Hi
I need to do some work from a bosun's chair, and can't remember the right terminology for the method used to control the rope. Very simple, but cant think of the name of the technique used, also used for asbeiling.
Thanks, NT
... belaying
Belaying.
Putting friction on the rope so as to control descents by threading it through a karibiner*, descender, or similar.
*Nice locking karibiners around £5.50 in Toolstation.michael adams
...
Odd. My (recreational) sailors vocabulary has belay meaning to fasten or tie. Not for controlled movement.
Andy
fasten
Also can mean "Stop doing that" as in "Belay that you scurvey landlubber"
AWEM
any recommendations on where to get the rope from?
NT
If you have a Go Outdoors nearby they seem well priced for rope. Much better than B&Q.
It means MAKE FAST. I.e. get something nailed down, tied up or stopped.
Scurvy landlubber? Unlikely, seems to me :-)
Mountaineering Basics: Applying Friction: Belay Devices
Most belay devices amplify the friction of the braking hand by passing the rope through an opening and wrapping it around a post.
There are several types of belay devices from which you may choose. How does a belay device work?
michael adams
Mountaineering Basics: Applying Friction: Belay Devices
Most belay devices amplify the friction of the braking hand by passing the rope through an opening and wrapping it around a post. There are several types of belay devices from which you may choose. How does a belay device work?
michael adams
- any recommendations on where to get the rope from?
- NT
It depends on how much you need.
If you go to a mountaineering or outdoor shop you can buy proper mountaineering rope which has a woven core and a smooth outer casing but this is only available in very long lengths and so can work out very expensive. These ropes are thin however and will thread through equipment quite easily
Screwfix* do a woven white nylon rope which is guaranteed to take
21 stone, ISTR its tested to take to 4 times that weight. This is also quite expensive (from memory and presently too lazy to look it up) at around £50 for 40 metres. The minimum length. This rope is thicker around 12mm but still threads o.k.Worth the money though as its better than falling out of a tree which is what I use it for. I use very long poles to thread starter ropes through junctions on very high branches and secure it that way. Just as security rope when working off a high ladder not to climb.
Rope in places like B&Q usually doesn't usually indicate a braking strain, and is miles too expensive in any case.
michael adams
*I'm lucky. Near where I live on an industrial park Toolstation and Screwfix are two doors away from each other
which just goes to show hat mountainears dont spik proppa inglish.
A RUNNING belay is a rope looped to a piton (or equiv.) attached carabiner. Its an abortion of a term, but on common usage.
Whatever abseiling is, its not a belay.
Belay is absolutely to hold securely in a fixed place. Even if its your tongue :-)
Possibly the item the OP wants is a ratchet cleat?
Belaying in mountaineering is the same thing - it's to hold the climber in the event of a fall.
Abseiling isn't belaying. In practice, a device which works for one will probably work for the other, but that doesn't make the actions the same.
Thus michael is wrong, but mountaineers do speak proper English.
In which case climbers could simply drive a spike into the mountain or whatever, tie a rope to that, and then tie that rope to their harness. No need to fork out all this dosh on all these aluminium gadgets at up to £50 a pop.
Then having climbed his mountain, and being securely fixed in place with his belay, i.e. his spike, and his rope, with the extra big knots just to be sure, presumably the climber is going to have to stay up there forever.
Securely fixed in place.
michael adams
...
out all this
Don't be more of a prat than you have to.
A belay is tying off to a fixed place. Carabiners are there to make access to that easy. Running belays are again attaching to a fixed place. But not by a fixed length of rope.
They are streets away from a bosuns chair with either has a specific ratchet or specific friction device to control hauling up, or coming down in a controlled fashion.
These are not known as belays.
In which case why doesn't the the climber simply attach the rope directly to the harness. ?
What possible purpose is served by belaying devices ?
michael adams
...
They do.
What 'belaying devices'?
All I have ever used is carabiners and slings. Attached to Pitons.
Even for a running belay.
It was many years ago mind you. Maybe there are lazier ways for stupid people to climb rocks these days.
Half the climbers involved do precisely that.
They are there to allow belaying, ie to prevent a fall. That is their primary purpose.
Once the fall has been prevented, yes, one may want to allow a climber down. And more importantly, one will also want the belaying device to allow rope through as the climber ascends. But neither are belaying.
That's from the device's point of view. From the point of view of the person using one, yes, they are belaying - they are making sure that at all times they're in a position to hold a fall.
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