[Towertalk] Knots: engage brain, save your life.

[Jerry Connelly]

Engage brain, save your life???  How much is your life worth?
Mine is worth enough that I would think twice about using just
anything (even for a safety line).  My tower is short (only 40')
but most of my climbing is industrial (work related).  I use only
belts, body harness, safety lines that are designed and rated for
this type of use.  Most of my climbing is not at extreme heights above
ground but rather over deep mining shafts (some exceeding 1,500 feet down).
Here on this reflector we tend to beat to death some subjects and overlook
some
very obvious and important things.  There are many things we can invent or
redesign to make our stations excell and even save some money.
Climbing gear should not be one of them.
My $0.02 worth.
JerryC
KC8TES



----- Original Message -----
From: "Barry Kirkwood" <bjk@ihug.co.nz>
To: "Tower Talk" <towertalk@contesting.com>
Sent: Monday, December 23, 2002 1:56 AM
Subject: [Towertalk] Knots: engage brain, save your life.


Far be it from me to get in the way of anyone bent on self destruction.
But I do feel some moral obligation to correct things which are not only
wrong, but dangerously wrong when they put innocent people in danger.

We are not talking Cal 40s, neither are we talking tying aircraft to carrier
decks, or lashing together sticks for Boy Scout exercises.

We are talkng about knots suitable for tying support lines for personal
safety when working at heights.

A major variable is the cordage itself. There seems to be some awareness
that special techniques are required to knot monofilament fishing lines, and
the same goes for other forms of cordage to a greater or lesser degree.

In the case of a lanyard tied to a safety belt or harness, much time may be
spent with the knot under no load and brushed as the wearer moves around. If
the lanyard is of, say, hemp rope, then the odds are that a simple bowline
well snugged down will not come free of its own accord. On the other hand
the same knot in a polypropylene line in the same situation will likely undo
itself in minutes.

Cordage is a topic in itself, and a subset of the topic is the range of
knots, splices and terminations appropriate to a particular type of line in
a particular application.

Statements of the sort " a bowline with a half hitch on top will be
perfectly safe" are dangerous and irresponsible.

Bowlines are fine, but if used in the applications of which I speak I would
advise seizing or taping the tail of the bowline to the standing part.

So far as jib sheets on yachts are concerned:  It is known (at least out
here) that bowlines in jib sheets do come undone, mainly because thay do not
get properly snugged down when crews are changing sail under pressure of
time.

I do advocate serious study of techniques and equipment used by sport
climbers.  The application is all about personal safety when hanging off the
end of a line.

Again I would stress that I am not an expert. As mentioned before,
instruction and healthy exercise can be obtained in visit of only an hour or
two at rock gymnasiums which can be found in many cities. The same
information is available on websites, but nothing beats personal
instruction. Cost is minimal.

How much is your life worth?

73

Barry

end
Barry Kirkwood PhD ZL1DD
Signal Hill Homestay
66 Cory Road
Palm Beach
Waiheke Island 1240
NEW ZEALAND
ph/fax 64-9-372-5161
www.waiheke.co.nz/signal.htm

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