On Fri, 02 Jan 2004 10:35:27 GMT, "Roger Gt"
wrote:


"Roger Halstead" wrote in message
.. .
On Thu, 01 Jan 2004 17:43:00 -0600, Cecil Moore
wrote:

Roger Halstead wrote:
I always use a "tag line". which they refer to as an arresting harness.
snip

I have my Purple Martin birdhouse mounted on my tower at a height
of about 20 ft. Last year, I wished I had not been wearing my safety
harness when I was surprised by a six foot long rat snake during a
nest check. The harness forced me to face the snake when I would have
much rather jumped. :-)

Everything is a compromise:-)) Although I'd say finding the snake
would require a lot higher odds than seat belts Vs being thrown out of
a car. :-))

Bout all we have in Michigan are Rattle snakes
snip
The drawback to tag lines and safety belts at 100 feet is the likely
hood of coming across a Yellow jackets nest inside the mast or boom.
They are nasty tempered little suckers.
snip

At least I have never encountered snakes or wasps on those rare occasions I
needed to go aloft to fix or retrieve a lose halyard. It's only 35 feet
above deck but at sea in a light chop it swings about two to three feet with
no one up there, add my weight it swings about five to seven feet. So I tie

I've climbed towers for years and I'm also a pilot, but I want my
tower to hold still! :-)) If you do much of it, I guess a person,
or some people could get used to it. I do know of guys going up
there, but most preferred to lay the mast down. :-))

myself a safety harness from 3 strands of 5/8 inch Yacht Braid and secure a
double line for hauling to a rigging ring. It's safer than a belt, and
while you can't fall out you can get a bad case of motion sickness. I use
flying jam cleats to serve as climbers so up and down are slow. There are
no mast steps nor anything to grab except at the spreaders. So I try to
avoid going up if at all possible. I sail mostly in the winter, and the
water is cold!
My antennas are all hinged, so I never climb them!
I think you need to make some accommodation when you pass 65.

My first wife's father was still roofing barns well past the age of
80. Those steep, hip roofed barns! Not me, I wouldn't climb up one
of those for anything.

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com

Roger Gt