosun’s chair. 

The bosun’s chair is simply a board attached to wide nylon webbing that you can sit on. The webbing is attached to a halyard, and the halyard is winched up the mast by someone on deck. 

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Bosun’s chairs vary in features. Some are as simple as a board with straps. Others are much more secure and comfortable, with a back to keep your bum in place and straps around your thighs to ensure it does not slip. Of course, the more secure and comfortable it is, the easier it is to do projects with two hands. Many sailors like to use a climbing safety harness

It takes quite a lot of winching for the deckhand to get you to the top. It’s the only job on my sailboat that makes me wish for an electric winch, actually.

Going up the mast is all about planning and playing the “what if” game. For safety, please make sure everyone involved knows their roles. It’s advisable to put someone on the winch who is well-versed in cleat hitches, clutches, self-tailing or non-self-tailing, and whatever else you’ve got going on. Shouting about which line to secure where and how is the last thing you want to do as you swing 50 feet off the deck.

Always have a safety line. Yes, it increases your work and gives you one more thing to worry about. But it just might save your bacon. 

Don’t forget to plan out precisely what you’re going to be doing once you get where you’re going. Walk through every action you need to take. 

Make sure you take all of the tools you need—and might need—with you. I like to take as much as I can in a close-fitting messenger or sling bag. The only thing worse than mast climbing is doing it multiple times. Of course, you can have your helper send tools and parts up and down with a bucket, but it adds complexity to the operation and lots of potential to be aggravated.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lucy, Matt, Chelsea (@boatlifelarks)

How to Climb a Mast Solo

All of this is well and good if you have a helper, but what if there is no one around? Solo mast climbing requires even more planning out and thinking. The same rules apply, but now you’ve got to figure out how to get to the top without anyone else’s help.

A safety line is essential even with these options, so plan accordingly.

The top ways for a solo sailboat mast climber to accomplish the task are listed below.

• Block and tackle self-climbers
• Climbing ascenders, like the ATN Mast Climber
• Fixed mast steps
• Hoistable sailboat mast ladders

Professional riggers have been going up masts by themselves for a long time, so it’s no wonder that they’d have some pretty good systems worked out. While some depend on a ground-side helper to winch them up, many prefer the freedom of using a custom-made block and tackle setup. 

If you want to go this route, you’ll want to be very good with rope handling and marlinspike seamanship. You’ll also need to invest in some nice hardware. Most sailing stuff comes marked “not for human climbing.”

Most of these setups attach to the boat’s halyard. You then hoist one end of the setup to the top of the mast, and the other end is attached to your bosun’s chair at deck level. The bitter end is with the chair, and it includes a jammer or stopper. There’s enough purchase in the system to make hoisting yourself up a relatively simple maneuver. 

These systems can’t get you right up to the top of the mast, but this is a weak point for most climbers.

ATN Mast Climber

A slightly slicker version of the same idea is the ATN Mast Climber . This gadget is pulled right from the rock climbing world. Out of the box, you need no other rigging or parts to make it work. 

Instead of hoisting anything up, the Mast Climber attaches onto an existing static line. Tie a halyard to the deck, and winch a bit to get the line taut. The Mast Climber then attaches to that line for the climb up. It’s easiest if the line isn’t perfectly vertical. I like to attach mine to the coachroof handrails. Being able to attach it anywhere on deck means you can position yourself to best reach whatever you need to work on.

The Mast Climber has two parts: the bosun’s chair climbing harness and the foot straps. Each attaches to your mast line with the climbing equivalent of a rope clutch. With a squeeze, they let you move freely up the rope. But once you release your grip, your weight jams them locked onto the line. 

It takes a little practice to use the Mast Climber, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll be going up in no time. To my surprise, coming down is actually a little more challenging because it requires different timing and spacing than going up does. One tip–always wear sturdy shoes and gloves.

The no-brainer solution for salty bluewater solo sailors is to install mast steps. These fixed metal steps attach to each side of the mast and allow you to climb up just like a regular ladder. 

The steps are small, and you’ll need a safety line as well. But they do enable you to climb up the mast any time without having to get more equipment or worry too much about it. And short of falling off, they’re better fool-proof and easy to use. 

Unfortunately, they are always there – and not exactly pretty. It’s a lot of hardware on your mast, which increases weight and windage aloft. From the installation side, putting them on is a big and expensive project that requires drilling many holes in your beautiful aluminum spar.

You might opt to install only a few steps to help you with other climbing systems. For example, many sailors install a pair or two at the masthead. Then when they arrive with their bosun’s chair or a self-climber, they have something solid to stand on. If the steps are positioned high enough, they’ll even enable you to work on the masthead.

