Climbers advice - Descenders

Both Damo and Jimi have considerable expertise in using these devices both on the hills and on the water. And they're right.

However - and I trust they'll agree with the caveat - it is *essential* to get a short but adequate training/briefing on just how to use these things, so you recognise what's right and what's wrong. They are neither fail-safe nor 'idiot-proof' in their use. Just as you had someone, who knew, show you how to use a halyard winch and bosun's chair, so should you have someone in a local caving or climbing club check you out with this 'ascendeur' gear. It won't take long, and it'll only cost a beer or two. You may even find a new source of fit, useful crew members who can re-reeve a mainsail halyard for you......

I'm not quite sure about Damo, but I'm certain Jimi has a desk diary and a copy of the CAMRA Guide, should you wish to engage his specialist knowledge......




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For climbing the mast I keep a 9mm climbers’ low stretch ‘static’ rope solely for this purpose as I am reluctant to trust my life to an aging halyard that has been exposed to UV for years. I have a thin line permanently attached to the climbing rope and it takes very little time to tie this to the tail of the main halyard and pull it completely through to the main halyard winch. There is 20 m of free rope at the winch so that if I get stuck up the mast my wife can lower me down. This is also the quickest way down as I don’t have to climb down with the ascenders. I admire the courage of you guys climbing the mast with nobody else onboard – and at sea singlehanded I take my hat off to you!

I formed a thin flat tail on the ends of all my halyards and climbing rope by cutting 100 mm out the central core (slide back the outer sheath) which just leaves a flat braid tail which is whipped or melted at the end.

It is then a very quick and easy job to attach a thin line to the halyard. I poke the line through near the end of the flat tail using a Swedish fid and secure it to the tail with a rolling hitch. A few turns of PVC tape gives a smooth taper.

I have used this method for many years and it has never let me down. It passes very easily through the masthead sheave and down the mast.
 
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....something called a Petzl Stop...as soon as you compressed the lever, you fell really rapidly and on release you came to a sudden stop...

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I think these were dubbed the "Petzl Plummet" for exactly that reason - If you get scared by the speed of descent, you instinctively grip the lever harder /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif.

I'm not sure what you will find in the way of specific training - the basic ropework is probably more important than the use of the ascenders.

If you're confident of your ropework, just practice on a low-ish tree.

I'm a bit dubious about changing over to another device for descent - that has got to be prone to errors, and you need a slack rope to ab. down, with the consequent swaying around. I would use two separate halyards - two ascenders or prussics on one for climbing, and an ascender on the second as a safety (pushed up as you go). Just climb down again when you've finished. Those foot ascenders look interesting, but difficult to change legs if you get tired.

One device I would avoid is the Petzl Tribloc (or similar):

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These rely on teeth to bite into the rope, and I managed to rip the sheath of a mates *brand new* climbing rope when using a couple. I'm glad that both the rope and the triblocs were his (reasons of guilt, not financial /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif).

Edit: Just seen John_Clarke's post about reeving a dedicated static line - that's the way to do it!

Andy
 
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