Bosun's chair or Boatswain's chair.

So I was introduced to the bosun's chair this period of day's off.  It is a chair with padding to allow work to be performed aloft of high up the mast.  My friends Billy and Tammy of S/V Ruby Begonia needed the spreader boots re-attached and a flag pulley attached to the spreader.  So we hoisted Billy up, cleated the halyard off, and let him perform his work.  On the way down the bosun chairs rigging grabbed him under his ribcage and took his breath away, he quickly recovered.

S/V Ruby Begonia - Billy


S/V Our Way Too needed to replace their steaming light with and LED and remove some plastic shroud covering that was causing corrosion.  So First Mate Katie was using her foot to operate the self tailing winch unlike three of us hoisting Billy up.....

S/V Our Way Too - Dean


Wiki states that instead of high ranking officers climbing aboard ship they were hoisted with a Boatswain's chair and since they were usaully heavier with the higher rank and required more sideboys to lift them.

In conclusion having an electric self tailing winch is awesome!  I want a flag pulley too, but I'm still shy of heights.