This is a crossover technique from high angle rigging (traverse line, human carry ziplines, cargo carry ziplines) .
it involves the use of two KOOTENAY CARRIAGE pulleys, with the pulley locked off using supplied dual lock pins (see image) This will prevent the pulley from rotating and creates a static anchor bollard.
First, anchor (using eye & eye sling, steel locking biner) a Kootenay pulley at the ground point. Lock the pins. Take the end of the speedline rope and wrap 3 - 4 times around the pulley (TENSIONLESS HITCH). Take the tail and tie a Fig 8 eye loop and insert a locking carabiner. Clip the biner to the rope exiting the Kootenay pulley. This is the strongest hitch known to riggers, as it retains 100% of the ropes strength (no knots) (see image):
(in this case it will be wrapped around the pulley, instead of a tree. The pulley does not rotate, it is now a fixed anchor point, due to the lock pins)
next, your climber takes the other end of the speedline rope, a second Kootenay pulley, anchor sling and 2 locking biners, ascends the tree, and rigs it the same way as on the ground (anchor strap around the trunk, steel locking biner in the strap and pulley frame). As the climber wraps the 2nd tenionless hitch up in the tree, he will tension the speedline rope at this time. Complete the hitch, tie a inline fig 8 loop and clip the locking biner into it and the speedline rope (see image above). (There will be ample leftover rope , coil it and tie it so it is out of the way. As you move the rigging up the tree that excess rope will be used up)
Now you can clip in your speedline pulley and slings, or just use biners and slings. attach you limb, fire it down to the ground crew.
When the climber wants to move up the tree, he does the following: unclip the locking biner on the tensionless hitch, undo the fig8 knot and feed more rope thru the pulley. Move it higher up, tension the speedline as you re-wrap the tensionless hitch and clip off the hitch as before.
The beauty of this system is there is NO knot to weaken the ropes strength rating at either of the connecting points (ground or tree). The figure 8 loop used to finish the hitch, DOES NOT bear any load, it is a simple (and REQUIRED) back up. The strength of the hitch is the rope wraps - as little as two wraps will prevent the rope from slipping. 3 wraps is recomended, 4 - 6 is overkill.
something different for you. I have used this sytem to to rig highlines, cargo lines, and building to building horizontal ziplines (for stretchers and rescue personel). It can be rigged with arb rope or static line, up to 3/4" diameter ropes. The pulleys are a little bigger, yes, but you get a rock solid anchor point with zero strength loss in the rope, because there are no knots in the load bearing stream of the rope. It would be suitable for zipping down limbs, so they dont crash into a house, or other structure under the tree.
A simpler version is where you rig a tensionless hitch around the trunk, but there is some strength loss if the rope is not protected from the rough bark. Use a padded canvas wrap.
this setup is best used for ziplining limbs down, and NOT trunk pieces. Observe the load ratings of the Kootenay pulley please.
if you gonna bomb big stuff, dont use the Kootenay, wrap the tensionless hitch around the trunk, over a padded canvas wrap.
enjoy.
it involves the use of two KOOTENAY CARRIAGE pulleys, with the pulley locked off using supplied dual lock pins (see image) This will prevent the pulley from rotating and creates a static anchor bollard.
First, anchor (using eye & eye sling, steel locking biner) a Kootenay pulley at the ground point. Lock the pins. Take the end of the speedline rope and wrap 3 - 4 times around the pulley (TENSIONLESS HITCH). Take the tail and tie a Fig 8 eye loop and insert a locking carabiner. Clip the biner to the rope exiting the Kootenay pulley. This is the strongest hitch known to riggers, as it retains 100% of the ropes strength (no knots) (see image):
(in this case it will be wrapped around the pulley, instead of a tree. The pulley does not rotate, it is now a fixed anchor point, due to the lock pins)
next, your climber takes the other end of the speedline rope, a second Kootenay pulley, anchor sling and 2 locking biners, ascends the tree, and rigs it the same way as on the ground (anchor strap around the trunk, steel locking biner in the strap and pulley frame). As the climber wraps the 2nd tenionless hitch up in the tree, he will tension the speedline rope at this time. Complete the hitch, tie a inline fig 8 loop and clip the locking biner into it and the speedline rope (see image above). (There will be ample leftover rope , coil it and tie it so it is out of the way. As you move the rigging up the tree that excess rope will be used up)
Now you can clip in your speedline pulley and slings, or just use biners and slings. attach you limb, fire it down to the ground crew.
When the climber wants to move up the tree, he does the following: unclip the locking biner on the tensionless hitch, undo the fig8 knot and feed more rope thru the pulley. Move it higher up, tension the speedline as you re-wrap the tensionless hitch and clip off the hitch as before.
The beauty of this system is there is NO knot to weaken the ropes strength rating at either of the connecting points (ground or tree). The figure 8 loop used to finish the hitch, DOES NOT bear any load, it is a simple (and REQUIRED) back up. The strength of the hitch is the rope wraps - as little as two wraps will prevent the rope from slipping. 3 wraps is recomended, 4 - 6 is overkill.
something different for you. I have used this sytem to to rig highlines, cargo lines, and building to building horizontal ziplines (for stretchers and rescue personel). It can be rigged with arb rope or static line, up to 3/4" diameter ropes. The pulleys are a little bigger, yes, but you get a rock solid anchor point with zero strength loss in the rope, because there are no knots in the load bearing stream of the rope. It would be suitable for zipping down limbs, so they dont crash into a house, or other structure under the tree.
A simpler version is where you rig a tensionless hitch around the trunk, but there is some strength loss if the rope is not protected from the rough bark. Use a padded canvas wrap.
this setup is best used for ziplining limbs down, and NOT trunk pieces. Observe the load ratings of the Kootenay pulley please.
if you gonna bomb big stuff, dont use the Kootenay, wrap the tensionless hitch around the trunk, over a padded canvas wrap.
enjoy.
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