Testimonial

An actual letter received by Mast Mate inventor Gary Wheeler

April 25, 1995

Dear Rolling River,

Please find enclosed my check for $255.00 to cover the cost of a 35' Mast Mate (along with the $5.00 for shipping).

I spoke with you last fall, and want to reiterate that the Mast Mate that I used during the past summer, and now again during the past six weeks as I continued the Atlantic Circle with Michael Rowland, proved itself over and over and over again as one of the most useful pieces of equipment on the boat (Tammy Norie, a 25 year old wooden ketch, with wooden spars).

Your ladder made it comfortably possible for me to scale the mast while in 12' seas at mid Atlantic to replace a fallen inner fore stay; I was also able (while in port) to spend hours at a time reworking an old and poorly designed mast-head fitting, and again a few hours repairing a cracked cheek piece.

We were also able to revarnish the masts without having to unstep them, and with the use of some mountaineering technology for a safety line much of this was done by one person working alone. As was most certainly the response when the first cave man finally chipped the corners off his octagonal wheel, the universal reaction that fellow sailors have had when they have seen the Mast Mate in use has been "well of course... it's so simple, why didn't I think of that!"

My hat is off to you sir for a fine idea. I look forward to having my own Mast Mate aboard my boat. I wish you continued success!

—Bill Creighton