my ropes out in the rain

J

JasonCraig

well...its a long story, but basically my rope is stuck in a tree until tomorrow when a friend and i can get it down. but i know its going to rain tonight? its wrapped around the tree so its not just piled on the ground, but its still gonna get wet. but im still a rookie so im asking:
what is it going to do to my rope?
and my friction saver?
 
Wet rope is a bit weaker but I can't imagine that you ever have to worry about the strength loss. It's really more a coffee table topic.

If you have to climb on the rope, be sure to tie stopper knots below your friction hitch. Pull up about 10 plus feet of rope and tie a figure eight on a bite. With the stopper in place you'll only slide down half the distance to the stopper before you stop. Better than taking a grounder.

When I give out new ropes to our junior climbers and whenever I give out gear to new climbers I tell them that they have to use stopper knots. This little bit of safety could save a life or limb. In rock climbing this is pretty much SOP. I'm surprised taht arbos haven'e adopted the protocol.
 
That's a very interesting study.

I wonder if the same results would come out of a study with arbo ropes. Since arbo ropes aren't as dynamic as mountaineering ropes there could be a difference.

The study says that up to a 30% strength loss could be expected. Since arbos typically climb on a doubled rope system the actual strength loss, in pounds, doesn't seem, to me anyway, as concerning as in mountaineering situations.

The very last paragraph is worth noting:

This additional information is provided here not only to suggest that thicker ropes may be safer in case of bad weather, but also as a warning to those who may be wishing to extend the evaluations discussed in this paper to other types of rope.
 
I've always been under the assumption that water is harmless to your ropes. When mine gets wet I use that as an excuse to wash em, or I'll hang em with a fan blowing on em overnight.
 
Backup lines

i'd usually say pull another rope up in it's place; even hitch wet rope to short throwline piece then that to the dry rope, to remove and replace all at once. Really would have tried to leave throwline in place overnight as better option. FS makes that more difficult; though could creatively modify installation procedure to have left just thrwoline in too in most cases i'd think. You still could try to thread it with throwline, as you puilled rope out, then thread another line in, nose taped to thrwoline and try to get thru rings.

Once again elasticity for dynamic absorbtion can be the more delicate, and finer quanity of change to watch; than the more 'macho' tensile strength.

Nice study, will have to put link on site!
 
Re: Backup lines

[ QUOTE ]
Hey Jason
How come you couldn't bring down the rope?

[/ QUOTE ]I'd bet he tried to use to large of a knot to retrieve the FS. Well Jason? Do I get a cookie?
 
Re: Backup lines

sorry, no cookie.
actually, i was setting my friction saver, and somehow when pulling the rope through the second ring it went over the loop and i didnt notice (cant figure out how it happened), and when i pulled it caused a knot at the friction saver. it didnt allow the tail to come all the way down so i coulndt footlock. and im too afraid of the holding capacity of the knot that i wont SRT it, and theres not enough rope left to do anything else. so a buddy and i are climbing tomorrow to get it.

made me realize its time to have a back up line. /forum/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forum/images/graemlins/bur2.gif /forum/images/graemlins/egg.gif /forum/images/graemlins/zbanghead.gif
 
Re: Backup lines

My 4' friction saver has developed a fair amount of twist. When I'm pulling it into the tree it wants to roll and twist up. I've acually had it twist 180*, so when my rope gets threaded through the eyes, it's weaved through them (make sense?). Anyway, I've found that standing as far to the side of the limb as I can lays it out better when I'm raising it up, so the twist doesn't happen. If I'm pulling it straight up I can end up with strange knots and twisting. I don't know if thats what you're talking about and I hope I made sense. I also use my 2' f'saver whenever I can. (both Buckingham) /forum/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
Re: Backup lines

JAson I know the feeling. I have had my rope stuck plenty of times over the years. However, I'm sure you know that a simple throw line attched might have saved you all this hassel.Your line always seems to get stuck when you least expect it or we just plain get lazy .

I quit using the flat standard Fs for the twisty reason and Back spliced my owen out of sixteen strand with a biner on one end.No more twisting and easier to set.

Greg

Greg
 
[ QUOTE ]
When rope is wet it is weaker but once it drys it regains it original strength
Here's a link to a test done on wet and frozen ropes
http://www.singingrock.cz/article.asp?nArticleID=535&nLanguageID=2

[/ QUOTE ]
WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOAA, let's keep the apples'n'oranges in separate bins.
NYLON/polyamide weakens when wet; polyester doesn't much at all.
My quick scan of NERopes & Samson (who neglect such details re Velocity!?)
shows much polyester (PP same).

.:. relax, re strength

(-;
 
i think nylon is more unique in the synthetics in water absorbtion, the other synthetics don't absorb as much, so don't have the temporary problem with the water.

Though, natural fibers can absorb much more, but the effect inverted to a strength gain to ~2x the nylon loss i think (manilla especially?); due to water loading in fiber rather than around i think. But they can double in weight to do so!
 
Re: Backup lines

just in case anyone is still checking this out...when i went to go get my rope down with another arborist, someone had cut my rope head high. talk about angry.
well, now im getting a new rope, any quick suggestions ( i bet that could start a whole other discussion) . I'm also confused on the throw line your talking about, i was putting it up with the throw line. thats what i pulled it through the second ring with. what do you mean?
 
Re: Backup lines

i had true blue. and well...i didnt have any problems really. im thinking im going with blue streak maybe...what do ya think?

i just kinda want to try another rope, dont know why..maybe just for the "new gear high" /forum/images/graemlins/boink.gif /forum/images/graemlins/elefant.gif
 
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