# KNOTLESS speedline rigging



## SRT-Tech (Jan 2, 2007)

This is a crossover technique from high angle rigging _(traverse line, human carry ziplines, cargo carry ziplines) _.

it involves the use of two KOOTENAY CARRIAGE pulleys, with the pulley locked off using supplied dual lock pins (see image) *This will prevent the pulley from rotating and creates a static anchor bollard*.







First, anchor (_using eye & eye sling, steel locking biner_) a Kootenay pulley at the ground point. Lock the pins. _Take the end of the speedline rope and wrap 3 - 4 times around the pulley (TENSIONLESS HITCH). Take the tail and tie a Fig 8 eye loop and insert a locking carabiner. Clip the biner to the rope exiting the Kootenay pulley. _This is the strongest hitch known to riggers, as it retains 100% of the ropes strength (no knots) (see image): 








(in this case it will be wrapped around the pulley, instead of a tree. *The pulley does not rotate, it is now a fixed anchor point, due to the lock pins)*

next, your climber takes the other end of the speedline rope, a second Kootenay pulley, anchor sling and 2 locking biners, ascends the tree, and rigs it the same way as on the ground _(anchor strap around the trunk, steel locking biner in the strap and pulley frame)._ As the climber wraps the 2nd tenionless hitch up in the tree, he will tension the speedline rope at this time. Complete the hitch, tie a inline fig 8 loop and clip the locking biner into it and the speedline rope (see image above). (There will be ample leftover rope , coil it and tie it so it is out of the way. As you move the rigging up the tree that excess rope will be used up)

Now you can clip in your speedline pulley and slings, or just use biners and slings. attach you limb, fire it down to the ground crew. 

When the climber wants to move up the tree, he does the following: unclip the locking biner on the tensionless hitch, undo the fig8 knot and feed more rope thru the pulley. Move it higher up, tension the speedline as you re-wrap the tensionless hitch and clip off the hitch as before. 

The beauty of this system is there is NO knot to weaken the ropes strength rating at either of the connecting points (ground or tree). The figure 8 loop used to finish the hitch, DOES NOT bear any load, it is a simple (and REQUIRED) back up. The strength of the hitch is the rope wraps - as little as two wraps will prevent the rope from slipping. 3 wraps is recomended, 4 - 6 is overkill. 

something different for you. I have used this sytem to to rig highlines, cargo lines, and building to building horizontal ziplines (for stretchers and rescue personel). It can be rigged with arb rope or static line, up to 3/4" diameter ropes. The pulleys are a little bigger, yes, but you get a rock solid anchor point with zero strength loss in the rope, because there are no knots in the load bearing stream of the rope. It would be suitable for zipping down limbs, so they dont crash into a house, or other structure under the tree.

A simpler version is where you rig a tensionless hitch around the trunk, but there is some strength loss if the rope is not protected from the rough bark. Use a padded canvas wrap. 

this setup is best used for ziplining limbs down, and NOT trunk pieces. Observe the load ratings of the Kootenay pulley please.

if you gonna bomb big stuff, dont use the Kootenay, wrap the tensionless hitch around the trunk, over a padded canvas wrap. 

enjoy.


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## TheTreeSpyder (Jan 3, 2007)

el Questions-

(i think) A version of "Tensionless Hitch" that the Bitters/ tail/ krab connects to another device; and does not come back around and bend it's own Standing Part is more correct? The line will always be under tension when loaded; so i take tension less to mean, not increasing/ multiplying that tension by bending the loaded Standing Part. Would the increased slip/ rotation of not using textured surface of tree, give more slip/slide around to line, to then bend Standing more? What about a version that traps Bitters under 1 or more turns, then as final safety back to bend Standing if necessary? 

What is the sheave diameter of (knot passing)pulley, and subsequent strength loss to this bight?

Nice trick with this knot passing(?) pulley; looks fancy enough to be bearing? Pins protect bearings from impact loading?

Inquiring minds needs to know;
but i'm knot crazy!


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## SRT-Tech (Jan 3, 2007)

you are correct TS, there are two versions of the Tensionless Hitch...the second one uses another pulley (kootenay) anchor point as the termination point. That version is great for high angle rigging where there is LOTS of space and anchor points to set it up, but for tree purposes the first setup is more useful. (only one pulley for the climber to move up, VS two...)

pulley diameter is quite large, the Kootenay i used was 4" diameter, I do believe newer models are slightly smaller. 

i found the carabiner resting on the mainline was a non issue, as long as the wraps are SNUG prior to loading the zipline with weight. The termination biner just sat there, dangling. FYI three to four wraps will hold a large barge from drifting and the termination clip never moves. (we had a full size film barge anchored to two stout trees on set one day. Only the first wrap an half snugged down under load). Its a great hitch.

A rougher surface (tree bark) does grip quite well, but the strength issue was more about the rough edged bark "indenting" the wraps, and possibly weakening it that way. Hence the padded canvas wrap around the trunk.


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## Kneejerk Bombas (Jan 3, 2007)

It is interesting to see how folks from disciplines other than tree work think about rope use. 
As an arborist, I would never worry about strength loss due to a knot, or friction of bark. Rather, I just keep loads under a 10 to 1 working load, keep my ropes fresh by down grading often, and if there's ever any question, pull out a bigger diameter rope or take a smaller piece.
With speedlines, I would much rather have a broken rope than a tree top break out from side loads.
When I run a speedline, I always try to go from the ground anchor, up to the tree top and then back to the other side of the tree to a second ground anchor, thereby transferring loads straight down the tree, rather than to the side.
I just hate it when tree tops break off and I fall to my death.

