Climb your mast Alone! 

As a climber/sailor here's my thoughts/technique... I find the frog system to be very efficient. I use a sling around the mast to my belay loop to stop the swinging. A chest harness+pulley keeps you from being at 45 degrees and makes life a lot easier. I'd recommend a croll at the waist, jumar for foot loops and chest harness with a pulley (a long sling can make a simple chest harness). Also don't rely on cleats as tie-offs. Always tie off the bitter end to a pulley or some other strong system. Personally I really enjoy going up the mast. FYI, don't use a bowline on climbing systems. Use a figure 8. I used an ATC to descend as the grigri would bind on thicker ropes. You have to be careful and add a leg-loop safety if you use an ATC as it won't self arrest.

One of the best sailing channels on the internet. Thank you.

Very nice. I actually use this method for years and it works incredibly well. From experience i would only suggest two modifications. 1) to tie a climbing rope to the halyard and raise it up. The ascender is very aggressive and can damage the halyard. 2) to have a line go around the mast and tie to the harness. Even when the water is calm some other boat can go by and create a wake which will make this mast swing and throw you on different directions. This line will keep you closer to the mast.

Your film making skills (combining drone, fixed position, and multiple angle shots) along with precise editing makes for first-rate, engaging videos. Indeed, they are among the best I've seen in the sailing genre. Thanks so much for sharing them!

Amazing video Erik, as always! Not sure if this was the first time you were doing this, but for those who now want to try it on their own, I would very strongly recommend they go up only a couple of meters first and come all the way down, just to make sure they know how. It would be an absolute horror to get excited and go all the way up, and then find out you don't quite know how to work the lines to get back down!

Thank you for showing all things sailing, I’m so hooked.

This was a great explanation Eric , thanks. I noticed that with this method, like I found with the conventional method of being hauled up, one of the problems is getting high enough up on the very top to be able to work comfortably on the equipment up there. I am likely going to install a couple of folding mast steps to allow me to get myself up that extra foot or so and stand comfortably at the mast head.

Hi Erik, love your videos, I had a fall using ascenders on my main halyard. The multibraid stripped off the rope with the teeth of the ascender. I now use 2 lengths of climbing rope hauled up by the halyards. Much better and I abseil down on the second one

What a yacht and a great mariner.Bon Voyage Erik.

Great sportsmanship we appreciate your knowledge

great vid, a tip from a climber/sailor.... do all the work with the leg, leave that foot on the mast. grab above the ascender with one hand, and step up completely and straighten your leg. use the arm to pull the slack only, not to pull your weight. hope someday i'll see you in norway in lofoten for a ski!

Erik, I commented on your Facebook page on this topic before you started the climbing subject. Most of my suggestions have already been posted below, but for clarity, these are my thoughts also: 1. Never climb on a halyard. 2. Never climb on an external line through a block - always an internal line, or, a dedicated external climbing line. 3. There's no way of self rescue if you have to rely on the primary line and ascender. Suggestions: 1. Get a dynamic climbing line, hoist on an internal halyard, or otherwise add a dedicated anchor point to the masthead and run a mouseline to hoist a proper climbing line. 2. Toss the ascender for a second accessory cord used with a prussik or whatever knot. 3. Look at a "big wall" harness. You will suffer quickly in your thin harness if you have to hang for any length of time. 4. Don't ever put your line or loops directly through the sharp edges of gear, as shown with the ascender. Use a locking carabiner to connect them. 5. Have all safety lines (the loops with prussiks) much shorter, so you can reach them if needing to descend using them

Nice video. I also liked makeamike's and sydneyarbor1's comments about the prusik safety. Before jumars, we used prusiks to climb a rope. Hence, if you are using this as a fallback safety, one would have two short prusik loops with accompanying longer footloops. One can climb up and down using alternating pressure with loosening and raising the top with pressure on the bottom loop. Then transfer one's weight to the top loop while sliding the bottom prusik with foot loop up (und so weiter). Do the reverse to climb down.

Classic! Biltema gloves! 😂 I lived in Sweden for 13 years.. Biltema saved me thousands of kronor in boaty bits. Excellent shop.. shame it’s not in the UK. As usual a great video! Thank you for taking the time to share your experiences and knowledge with us. Great sailor, vlogger and teacher. Thank you!