A mast ladder is a hoistable ladder made of webbing. It goes up on the mast on your halyard and attaches into the mast track just like your mainsail—with slides.

Recovery Marine

• 50 Foot Mast Ladder
• Steps Double Reinforced
• Easy to Use Mast Ladder
• Man Overboard Ladder

Kinleven Marine Mast Ladder

This is probably the nicest hoistable mast ladder on the market. It’s made-to-order for your vessel, so you’ll have to supply a few measurements from your boat to get it built just right. 

The best feature is the ladder’s rungs, which are made from sturdy and strong plastic. This gives the ladder the most solid feel of any available options. It’s like climbing a conventional ladder, more or less.

It’s also extremely stable because it is mounted on slides that match your mast track. Unfortunately, you will have to remove your mainsail to load it into the track. That’s a pain but shouldn’t take more than a few minutes. 

One of the best mast ladder sailboat owners can choose, the Mast Mate is simple and easy. Where the Kinleyen is a beautiful unit, it is custom made to fit your boat. Some sailors might favor a unit they can use on any boat, and the Mast Mate is just what the ship’s doctor ordered.

The disadvantage of webbing ladders like the Mast Mate is that the steps are made of webbing, too. That can make it hard to get a good foothold, and it’s far from comfortable. However, it does mean that the ladder folds up into a small and light package for storage.

Like the Kinleven, the Mast Made uses mast slides to keep the ladder in place. You might have to sew your own on if the maker doesn’t supply them.

Unless your boat has a mast small enough to put up and down quickly, the day will come when you need to climb it. It’s best to practice and have the gear onboard. That way, you can tackle the task and get back to sailing.

What is a mast ladder?

A mast ladder is one method to climb the mast of a sailboat for maintenance. Sailors often need to climb the mast to inspect the rigging, replace light bulbs, service wind instruments, or free tangled lines. 

Mast ladders are made of webbing and collapse for easy storage. When you want to use it, remove your mainsail from the mast track, and insert the slides from the ladder. Hoist the ladder with your main halyard, securing the bottom and tightening the line. Use a second halyard as a safety line if you lose your footing.

Matt has been boating around Florida for over 25 years in everything from small powerboats to large cruising catamarans. He currently lives aboard a 38-foot Cabo Rico sailboat with his wife Lucy and adventure dog Chelsea. Together, they cruise between winters in The Bahamas and summers in the Chesapeake Bay.

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Sailboat Mast Ladder 50 Feet (15.2 m)

Material	Nylon
Brand	Recovery Marine
Product Dimensions	2"W x 50"H
Color	Orange
Special Feature	Compact

About this item

• 50 Foot Mast Ladder, sailboat mast ladder
• Steps Double Reinforced
• Easy to Use Mast Ladder
• Man Overboard Ladder too

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Product information

Material	Nylon
Brand	Recovery Marine
Product Dimensions	2"W x 50"H
Color	Orange
Special Feature	Compact
Item Weight	11 Pounds
Load Capacity	3000 pound
Maximum Height	50 Feet
Manufacturer	Recovery Marine
Item Weight	11 pounds
ASIN	B08PHH963K
Customer Reviews	3.7 out of 5 stars
Best Sellers Rank	#1,046,757 in Sports & Outdoors ( ) #546 in
Date First Available	December 2, 2020

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Product description.

Sooner or later, you have to go up the mast. Recovery Marine's Mast Ladder is an easy-climbing 50-foot alternating-step, flexible ladder made of two-inch (2-inch) wide nylon webbing with a sewn tensile strength of 3,000 pounds. And yet, it still easily packs into a compact bag. LENGTH: 50 feet ALTERNATING STEP LENGTH: 12 inches STRENGTH: Sewn tensile strength of 3,000 pounds STEPS: Double-reinforced with steps formed by two continuous parallel straps of webbing, one sewn to form the step, the other straight, and vice versa, over the length of the ladder. EASY-TO-USE: Climbing is easy CONVENIENT: Comes with its own bag, folds up into a packet, roughly the size of a three-inch-thick legal-sized paper pad BRIGHTLY COLORED: For easy viewing and use You will need to purchase the slides separately. Always use a safety harness in conjunction with ladder

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3.0 out of 5 stars This is dangerous steps are too far apart!

1.0 out of 5 stars steps to far apart makes climbing the mast more dangerous, 5.0 out of 5 stars quality you can trust your life with.

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The Ultimate Mast Climbing System: Experience the Best with Mast Mate

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Mast Mate Ladders

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Mast Mate Ladders include:

Nylon Shackles , Storage Bag and 2 Step Stiffeners.  Mast Slugs or Slides are Not Included.

