lowerable base ties

[billpierce]

I know lots of people talk about the maths involved with base ties but I often wonder in practice if it's the case. If the rope is base tied and spread through some forks I don't know if it would be much more than a top tie

I kind of thought this also. Having recently broken an anchor point in an oak using a srt base tie, I'd say the theory is spot on. I would have 100% trusted the anchor drt. It snapped having climbed the whole tree, but when swinging to another tree it failed.

[jfc]

I use base ties sometimes but prefer to advance my tip as I ascend the tree. That way I can put it as high as needed. I don't do a lot of srt though and haven't established an absolute favourite system. Dismantling Connies doesn't require srt!

[Tommy_B]

2 hours ago, billpierce said:

5 hours ago, Tommy_B said:

I know lots of people talk about the maths involved with base ties but I often wonder in practice if it's the case. If the rope is base tied and spread through some forks I don't know if it would be much more than a top tie

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I kind of thought this also. Having recently broken an anchor point in an oak using a srt base tie, I'd say the theory is spot on. I would have 100% trusted the anchor drt. It snapped having climbed the whole tree, but when swinging to another tree it failed.

Do you think it was the lateral force that did it?

[MattyF]

Don’t like others near my rope with saws and I don’t like the thought of a large falling branch hitting a taught line, I don’t like the forces envolved on an anchor or the extra rope in the system giving you more bounce .. base tying really for me is only an access thing if I can’t isolate anchor or uncertain of its suitability.

[billpierce]

15 minutes ago, Tommy_B said:

Do you think it was the lateral force that did it?

Will have been a bad combination of lateral force, base tie, and me pulling the climbers rope so as to swing him over to the tree. Thankfully nobody hurt but a horrible moment as the branch broke and I essentially pulled my pal out of the tree. Hard to say I suppose but I am certain the base tie was a big factor in the anchor failure, but it was also the base anchor which broke his fall somewhat as the rope fell through the tree.

[carlos]

15 minutes ago, MattyF said:

Don’t like others near my rope with saws and I don’t like the thought of a large falling branch hitting a taught line, I don’t like the forces envolved on an anchor or the extra rope in the system giving you more bounce .. base tying really for me is only an access thing if I can’t isolate anchor or uncertain of its suitability.

same here really, somtimes base tie to a different tree out of the way if its just a quick bit of work on the tree.

top tie for me just feels better, safer and easier to use.

[Sambo]

27 minutes ago, MattyF said:

Don’t like others near my rope with saws and I don’t like the thought of a large falling branch hitting a taught line, I don’t like the forces envolved on an anchor or the extra rope in the system giving you more bounce .. base tying really for me is only an access thing if I can’t isolate anchor or uncertain of its suitability.

Put simply, why would you knowingly add more force than necessary to any system? - be it climbing or rigging!

[MattyF]

Put simply, why would you knowingly add more force than necessary to any system? - be it climbing or rigging!

Sadly though as with most things I can see rules for SRT being written in the future and as rescue plays a big part now in risk assessments on sites, maybe enforced as a suitable solution to the grey areas of SRT... I dunno but it to me is more of thing for folk who like playing with ropes who don’t actually do day in and tree work.

[Khriss]

9 hours ago, Dan Maynard said:

Yeah I know, in fact that tree also made me think I need to get into SRT.

 Definitely saw the light with SRT. However you do have to think more- using it. K