Hi Erik, I love your videos, you are an inspiration. I want to make a safety point: the items you called shackles are knows as carabiners. The two you showed on the deck shot had screw gates to lock them, which is good. However the one shown near the Jumma as you climb is a push gate. In my experience as a climber the push gate can easily twist under pressure and self open, which can be serious at height, so is best avoided for this task. This gear is available in climbing shops. They will have other cool gadgets as bog fins are always dreaming up improvements. I think a body harness may be good for this, with straps over the shoulders and the fixing point at the chest, with this you won’t invert, so eliminating that small chance of inverting high on a moving boat and slipping out of the waist harness. I also recommend two jummas and two foot loops. You are Courage.

I really appreciate all of your effort Erik! You are an asset to RU-vid and the sailing community. Love your playground!! Thank you!

I found you two days ago , I can´t stop thinking about ragnar lothbrok and byork ironside when I see your videos and how you enjoy when surfing the big waves in the ocean, I absolutely love your videos, the sailing itself , and the techniqs you use to film.

Hi Eric, Thank you for your films they are excellent. You are the real deal, the reincarnation of the sea roving Viking, your for fathers and bearing their name. I have watched all your films several times over I learn something new each time i see them. I am a keen sailor based in Cork in Ireland. I have been restoring an International Folkboat over six years she will be finished and sailing again this year. You are an inspiration as I will be sailing on my own in the future. Kindest regards, Robin.

Very impressive. Looks like a safe place to have a quiet moment and take a break after climbing the mast. You did great. Thank you for making this video.🌬️🌌

HI Eric, I'm a 66yr old New Zealander I have a Gib-Sea 106 being unused for the last 4-5 yrs due to shoulder replacement. I have been watching your videos over the last 12 mths. You have inspired me to bring the maintenance back up & go on a week long cruise around my local coastal islands. Thanks for the kick up the bum Eric. (10kt 25° almost the entire week) 😊

You earned the beer! I was a mountaineer before injuries took me off the vertical. I have jummared out of glacial crevasses, deep caves and on a few big rock walls. Very nice transition to rappel. The Prussik is a great knot and can replace your Jumar if needed. Have the double fisherman’s knot on your prussik sling a little farther up from your carabiner. It’s the weakest point of the prussik loop. I’m definitely going to try your technique on my ketch mast (only 50’) next chance I get! I’d sail with you any day! Cheers.

I've seen 4 or 5 videos now and I would like to give you some in put. And by the way great job! LOVED THEM! I would've like to of seen more footage with the light houses. Like the path to get to the big horn, the hills you had to traverse to get there and closer footage of the cliffs and light house them selfs. Honestly I think you could do an entire video enhancing this footage. I think there are plenty of people that would love to see that! Fair winds my friend and your right time is short get off the F'n couch and go do it!!! You have inspired me to take the final steps and make my dream a reality! For this I thank you!

Good demo! Be sure to leave a couple inches (~5cm) of halyard between top of the Jumar (ascender) and the in-mast sheeve - the jumar has to be lifted up a couple cm to release the teeth from the halyard when you want to come down. To get all the way up to the masthead, bring an etrier (short climber's webbing ladder), clip it to the top of the forestay with a carabiner and go up it's steps to get your chest or belly about level with the masthead when working on the stuff on top of the mast. No need to unhook any part of your climbing equipment to go on the etrier. BUT, this is where an adjustable lanyard around the mast really helps - keeps you nice and close to the mast. Cheers!

Merci de cette vidéo pédagogique et sur laquelle on trouve des détails techniques importants. Merci Erik

I love your videos even though I have never sailed a boat in my life. Fabulous cinematography and information.

It is so amazing that you take advantage of sailing in that part of the world at this time of year! As always, thank you for sharing this!

Good to see you are still at it. My wife and I are headed south and our new motor blew a piston ring pushing the sailboat so we've been strictly sailing the rest of the way to the next big town. Been interesting taking the icw of Florida with sail only, can be a pain at bridges but we're doing it :)

as always,simply the best 👍in the beginning I never knew where the Norwegian people goes with the boats, til one day I took my boat and anchored in some small pace, close to some island and in the next day when I wake up I was surrounded by boats 😂⛵⛵⛵⛵ and voila the secret was revealed 😂⛵. amazing video Eric ⛵👍 always learning from your 👍

That island has to be one of the most beautiful and captivating places on earth.

Incredible high production quality on your videos. Like a movie even though it is only 15 minutes. Beautiful.

+1 for all the good practices from rock climbing!

The blue aluminum piece you use to raise yourself is an ascender. They make the opposite of it which is a descender. Excellent video!!!

