Floating Anchor

[tod_k]

I keep finding a bunch of pics I did not know we had. Here is my S.R.T. set up. I really like using a floating anchor when ever possiable.

 

[RescueMan]

Define and describe "floating anchor".

 

[Icabod]

This may be a stupid question, is the rope grab above the handled ascender a backup?
Also what's with the pulley?

 

[Tom Dunlap]

TK,

Interesting link between the Microcender and the handled. If you can ever pick up an ISC ascender do it. The ISC has a frame that's milled out of aluminum bar stock which is much stronger than the plate stock. Also, the cam has a better curve. The part of the shell that comes around the rope is much longer so it is much less likely to allow the rope to jump out of the cam.

The picture is of Denny Moorhouse at his factory in Wales. He is inspecting a shell that has been in the deburring tumbler. When I was there I got to see all of the processes for making the ascenders. I wish I had more pictures.

Is the pulley a Harken ratchet? Nice application. A caution from the engineers at Harken though. Be careful of making long, fast drops. The speed will generate more friction than the unit can dissipate. After the SCA tour of the plant a cuople of summers ago, I stayed around to chat with Loren and Dave. We got to go and pick the brains of the engineers and designers. What a trip!

 

[Rupe]

Nice set up Tod. I've been meaning to try something like that but not got round to it yet. I'm assuming that your climbing system goes on to the pulley and that the single line is anchord at the base of the tree so that it can all be retrieved, hence "floating anchor" I've got one large low branch to remove from an Ash tree this morning so might give it a go. I saw a method of ascent recently where you put the single line below the handled through a grigri on your harness and back up to a pulley at the top of the handled and pull down on the tail end, giving a 3:1 advantage. Might try that out, otherwise I guess its just a single line footlock.

 

[Rupe]

Denny has always been a legend over here in the rock climbing fraternity since his days at DMM (Denny Moorhouse Mountaineering) His input into the Arb world through ISC has been gratefully received.

 

[tod_k]

Rescueman, Floating Anchor is S.R.T. system were I footlock the single rope with the set up in the photo. The advantage is that you do not have to ascent to the tie in point to have the advantage of that tie in point. A climber can get to work faster and get material to the ground faster to keep the whole crew busy. Icabod, you are correct. Tom, thanks for the beta. Greg went to Italy and met with Harkin people at there testing facilaty. He asked about the application of these blocks. They did not seem to concerned. I can see were high speed could be a problem.I keep my descending under control. I do not have the paper work in front of me but the block has a tensile of 7000 lbs. and a SWL of something like 5000lbs, interesting?

 

[TreeJunkie]

Tod,
Nice set up, this is almost exactly the same set up i'm using as well. Minus the $110 ratcheting block. Wish i had the extra money to blow.
Mark was showing this system off at Tci-baltimore, thus where i got the idea. However up until you i hadn't seen any other climbers using it. I love this system it really kicks but. However the technique for ascending isn't exactly like standard footlocking, and it can really wear into your shoes pretty quickly.
What is the short piece of tan rope hanging off the handle for?

 

[Kevin]

ISC excels at quality but their customer service stinks, it's the worst I've experienced in the tree industry.

 

[tod_k]

The tan cord is a leash I use while ascending, it is at a perfect arms reach. When I go to work I tie an inline clove hitch to the biner. It acts like yet another back up. If for some reacon both cams came off the rope the gear is still connected. Plus it helps with retrieval. I have had the cams get stuck and the rope pull through them. The block is NOT a racheting type.

 

[Mahk_Adams]

Tod;

What format are your pics? I haven't been able to open any of them.

Mahk

 

[TreeJunkie]

Good idea about the leash. Do you cary up your rope your going to be working on? I carry mine up in back pack. Otherwise if find it to be dangling in the wrong place quite often. Makes ascending much easier. I can usually work our a good portion of the tree with the rope and pack still on, thus hopefully, eliminating the amount of times i will have to redirect my tail.
The reason i asked if the block was ratcheting, is b/c the only other person i've seen using a HARKEN block, well, they use what i believe to be an 8-1 ratcheting block. I looked into it just too much $$$. So i'm using a Micropulley instead.

Here's a pic of mine in motion.

 

[TreeJunkie]

Another pic, maybe a little better.

 

[tod_k]

Mahk, sorry but my computer skills are weak, I do not know. I use the Harkin block because there are times I only work off of it for half the tree and must reposition then I use a RG. The splice does not fit through a CMI micropulley. Plus the bigger block of the Harkin is super smooth and my climbing line reacts better because of the bend ratio.

 

[TreeJunkie]

"When I go to work I tie an inline clove hitch to the biner. It acts like yet another back up. If for some reacon both cams came off the rope the gear is still connected. Plus it helps with retrieval. I have had the cams get stuck and the rope pull through them. "
Can your explain this a little further, this seems a little fuzzy to me. Do you mean that you are tying a clove w/ the short lanyard around the falling end of your line? Do you have a pic of it setup like this? As a back up for my system i'll throw in a biner/stopper below the two ascenders; in case the fail, however i figure it very improbable for both to actualy come off rope.

What rope do you prefer for ascending upon this system? I was using this system w/ km111 w/ a pantin. However i find it quicker to f/lock but the km111 i have found quite difficult to f/l. I switched over to the fly for the system, however i find my ascenders work even better on the km111 and i prefer the true static line a little more. For feel and less bounce while working. What is your preference?

 

[Rupe]

Does the biner through the top of the petzl handled not stop the cam from opening thus creating a safe system. The rope grab above is then further protection against slippage, is further protection required? I tried this system the other day for the first time and other than problems getting used to footlocking on a single line, it works great. We wear chainsaw boots here and footlocking is not as easy as with my comp/handsaw only boots, and even harder on single line. Or maybe its just all the pies that I've eaten this year!

 

[tod_k]

The leash gets tied to the ascending line. I am also using KMIII. A caribiner in the top of the handled ascender helps the rope stay in line with the cam but is no means a back up. I would not be comfortable ascending or working off one cam without a back up. There are a few people here that back up the handled ascender with a hitch, personal preferance.I will try to post.

 

[Kevin]

I use a hitch as well ...

 

[TreeJunkie]

Is that a double locking dog snap?

Tod, when you actually go to working off of this system, do you set the load onto the microscender? I'm more comfy placing the majority of the load upon this and using the toothed ascenders as more of a means of back up. I'm more comfy w/ this b/c of all of the bad things i've heard can happen if the system were to be suddenly heavily loaded.

I used to use a hitch above the handle, however i've found the microscender to be a little smoother.

F/L KM!!! is so much fun, especially when it is still nice and waxy. Love the stuff though.

I'm gonna have to try the leash attachment, this might be nice, especially if going up a ways.
Anyone else using a back pack to haul there rope up?

 

[tod_k]

On my system all of my wieght IS on the toothed cam and I do understand the limitations of this. I have put the sling of spectra going to the block on the caribiner between the cams which does spread the wieght onto both cams and slides up the rope just as well ( Mark mentioned it to me). The limitation of that was the whole system would sit at an almost 45 degree angle which looked really weird, plus the handled cam would be right on the gate closure of the caribiner maybe loading it incorrectly. I understand the limitations of my system and am comfortable with it. I carried the climbing line on my back for about a year but found it did not add any value to the task at hand. Now I throw it over my opposite shoulder and slip knot a bite to an ice clipper on the back of my harness. I have not had any aggravation of it getting tangled in the access line. I also have not noticed any additional wear on the rope which is about a year old and used maybe every other day.