Mast Mate Ladder

The Mast Mate ladder is a flexible, alternating-step mast ladder designed for sailboats. Constructed from 2-inch-wide heavy-duty nylon webbing ensuring durability and safety. The ladder features alternating steps, each double-reinforced with the same webbing material. Unlike traditional ladders, Mast Mate's steps are formed by two continuous parallel straps of webbing, creating a robust and seamless unit.

The traditional model has steps every 16 inches for easy foot placement and a quick assent.  For those with shorter legs or inseams, the short-step ladder places steps every 12 inches for an easier climb.  

Key Features

• Grommets and Attachments : Equipped with No. 3 stainless steel spur grommets between each step and a stout welded stainless steel D ring at the top for halyard connection. Nylon retainer shackles are included for attaching step grommets to the user provided slides or slugs.
• Double Step : A double step is located 3 feet below the halyard connection, offering secure footing for mast work. This step can be positioned anywhere along the mast.
• Gear Attachment : A No. 3 grommet between the halyard connection and the double step is provided for attaching gear, a bosun’s chair, tool bag, or harness.

Mast Mate is designed to be hoisted only when needed, much like a mainsail. If the track or slot system includes a gate, the Mast Mate is fed in above the lowered main. Otherwise, the main must be removed from the track or slot. A downhaul at the bottom of the ladder is recommended, but not required. The climber's weight typically ensures the system remains taut.

Versatility

• Halyard Retrieval : For main halyard retrieval, Mast Mate can utilize the jib halyard (for masthead rigs) or an adjustable topping lift. With a spare halyard, it helps reduce the load on the winch when using a bosun’s chair.
• Emergency Ladder : In emergencies, Mast Mate can serve as a boarding ladder by looping a step over a winch and casting the rest overboard.

Storage and Specifications

When not in use, Mast Mate rolls compactly for storage in the provided nylon bag. The traditional 35-foot version weighs 8 pounds and measures 14" x 2" when rolled, while the 50-foot version weighs 11.5 pounds and measures 16" x 2" rolled.

Manufacturing and Innovation

Proudly made in the United States, Mast Mate combines traditional ideas with modern materials to create a simple yet highly effective tool. It is widely praised at boat shows and by private users for its practicality, often eliciting the reaction: “Why didn’t I think of that?”

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How to build a mast ladder by yourself to climb solo to the top of the mast

Greetings sailors,

Today we are going to see how to make a mast ladder to be able to comfortably climb the mast of our boats for about 50 euros and saving us more than 800.

This will even allow you to climb comfortably and quickly alone.

Climbing the mast of our sailboats is a necessity that we can have with certain frequency and that is not without difficulty.

Either to check the rigging, do maintenance of the wind equipment, antennas, and other instruments that rest on the top of it, or simply to install a new gadget that arises from the ideas that we propose in this blog, having the possibility to climb the mast comfortably is something very positive.

There are multiple methods to get on it, especially with the help of another person.

The most common: that they hoist you with the main halyard as if they were hoisting the sail, but it is still hard work for you, and for the person, you have committed to help you.

When it comes to climbing without help, the options are more limited and almost all of them involve using climbing techniques to climb with blockers through one of the halyards, even more arduous work if possible.

But obviously there are some very comfortable techniques that are usually the most used by sailors who live in their own sailboats, such as, for example, putting steps to the mast.

Either they are fixed, made with aluminum sheet and riveted along the mast, or folding riveted all over the mast (many holes have to be made) and at a very significant cost (+ 25 euros per step). Even both methods have their aesthetic problems, weakening the pole with so many holes and multiplying the possibility of damaging a halyard that has a tendency to get stuck in them.

What we are going to do is something intermediate between these options, we are going to build a ladder that we will raise as if it were the mainsail, we will tighten it so that it remains well attached to the mast and that will allow us to climb comfortably both with assistance and in solitary. But always securing us by an additional means. This is very important: w hen climbing the mast we must never rely solely on a single method or anchor point.

So let’s get to it ..

For this project we will need to acquire a series of material that will require an investment of about 50 euros for a ladder of just over 12 meters long, taking into account that a ladder of the same length already made costs over 400 euros, it will be a very economical project …

A roll of good quality sewing thread that is suitable for use in a sewing machine, in my case I have bought this and I use it a lot in all kinds of repairs on the boat:

You have it available on amazon https://amzn.to/3tHI2FN

A roll of polypropylene strap 25mm wide and 50 meters long, like the one used in backpack straps, which will be the basis of our scale. I bought this for 15 euros here on amazon :

https://amzn.to/2LqCqy8

And finally to make the steps we are going to use a 20mm thick round aluminum tube. 20mm is the ideal thickness, below this thickness it can be bend with your weight (I say this from experience with the 15mm one), so I would recommend at least 20mm.