Another sailor/climber here😃 I have a tip for smoother repelling with the grigri. If you have more tension (like you do on a classic ATC friction brake) on the rope with your right hand controlling the speed with both the lever and your other hand. It’s a common mistake to only use the lever for controlling the speed, then it gets very jerky.

with 2 Jumar's and foot loops you can 'walk up' and eliminate the pulling part... and of course the backup line [ prusik ']

Best moment " is time to get a beer!! "

Thanks Erik! This will come in really handy for me. I've never been a fan of heights, but I'm determined to do this and learn to love it now that I got a boat. I want to be in control of my own gear and I'm incredibly stubborn and after this video I can't wait to get started. Tack fra Hawaii!

Thanks for sharing your adventures with us, Erik. Absolutely inspiring journeys, and your film-making style lets the beauty of nature speak for itself. Skål, from Texas.

Erik, greetings from Newfoundland, my wife and I sail around this island, and we love your videos, Please keep them coming.

Another tremendous video Erik. You absolutely capture what it's like to be out there doing it. Definitely one of the best sailing channels there is. No question. BTW - another tip from a fellow climber - carry an extra bit of safety rope in your bag so you can make a second Prusik if needed to descend. Or carry an ATC with you on your harness as a back-up. As mentioned earlier if you end up on that single Prusik alone, it's hard to work that back down. Anyway - mucho admiration amigo!

Excellent stuff Erik, I am sailing towards the Mediterranean but one day I want to come to say hello in your beautiful country, cheers Erik.

Definitely my favourite sailing channel. Also, I read that many solo sailors like Moitessier liked to screw proper steps to the mast. Not so pretty but very convenient. Moitessier was a bit of a poet and spent a lot of time sitting on the spreaders watching the beauty of the sea. But his mast was plain wood, so mast steps were definitely easier to install than on an aluminum one...

Incredible photography, beautiful. I like standing in the forepeak as well when I sail. On the climbing the mast remind your viewers that all gear should be rated at 15 times the person's body weight.

Awesome, thank you so much for sharing your experience with us.

Wow, such beauty. I have done most of my sailing in Puget Sound, the San Juan's and along the coast of British Columbia. But this scenery is 'other-worldly' Like remembering a dream

Can't tell if anyone else mentioned this, but that "extra" hole at the top of the jumars next to the clamp is to put a carabiner in so that you don't accidentally pull the jumar off the rope. Also, only use climbing carabiners. Don't be tempted to use a shackle from your boat spares. Only climbing gear to go climbing! And speaking of carabiners, it's best to use the ones with the locking gate.

looks like all standard rock & ice climbing equipment. safety means practice, practice and practice. Love your videos.

Love your videos Erik, there is just something so real and raw about them! No fake shit like you see all over youtube. I hope one day you sail to the East coast of Iceland and join me for a viking feast.🙂

That's how it's done, must be a real adventure when the boat is rocking.

Hey Eric, I found your channel the other day and since then I am hooked. The quality of ur videos is amazing and u have a gift in the way u tell your story, god bless u my friend, may your adventures bring you as much enjoyment as I get from watching, stay safe and keep enjoying your dreams)

Another great video! Thanks, Erik. And what a stunning place to spend a weekend.

Great videos! I took up sailing with zero prior experience this June around Stockholm. And I've loved it! Wiith some days out solo, have been especially rewarding. I've been a climber most of my life, with some rope access work thrown in for good measure. Your set up for ascending and descending is flawless. Especially with the older version of Gri Gri, as it handles thicker static lines way better than the newer versions. Good job!!

Cheers Erik the Viking, also to yr amazing sanctuary Ròvaer....stay safe see you soon, and Fair Winds ;-)

One of the pure sailing channels on You Tube.

Your a beeeuwdy Erik.. Like the way you called cross trees.. Horns.. Very Viking.. hehehe.. Great videos on island trips.. Love how you get pissed at journeys end and enjoy your tucker.. and live life to the full..! 🐬👍

Erik , You are getting the right kind of subscribers and the right kind of comments , congratulations on that effort . Keep up the good work . Also yes it is inspiring to see your videos , at least to the point of me visiting the barn to see what needs to be fixed and get back on the water. One can only kayak so far , there is more ocean out there .

Good to see you back Erik. That looked cold!

Great video, thank you. I worry about using a block that is external to the mast. You are basically completely depending on the shackle on the top of the block. If that fails, you get to try out your safety line! Better to use a halyard that is internal to your mast.

