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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd">
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<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" />
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<title>CUCC Expo Rigging Handbook: Expo-specific rigging tricks</title>
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<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="../../css/main2.css" />
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<h2 id="tophead"> CUCC Expo Rigging Handbook</h2>
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<h1>Exotic rigging tricks: pendules, tyroleans, ...</h1>
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<p>There are many obscure tricks of rigging that are specific to the case of
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exploration, and are rarely used in UK-style SRT.</p>
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<h4>Pendules</h4>
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<p>A pendule is a technique for crossing a void more or less horizontally. It
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can only be rigged if you can get to both ends. The essential idea is to
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suspend a length of rope loosely across the pitch, anchored securely at both
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ends. To pass it, rig your descender on the rope and descend, as you would a
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normal pitch. Once the loop of rope below, going back up to the anchor at the
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far end, starts to become tight, attach your jammers to it and pull rope
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through until they take your weight; now prusik on this side, pausing to let
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out the rope through your descender as needed.</p>
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<p>There are a number of pendules <a href="../../fixaid.htm">left rigged</a> in
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CUCC's caves, to avoid having to repeat death-defying climbs and traverses that
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were originally used to reach the far ends.</p>
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<p>Practice above ground suggests that pendules work very badly unless
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the hole below is reasonably deep, probably at least half as deep as the length
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of the pendule; otherwise you end up prusiking against the force of the tension
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in the near-side rope to avoid hitting the deck, which is extremely hard
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work.</p>
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<h4>Tyrolean traverses</h4>
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<!-- This needs work. I haven't actually ever done a tyrolean underground, and
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I think it shows! -->
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<p>A tyrolean is used in much the same places as a pendule - roughly horizontal
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traverses across voids - but is much more difficult to rig, and dangerous if
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not rigged right. The idea is to have a tensioned line across, which you can
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then run a pulley along.</p>
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<p>The risk inherent in this is that of a <i>t-hang</i>, where the tension in
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the rope for even relatively light loads becomes enormous. To rig a tyrolean
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safely, really massive anchors are needed at each end - big naturals with
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backups, or multiple spits - with a completely independent backup line rigged
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parallel to the main line (but not under tension). A Z-rig or something similar
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can be used to tension the rope.</p>
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<p>Tyroleans are also important in rescue rigs, where they can be the only safe
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way to transport a stretcher across a traverse; this lies out of the scope of
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this guide, and is well covered in <i>Life on a line</i> (available online
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somewhere; on Exo there should be a copy in the tatty hut.)</p>
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<h4>Rope protectors</h4>
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<p>Rope protectors have now all but disappeared from sport caving in the UK,
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and I think it is fair to consider them an Expo-specific trick; I have never
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used a protector except in Austria.</p>
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<p>A protector is essentially a sleeve of tough material that wraps around the
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rope with Velcro, and can then be clipped into place with a bulldog clip at the
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rub point. They are more or less self-explanatory to use - just remove the
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tector when you reach it and replace it once you've passed the rub point; I
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include them here because it is easy to forget that they exist. As a general
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principle, it's probably not a good idea to use them on trade routes, but they
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are ideal for the situation where you just want to descend a pitch quickly to
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find out if it goes or not (but don't forget to rerig later if it does go
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somewhere significant!)</p>
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<p>If you don't have a tector handy, it's often possible to improvise using an
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empty tackle sack or dangly bag - you may need to hold it in place until your
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weight is across it on the rope, which should then keep it secure.</p>
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<hr />
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<ul id="links">
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<li><a href="../index.htm">Expedition Handbook</a> - Contents
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<ul>
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<li><a href="index.htm">Rigging Guide</a>
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<ul>
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<li><a href="intro.htm">Introduction</a></li>
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<li><a href="boltplace.html">Choosing bolt locations</a></li>
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<li><a href="boltin.htm">The mechanics of placing a bolt</a></li>
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<li>Expo-specific rigging tricks</li>
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</ul></li>
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<li><a href="../look4.htm">Prospecting guide</a></li>
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<li><a href="../survey/index.htm">Surveying guide</a></li>
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<li><a href="../rescue.htm">Rescue guide</a></li>
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<li><a href="../photo.htm">Photography guide</a></li>
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</ul></li>
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<li><a href="../../infodx.htm">Index to info/topics pages</a></li>
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<li><a href="../../indxal.htm">Full Index to area 1623</a>
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<ul>
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<li><a href="../../areas.htm">Area/subarea descriptions</a></li>
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</ul></li>
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<li><a href="../../index.htm">Back to Expedition Intro page</a></li>
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<li><a href="../../../index.htm">Back to CUCC Home page</a></li>
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</ul>
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</body>
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</html>
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