In our case, we bought 8 meters to make 24 33cm steps for our 12m scale in a DIY store, and we spent about 27 euros. The tube should not be difficult to find at any DIY store, you went to buy it at bricomart.

https://www.obramat.es/tubo-redondo-aluminio-anodizado-20-x-1-mm-1-m-10256785.html

Apart from the material itself that you will need to make the ladder, you must have some skills and tools, mainly: metal saw, drill, drill bits, some sewing needles, a sewing machine and the ability to use it.

Do not be scared with the sewing machine if you do not already have it. Having a sewing machine, if you have a boat, will save you a lot of money and for this mission the knowledge you will need is very little, because you only have to make very long straight seams.

I bought a very cheap sewing machine on Amazon ( https://amzn.to/3cNUBJj ) for less than 50 euros and I am learning with it. I have done this project and some other repairs on the boat .. They also say that the LIDL sewing machine works very well, ..

Well, let’s get to work, the time has come to start.

The first thing we will do is fold the strap in half and sew the two halves together with two seams along the entire tape. This is where you will quickly acquire skill with the sewing machine. You can see the process in detail in the video of this post.

The objective of these two seams is to make the strap twice as thick and at the same time have the opportunity to insert the steps between the two already sewn straps.

In order to determine in which position each of the steps will go, we will fold the strap in half again and there we will mark the position of the first step, 60 centimeters from the fold, and the rest of the steps, which will be 40 cm , these being the marks that we have to make by measuring on the folded strap (so we will mark both halves at the same time).

Once we have the strap ready, we are going to prepare the steps. From the aluminum tube that we have bought, we will cut smaller pieces, 33 cm, so from each meter of tube, we can take 3 steps.

Once the steps are cut, we are going to make a hole for each one on each side, which will help us to better sew them to the straps and prevent them from moving transversely.

And once we have everything prepared, it’s time to sew the steps. The operation is going to be very simple. In the position that we have marked on the tapes for each step, we will open the seam that we made by machine at that point a little, enough to be able to insert the corresponding end of the step between the tapes, and then, by hand, we will sew over and below the step (at least three passes below and two above), using the hole to pass from one side to the other, with which we will be able to fix the steps in their position.

We will repeat the operation for each end of the step and in the same way for each step, checking that the alignment is correct (if you marked the tapes correctly, the alignment will be adequate).

So, with patience, and while we watch something on television (I had time to watch two movies on Netflix while sewing the steps), we will have our scale finished.

The detail of sewing the fold of the upper end of the scale is very important, so that it does not slip if we step on one end or another of the steps.

So after a lot of effort you will have something like this:

And finally it’s time to go up

It is very important not to rely solely on the ladder .. it is very dangerous .. whenever you climb the mast you have to be secured to at least two different systems ..

So take a climbing harness or similar and with a blocker or with a Prusik knot, secure yourself to the other halyard while you go up, or if you have help … tie yourself to the halyard and have a friend assure you from the corresponding winch ( in the video you have more details on how to do it ).

As for self-belay … a blocker is an instrument that only runs in one direction on the rope, the low-cost version of it is a Prusik knot … It can be easily moved by hand, but if you hang onto it, it blocks in front of the rope preventing you from falling.

For the climb you can also put a strap around the mast secured to your harness to ensure that you do not separate too much from it or the ladder.

The descent is a bit more complicated by self-belaying, but you can use a climbing eight or another type of brake and rappelling techniques to be sure or the same Prusik knot, lowering it with your hand as you go down.

But seriously … do not skimp on making sure you are safe … always secure you at least two points and if you can three, then better.

Conclusions

The scale is magnificent to climb: with your hands around the mast and the blocker can climb just alone without any problem … the worst thing is the possibility that it will separate from the mast if you hang on it so it is very important to tension well the lower end of the same so that it always works in tension and remains close to the mast … or better yet, secure it to the mast while climbing or through the mainsail skates, putting a skate every four steps, or some ropes through the steps below the crosspieces, something like this:

In that case, we will hoist it like the mainsail and it will stay well attached to the mast all the time, although to hoist it you have to remove the mainsail from the rail, which makes it a bit messier.

As for its construction … Well, once I have finished it, I see it as having been worth it … but at least 5 hours of work await you ahead, so if you are not very skilled and you can afford it, you can also consider buying one already made ..

Of course, prepare to pay around 900 euros, for something you can do yourself for 50.

Kinlevenmarine makes a fabulous one, as well as very expensive .. https://kinlevenmarine.com/shop/yacht-mast-ladder/ but there is no denying that she looks fabulous.

I am very happy with the work I have done and I am sure that I will put it to good use … and surely you too if you follow my channel and start putting more inventions on the masthead of your boat …