Tag Archives: Clipper Round the World Yacht Race

Needless to say the Halyard was tangled around the spreaders (the piece at the side of the mast) and was not going anywhere. So it was little Lisa to the top of the mast. This was the first time I went up the mast at sea. Normally it is okay because I use the spinnaker halyards to control my position as I am hoisted but this time the spinnaker halyard was being used and the other one was tied on to me so that I could swap them over at the top offering me very little in the way of hand holds. Yeh-sure there are other ropes to hold but none of them go to the very top except the two hoisting me up and the spinnaker halyards. The other thing to consider is the fact that the boat is moving as it sails over waves and when the spinnaker collapses and re-fills with wind it pulls the mast forward and when I am at the top that pull that looks so small from the ground is in fact a meter or more and almost flicks me off the mast altogether. So it was a great challenge just Continue reading →