I've been using this system for years, and the only problem with it is that the mast seems to grow longer every year. Glad to see that a young man also gets out of breath climbing to the top.

"Climb Your Mast Alone" sounds like a good title for a self-motivation seminar. You'd be the perfect keynote speaker. Think about it!

This is by far the best sailing channel on RU-vid right now.

Sensational, once more. Calm and heavy weather sailing, great instructions, amazing drone footage, and a bit of humour. Perfect.

I'm so glad I found your page. You're to the point and very informative.

Great video! I might be late to comment, but just wanted to let you know that the backup prussik on the opposite end of the halyard should be attached to another line or the same end you're attached to. If an accident were to happen the rope end your attached to wouldn't be weighted and the halyard line would pull through the pulley at the top. Thanks for the video!

Hi Erik, Another great video. Fantastic scenery. I have promised myself to one day sail my boat up to Norway to cruise these places. To get up my mast, I use a ‘Mast Climber’. The process is similar to the one you demonstrated in the video. A couple of suggestions; firstly, I attach a spare gib sheet to the halyard, winch it up to the top of the mast and use this as the ascending line, rather than go up the halyard. I read somewhere that Jumars are not kind to ropes and may cause damage the outer sheath. The instructions that came with my Mast Climber also recommend using a spare line, rather than a halyard. Secondly, I always find it easier to pass the ascending line through a snatch block attached to one of the chain plates, or another hard point on deck, and then tension it with a winch. I find it a lot easier to ascend up a tight line, rather than a slack one. Stops you swinging around so much. Hope this helps. Fair winds.

Hello Erik, great video and thanks for sharing the experience. I think associating a dedicated climbing rope is a good idea, although it adds an extra link which means an extra check. I use together with this a textile ladder which needs to be very taught or set in the mast track, which in turn means taking the main out of the track. A bit of a bother, but the climb is quite straightforward and it is very light and compact. Thanks again! Bruce

Erik, thank you very much for this video. I sail solo a lot and try to be able to do everything on my boat single-handed, just in case. Today I tried this method and after a few minutes of practice (I don't do mountain climbing) everything worked out great! Only thing I changed was the Jumar to a left-handed one (and port side safety halyard) so I can pull on the gri-gri with my right arm. Cheers, mate, keep on sailing!

Dayum very good, I just tied the halyard off to the deck an went up using two prusick loops one for my foot an one on my harness, those extra bits of kit much safer.

Great to see you back... you deserve your beer 👍 Hahaha, most dangerous part of an extremely exposed coast is your playground, you are such a Viking.!!! Thanks for sharing Warren s/y Legend

Hi Erik. Great video and great scenery. Well done again! Just wanted to let you know that there is a way to reach the masthead. You have to move the Ascender to another rope and then shorten the leg strap. Then you remove the small block and just hang on your GriGri and safety Prusik. Then you stand on the leg rope and put your GriGri all the way to the top of halyard near the block (or no block if you use dedicated climbing rope connected to end of your halyard). The version 1 GriGri you have needs a safety hitch done on it when you do this (The newer GriGri+ has a top rope mode so it grips rope even unloaded). Having the hitch on GriGri go through the caribeener also helps you have a less jerky descend. I found a video where a guy shows this alternative method and it may be of use to you and others. You also should use a bosun chair and your harness together. The harness is very uncomfortable long term and could be deadly if you get stuck up the mast because it restricts circulation. It’s called “suspension trauma” or “harness hang syndrome” and people die from it. Bosun chair you can sit in for hours without a problem. Anyway, stay safe and here’s the video link if you want to get a few more ideas to help you. Cheers from Australia l-36.com/more_mast_climbing.php

Your videos are very inspiring Erik! You are the ambassador of the winter season. Fair winds!

I have a similar set up which has worked great. Three things I found you could improve on safety. First do not use the halyard to climb. I would rather attach a climbing rope to the halyard (figure eight or a bowlines with long end) and then use the climbing rope to climb. It has elasticity and you don't damage the halyard with friction. Second you should never use a halyard that runs outside the mast as the shackle or the strop above may brake. It would be safer to use a halyard that runs inside the mast and to use the other one as the safety/secondary one. Third, the shackle that attaches the leg strap should be on the top of the ascender and not below (it will stop it opening). Other then that I love our videos and if you come to Lisbon let me know! :)

I got sweaty palms watching this! Tessie looked so tiny, from stop the mast. I'm gonna have a beer now, too!

