Steve Connally
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Suffolk, Virginia
I dDrt off the ball
Rope Length
- Thread starter Steve Connally
- Start date
treehumper
Carpal tunnel level member
- Location
- Ridgefield, NJ
Like Mark said. You need to have enough rope to be able to bail out and reach the ground. That's it's purpose and deciding it's length on any other basis is a fool's game.
My rope is 200' I'll carry it up in my bag (a Metolius) then depending on how it can be worked, will either set it to enable me to move to the next pick or leave it there if the crane is going to be the better move. That changes throughout the operation sometimes. I've done trees where I could set my rope, drop down to attach the slings, drop down to the cut then once the piece is clear move to the next point to attach the slings. The next pick and it's riding the ball to set it. It's all about communicating the moves.
My rope is 200' I'll carry it up in my bag (a Metolius) then depending on how it can be worked, will either set it to enable me to move to the next pick or leave it there if the crane is going to be the better move. That changes throughout the operation sometimes. I've done trees where I could set my rope, drop down to attach the slings, drop down to the cut then once the piece is clear move to the next point to attach the slings. The next pick and it's riding the ball to set it. It's all about communicating the moves.
My crane experience (200+ trees), and that of the guys I learned from, suggests that when it goes bad on a crane job, it goes REAL bad. I want to be able to reach the ground from anywhere in the tree. I'm with Mark and treehumper. Whatever length rope guarantees me reaching the ground is what I'll use.
chris_girard
Branched out member
- Location
- Gilmanton, N.H.
Shorter rope for me on crane work. Never longer than 100'
If I have to ever bail out, I would set a running bowline and use my small figure-8 to descend. Carrying extra rope length for crane work (at least for me) is a waste of time when you always have an 8 on your harness.
If I have to ever bail out, I would set a running bowline and use my small figure-8 to descend. Carrying extra rope length for crane work (at least for me) is a waste of time when you always have an 8 on your harness.
The problem with that is on the ride up you are aready tied in DRT. If a problem arises above or in the canopy before you can untie .... you'll need all the rope required for a fast DRT retreat. Be careful man. Climb safe.
Agreed, and by the time you get all that stuff set up to rap out of the tree you could be dead. What comes to mind in pine trees. In NH we have some tall ones. Very often I like to set the climber in the top. That means I have to cable them all the way up, sometimes 100 feet before I can swing them into the top and then cable them down. If something went wrong before I get them to the tree, its nice to know that they can get down on their own.
Used to enjoy watching Discovery Channel "Mayday" episodes featuring aircraft mishaps and their subsequent investigations. Weird how many things can bring down a plane.
So, with the limited crane climber experience I've had to date, I'm wondering what kind of circumstances or problems are we talking about here to mandate a fast descent? An Alfred Hitchcockian attack of starlings? The crane catching on fire? An operator having a psychotic breakdown? I mean, some of you guys are pretty adamant that crane work is safer than climbing...do what dangers are we talking about here?
Are these concerns based on real events that have actually happened to climbers, or theoretical remote hypotheticals?
Well, The biggest thing I can think of, and has happened to me is Bees. I was placed into a very thick maple tree and about 5 feet from a large black faced hornists nest. By the time I could tell what was going on I was stung a few time. they hurt too. I was able to very quickly rap out of the tree. They were coming for me. If I stayed much longer to setup things bacause I was not prepared for a rapid decent, it would have ended bad. But I just boogied out of the tree.
I've been in a National before when the truck died. A bad battery cable left me sitting in gaffs leaning in my lanyard with the pick choked off. So I waited for the repair. This was a 90-100' white pine. This could have happened before I got near the tree. Crane work can be safe as well as the dangers tree work in general. It's safe practice to be able to bail out for any reason. @ROYCE"s example of bees is a good one.
Noted! I just saw one the other day in a magazine. I will send the info your way.
Great question. A quick list of "problems" might include...
- insects/animals (per @ROYCE) and potential allergic reaction
- chainsaw injury, such as when making an awkward cut with a big saw and suddenly gaffing out or kick-back with a top-handle saw
- crushed hand, arm, leg, torso, etc. if a piece swings wrong, is out of balance or has too much tension from the crane before being cut free
- struck-by from limb broken when lowering the hook/slings through dense canopy
There are probably lots more.
Craig
allmark
Participating member
Same thing happened to me before with white face hornets. Definitely glad I had the right length of rope.
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