Another less important question I have, is whether or not it matters if the pulley sheave is locked off? 
Some of the big arborist pulleys have two sheaves, one that the bull rope spins on, and one that's only purpose is to increase the diameter of the top pin where the sling attaches, to increase bend radius. I noticed the top sheaves almost always spin freely, albeit not with bearings. This seems to indicate the sheave movement is unimportant.


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## TheTreeSpyder (Jan 3, 2007)

i think if the sheave turned the Bitters could then bend the Standing; and then not be this "Tensionless Hitch".

4" would give the 8:1 bend radius for 1/2" flexible braid.


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## SRT-Tech (Jan 4, 2007)

Mike Maas said:


> It is interesting to see how folks from disciplines other than tree work think about rope use.
> As an arborist, I would never worry about strength loss due to a knot, or friction of bark. Rather, I just keep loads under a 10 to 1 working load, keep my ropes fresh by down grading often, and if there's ever any question, pull out a bigger diameter rope or take a smaller piece.
> With speedlines, I would much rather have a broken rope than a tree top break out from side loads.
> When I run a speedline, I always try to go from the ground anchor, up to the tree top and then back to the other side of the tree to a second ground anchor, thereby transferring loads straight down the tree, rather than to the side.
> ...



i'll answer the locking sheave question first. When using a Tensionless hitch, if you DONT lock the sheave, the wraps tighten as the pulley rotates and more load (a sideload) is placed on the mainline rope by the carabiner. Whereas when the the sheaves are LOCKED, it cannot turn and the wraps simply tighten a tiny amount until snug, with NO load on the rope by the tail end locking biner.

as for your first paragraph, fair enough. The rigging setup i wrote about is just another way of setting up a zipline/speedline (one that i am very used to). I always rig it a sharp downwards angle, as opposed to a long semi horizontal angle. Although i have rigged it with others at a almost horizontal manner, with 16mm static line x 600 feet across a canyon, small low forest, another creek, to the landign zone. We bombed 8 loads of 300lb loads of lumber down that line with zero issues.). The loads i normally use the Kootenay setup for are around 25 - 50 lbs max.

Great responses, thanks!


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## SRT-Tech (Jan 4, 2007)

TreeCo, the Kootenay's i used are back in Pemberton now, can you do me a favor and show everyone a tensionless hitch around the Kootenay pulley? I forgot to take pics


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## Jim1NZ (Jan 4, 2007)

Excellent thread! Well worth a read, cheers


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## rbtree (Jan 4, 2007)

Nice tools and set-up, SRT-Tech. But it appears to be an impractical, time consuming setup, and expensive. That said, I've wanted to buy some Kootenay carriages for years, and prolly will now do so, as you've brought them forward in my mind. I'd get them for their versatility-knot passing when used as a normal pulley, and as a friction inducing lowering device when pinned. It is easy to terminate the speedline around a large branch or the turn with the same knotless rigging method.

For speedlining applications most used by me, I am often using mechanical advantage to lift and turn loads, and want quick release capability as the load reaches touchdown. 

This method require the line to be set at some distance above the actual work. Attachment to the load will often form a bight in the line, the amount of which can be controlled by installation of slings ahead and above of the anticipated load. More bight will be needed depending on the amount of lift required. We have used up to 7-1 mechanical advantage with pulleys on the termination end to accomplish this task...or a chipper winch or GRCS. Alternatively, with log loads that have been caught on a lowering line and device, we will crank the load back up to the speedline with the lowering line. Nturally in order to lift and swing a branch, it must be slung out a good ways from the trunk. A spider leg can be used, or alternatively, a lowering line can be attached at the butt and the two lines used together to keep the branch level as needed. 

This technique does not shock load the speedline, but of course the tensioning does multiply the forces on the anchor points considerably, more and more as the line angle approaches 180 degrees---(straight)

Hope you don't mind me turning your thread into general speedline technique instruction.


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## SRT-Tech (Jan 4, 2007)

TreeCo, the material inthe Koot Pulley is UltraHighMolecularWeight plastic (UHMW). Very tough stuff, can withstand high heat friction applications, and is very hard wearing. You can slide stuff over it (boxs, steel, ships etc) and it does'nt wear. I fixed a piece of UHMW on the bottom and sides of a canoe, and several years of river running over rocks and it is still there. (sadly the canoe is now gone, damn thieves)

RBTree, I will agree the setup is a bit heavy, but none theless it works well. The simplest version of this is a tensionless hitch around a tree (pads under the rope) at ground level, and another tensoinless hitch up in the tree where the climber is. QUICK to rig this way. However i LOVE to rig, so i dont mind pulling gear up into a tree. Heck, i have two anchor points in my apt so i can set up and trouble shoot rigging and different techniques...lol (my friday nights... )

great responses, thanks everyone!


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## TheTreeSpyder (Jan 5, 2007)

So, what does that do for efficiencies/ frictions?

Stiffer/ less elastic, line would logically be more compromised on the tight bight; but some like for less drop/sag.

What would stiffer line do for Tensionless Hitch? Would it slip around and not stretch, lay flatter, gripping capstan; and thereby give mroe slip to bend Standings with Bitters; especially with intermittent; some dynamic loading?

Thanks!


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## SRT-Tech (Jan 6, 2007)

the lines we used for canyon traverses were 15 - 16 mm static lines, and VERY stiff. No issue, just harder to set the knot. Stiffer lines dont slip, nor do they flatten out.


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