Always use , screw gate carabiner, the one you are using can be opened, if the rope loops around the outside of the gate, and tension forces the gate open

A very interesting video like all you usually do. What also strikes me, is the magnificent music with which you accompany your videos, congratulations for that subtle sensitivity.

Stunning video. The editing, the music, the drone shots. It makes me want to try much harder! Well done.

I was thinking of a similar setup, but using 2 "jumar", one for each foot. Also helpful are 2 maststeps on top, so you can stand on the steps and do some repair work, if necessary. As you said in the video, the "jumar" does not allow you to go up completely.

Stunning scenery to my eyes. I hope to sail far enough to reach this area one day. Thank you for sharing.

Thanks Eric! You have spurred me on to finish those mast steps I started two years ago.. ha ha ….

Great to hear from you again. I have the same system. I secure a halyard to winch on base of mast for the safety line and this give me a little swing without allowing me to fly around. Also, I couldn't quite make out whether your mast has an internal halyard line . That would be preferable to the line on the external block. The island harbor--superb photography. Sublime setting .

Far out fantastic. Video quality is outstanding and scenery mind blowing. Big praise! As for climbing, recommend carrying aloft a second safety loop. The primary one attached to safety line should be fairly short. If you fell on it you’d attach a second longer prussick beneath first one, long enough to reach little below your knee. Standing in it would relieve pressure from knot above and you’d inchworm your way down. In a pinch, you could also use double prussick system to ascend to top of mast, no extra hardware needed, but best to ascend/ descend on climbing rope. Again, outstanding!

I’m amazed at the technical excellence of your video work. One thought about your climb. It pays to spend a few moments after you’re rigged in to do a safety check of all the components of your system. Just a glance and confirmation. Much like a pilot’s pre-flight check list. Perhaps, if you had done that you may have noticed that you weren’t wearing your gloves. Gloves are your friend when dealing with rope.

Probably someone already commented this but it would be good practice to put a carabiner in the top hole on the jumar that also goes around the rope. This helps prevent the rope from being able to come out of the jumar's gutter in case the cam disengages.

Erik... great... thaks from Patagonia Argentina...

The island of Rovaer is so beautiful, we liked it a lot when passing there on our way back from Lofoten in 2016. Nice images! Groetjes Mark & Marijke

Buddy, your videos always make me smile in awe. Keep rockin'. Thank you.

I use two leg loops and tie them together close to the bottom. That prevents them spreading too far and it is easier to climb. And i can use both legs to push up while climbing.

I just watched s second video of yours. Thank you for passing your knowledge. Your voice, demeanour and knowledge make it very interesting to watch. You could easily be on a documentary for National Geographic, or similar.

As ever Erik a fantastic video! Best wishes to you from Ireland :-)

Hi Erik, I do it the same way in spring and autum to replace the windsensor after hoisting the boat, works great! I’m only using both foot loops and climbing on the backsite of the mast. Great video’s!

I am very glad you had a backup Prusik knot. I would not trust any shackle or any other such mechanical contraption alone.

I've seen and looked into this technique -- but didn't get the gear. You just inspired me...orders being placed. I can practice in the backyard first.

In climbing, it is called an ascender, I think. I LOVE the Gri-Gri 2 (new-ish) and the carabiners!

Great photography again, the island looks stunning.

Thanks so much it looks do able - I will try it when we purchase our new boat just to be knowledgeable on how... thx

bravo erik tu nous fait rever

Great video as always, Erik. I climb my mast with the same gear but I use a dedicated climbing rope tied and hoisted with a halyard as you said at the end. One other thing someone else mentioned for safety is that you should never climb on an external block & shackle halyard; only climb one that runs inside the mast. Also, I don't climb with a helmet either...

You live in a beautiful part of the world Erik. Thanks for sharing your climbing technique, I was thinking pretty much the same technique, have to go and give it a go.

You can do it with only 2 prusic ropes. 1 foot in the lowest one. Move the upper one up. Then put your weight in it and move number one up. I used an "8" to secure myself. This was a way to be able to save yourself if you dropped during climbing and there was no wall or rocks to climb up again. (if I recall the procedure correct, it is around 40 years ago I practiced it) But it is a great idea to use it for mast climbing.

Nice one, I like it! Seems to be a great island to go to for a weekend!

"This is one of the most dangerous places.... It's where I do my training... I guess you could call it my playground" What a G