Pulling down a half-fallen section of trunk

[coppicer]

I have a sort of green lane partially blocked by a half-fallen tree, like so:

 

 

It looks to me as if a tug with a 4x4 would do the trick. The plan is to then cut it up and dispose of it or use it for firewood if it's not too far gone. I have more falls of this kind to deal with further down the track, most of which look pretty innocuous. I don't plan to be skidding these any distance, I just want to get them safely on the ground.

 

My thought was to use a choker chain to wrap round the trunk, attach one end of a rope to the chain and the other end of the rope to the tow bar. Pull. Sophisticated eh?

 

What I don't know is:

1) Choker chain, whether they're all the same.

2) What kind of rope I should use.

3) How (which knot?) to attach rope to choker chain.

4) Best way to attach rope to towbar.

 

Any advice welcome!

 

TIA

[Steve Bullman]

Looks pretty small. Wouldn't even bother with a choker chain. A piece of rope will do it....something decent quality and 16mm. Wrap it round the trunk with a running bowline, and use a bowline to attach it to your towbar.

[Daythe trees]

Looks small enough to attach with a timber hitch with a rope similar to what Steve said then use the towbar as a redirect at a distance of say five metres and pull the rope form what you deem a safe distance by hand. Does that make sense? Oh and don't loop the rope around your hand for extra grip incase you need to let go in a hurry.

[coppicer]

Thanks to yourself and Steve - bowline and running bowline being studied. Is there a specific type of rope I should use? This kind of stuff looks expensive:

Marlow 16mm x 4m Dead Eye | Clark Forest : Rigging

[Steve Bullman]

to be honest a scrap piece of rope would probably do it. It really doesn't look like it has any weight in it from what I can see from the pic

[Steve Bullman]

both the running bowline and bowline are in the knot app by the way, if you have an iphone or android

[openspaceman]

Looks pretty small. Wouldn't even bother with a choker chain. A piece of rope will do it....something decent quality and 16mm. Wrap it round the trunk with a running bowline, and use a bowline to attach it to your towbar.

 

Timber hitch round the trunk and a sheepshank to connect to vehicle, then everything will come undone when you want it to, after giving it some welly.

[coppicer]

to be honest a scrap piece of rope would probably do it. It really doesn't look like it has any weight in it from what I can see from the pic

Fair enough. Suppose I do meet something a bit further down the road that does have weight? Is there rope made specifically for winching?

[tree_beard]

Fair enough. Suppose I do meet something a bit further down the road that does have weight? Is there rope made specifically for winching?

 

Steel cable...

 

But for your needs I'd get summit cheap and dirty. Cheap and chunky staplesspun polypropylene 18-20 mm. Bit stretchy but you won't break it and it's hard wearing. And about a quid a meter

[Daythe trees]

Winching tends to be cable or dyneema not standard hawser or kern mantle rope. Where are you? I have a length of 16mm hawser laid nylon Marlow lowering rope which would do you. I prefer the timber hitch for ground work as it's so easy to tie and undo. Not good for lowering as it loosens if the tension is lost.