The Best Bosun’s Chair Might Not Be a Bosun’s Chair at All

I’ve long thought there must be a safer, more comfortable way to go up our mast than a Bosun’s Chair. When I criticized our use of this ancient design concept, my fellow sailors and racers would give me that all too familiar judging smirk, followed by something like: “We all have to do it; just get up there.”

It was time to put my money (and effort) where my mouth was and find a better solution. What do professionals use in other industries when they have to be working, safely, suspended up high?  Surely the energy sector and wind power have some solutions that even insurance companies would sign off on?

After a good amount of research on options, I picked up the CMC ATOM Global Harness.  Being the brave soul that I am, I gave it straight to our crewmate, Oliver,  to test it out.

We’re now fully converted. It’s safer, more comfortable, and—once you’ve felt the difference—it’s hard to understand why bosun’s chairs are still the default. Let’s see why I think everyone should switch.

Bosun’s Chairs: A Tradition We Don’t Usually Question

Whether you call it a bosun’s chair, boatswain’s chair, or go awol with boson/bosin/boat’sman chair, these things always looked more to me like they belonged on a children’s swing set than a safety device to send me up the mast.

See any resemblance between this:

And this?

Or this:

And this?

Oliver—our longtime crewmate and go-to mast guy—has always been the one we hoist when something needs troubleshooting up top. I’ve never loved heights, and he never minded doing the climbs.

Was it the actual bosun’s chair that I hated? Oliver always seemed fine with it, but should he be? Comfortable? Not really. Safe? Safe enough, I suppose.  I figured that there must be something out there that’s a little more…modern.

After some digging, I stumbled on professional “rope access” gear, built for people who spend long hours suspended by ropes while working at height.  I looked at options from Petzl and CMC, and ultimately chose the CMC ATOM Global Harness, mostly based on the reviews on comfort.

The CMC Atom Global Harness 

Trying the ATOM: Trepidation Turns to Revelation

Yep, we flew the main halyard up the mast. The eight knot at the end had come loose, and I had just added some McLube OneDrop—a favorite of mine—to the mast cars, and whoosh the halyard flies right up through the mast.

As soon as we found a reason to go up the mast, I pulled the new harness out of the stern locker and dropped it in Oliver’s lap. From the look on his face, he wasn’t exactly thrilled.

He’s used to the bosun’s chair. He’s gone up dozens of times—probably a half dozen on  Confianza already.

Some convincing was required that it’s professional equipment and has many fancy certifications, and he strapped in.

And up he went!

After we brought him down, he sang a much different tune.

“That felt completely different. Like… I felt secure the whole time. Not just held up but in. It’s not even close to a bosun’s chair.”

He described how he could’ve stayed up there much longer with a couple tweaks on the leg straps.

It’s a lot easier to get work done aloft when you’re comfortably strapped in and secure.

Even Harken Admits that You Need a Real Harness

Pulled right from the user manual for the Harken Deluxe Bosun’s Chair: “This chair is designed to be used as a work positioning platform to ensure comfortable seating while suspended. It must be used in conjunction with a separate full-body, fall-arrest harness.” (Italics added by me for emphasis).

Unlike a bosun’s chair, these rope access harnesses come with actual certifications for safety and comfort.  The CMC ATOM, for instance:

• CE
  • EN 361:2002 – Certifies the harness is built to safely catch and hold your entire body in a fall.
  • EN 358:2018 – Confirms the harness supports secure work positioning.
  • EN 813:2008 – Ensures comfort and support in a seated position.
• NFPA Class III – Validates that the harness is rated for rescue-level loads.
• ANSI Z359.11 – Meets U.S. fall protection standards for professional use.
• CSA Z259.10 – Adds Canadian certification for fall arrest systems, reinforcing that the harness performs under multiple national safety codes.

The Right Tool for the Job

Practical Sailor has broached this topic on a number of occasions (see: Practical Sailor Tests Bosun Chairs and Harnesses).  This is the quote that struck me when reviewing this iteration: “None of the mast-climbing devices in our test could be considered “comfortable” in the easy-chair sense of the word. Working aloft typically involves some awkward positions, and in all of these chairs, we were using our abdominal muscles (or what’s left of them) to carry out tasks aloft.”

In our own experience with the ATOM, comfort and security made it a completely different experience.  You can just get more done up there, and more quickly. I think it can be boiled down to:

Supported Sitting Position

The straps, padding, and adjustment angles around the thighs and waist keep you in a comfortable, seated position without balancing yourself. Weight was distributed better. You can shift around, grab tools, comfortably use both hands on a task, etc.

We Stopped Thinking About Falling

I’ve never been in a bosun’s chair and felt secure, which is why I shy away from going up the mast unless I absolutely have to.  Bosun’s chairs always give me that sense that you have to keep yourself in it. In the ATOM, your whole body is secured—back, legs, waist, chest. There’s nowhere to tip or slip.

Our brave test pilot, Ollie, is also on a J105 racing team. After race day, they coincidentally also flew a halyard up the mast. Ollie asked to borrow my CMC harness and sent the captain up. His team was quickly converted.

How Much More Does it Cost?

Here’s a quick comparison at the offerings from Defender and West Marine (at the time of writing):

• Traditional Marine Bosun’s Chairs
  • West Marine’s Premium Bosun’s Chair – $169.99 (westmarine.com) Harken Ballistic
  • Nylon Deluxe Bosun Chair – $222.99 (defender.com)
• Professional Rope Access Harnesses
  • CMC Atom Global Harness – $471.99 (firesafetyusa.com)
  • Petzl Avao Bod $499.95 (pksafety.com)

Having professional gear that’s actually meant for the job does come in at more than twice the price.

One of the rules that we have on Connie is, “The less risky options always wins.” That means we also try to not to budget shop for safety gear whenever possible.

And it’s not just the safety factor.  It’s the right tool for the job. It makes it easier and faster to get work done up there.

Can you do it for half the cost (or cheaper)? Most definitely.

Wrapping Up

Why are most of us still using a piece of kit for a dangerous job when there are much better options? Tradition?

In the middle of editing this article, by chance, I had SV Delos Episode 419 on in the background while taking apart my autopilot.  In the episode, one of the crew, Hannah, goes up the mast while underway in a traditional bosun’s chair, and she yells down:

“It’s so sketchy!”

I submit that it doesn’t have to be—with the right gear.