[Towertalk] RE: Double protection - climbing

[Dick Green]

Don,

Can you tell us the length of each cowtail and the size rope? Did you make
them yourself? Do they attach directly to the chest ring or via carabiners
or gorilla hooks? Do you use carabiners or gorilla hooks for the tower end?
What kind of knots are used for the attachment points?

When you say "climb with the cowtails", are you using them to hoist your
self up, or just alternately snapping them into place for safety? Do you use
the cowtails to hold you when resting on the way up, or do you set up the
hip positioning lanyard for this?

73, Dick WC1M

> -----Original Message-----
> From: towertalk-admin@contesting.com
> [mailto:towertalk-admin@contesting.com]On Behalf Of K4BEV@aol.com
> Sent: Tuesday, December 17, 2002 8:02 PM
> To: towertalk@contesting.com; dick.green@valley.net
> Subject: Re: [Towertalk] RE: Double protection - climbing
>
>
> In a message dated 12/17/02 17:25:44 Central Standard Time,
> dick.green@valley.net writes:
>
>
> > Second, the text talks about making your own cowtails from
> climbing static
> > line, and they really should be fall-arrest lanyards.
>
> Hi Dick,
> I respectfully disagree with the above statement. I use the
> cowtail method.
> The cowtails are not fall-arrest lanyards, but rather short regular rope.
> Mine are tied to the front D-Ring and are just long enough to
> reach the next
> rung.
> When climbing I put the fall-arrest lanyard as high as I can get
> it and climb
> to it using the cowtails. Then move the FAL up again and repeat.
> This way I'm
> always tied to the tower by at least two lanyards. I also ALWAYS
> maintain a
> personal 3 point connection to the tower until I put the
> positioning lanyards
> to use. They don't go around the tower, but through it. One on
> either hip to
> the opposite hip. The cowtails are usually still attached too if I'm not
> going to be moving around a lot. But when I do move I use them
> till I'm in
> place.
> If I loose my footing I assure you I'm not going to fall very
> far, and I'm
> not going to be caught by 1 hip either.
>
> 73 and be safe,
> Don - K4BEV
>
>
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