Here is a very short video by Ray Goodwin demonstrating a solo canoe re-entry using a water filled drybag as a counterweight while climbing in from the other side.
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Happy Fibonacci Day! 1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21,34. . .🐚
Videos of open canoe rescues, re-entries, unpinnings, rope throwing, etc.
- Thread starter Glenn MacGrady
- Start date
I bet it helps to have the additional floatation of a drysuit, too!
Ray Goodwin has some pretty decent videos and seems to be a well-respected canoe authority in Britain. Here is a video he has out on how to set up a 3:1 mechanical Z-drag haul system.
I have a few thoughts and comments about this video. First, Ray uses what many in the US might consider an unusual knot to secure his webbing anchor loop on the tree. Many in the US would probably prefer a water knot to tie the ends of a webbing anchor together. But water knots can be difficult to untie after they are submitted to extreme tension. A popular method to avoid any tension on the knot securing an anchor, assuming sufficient length of webbing is available, is the "wrap three, pull two" method. First one runs the webbing around the tree three times, ties the ends together with whatever knot, and pulls the two loops that do not have the knot leaving the knot against the tree trunk facing out toward the load. The friction on the other two strands prevents any tension being applied to the knot.
The knot that Ray uses in the video is a flat overhand, AKA offset water knot, AKA "European Death Knot". Despite the last moniker this knot is really quite strong if backed up with a second knot to prevent creep. One thing Ray does not mention is to provide enough length of webbing so that the two limbs (or four limbs) of the anchor that the carabiner is clipped to make no more than a 60 degree angle to each other. If the angle is more obtuse the load on the anchor limbs is actually magnified compared to the the tension on the load line.
Ray does show and suggest the use of pulleys but this point bears emphasizing. The friction resulting from running a rope through carabiners can reduce overall efficiency by 40% or more. A 3:1 MA haul system can easily result in the MA of a Z drag becoming less than 2:1 if pulleys are not used or not available. Furthermore, any time a rope is bent around a diameter less than 4 times the diameter of the rope, the rope is significantly weakened because all of the fibers on the outside of a tight bend take the load and those on the inside take little of the load. This is why all knots weaken the minimum breaking strength of rope significantly.
Another point that I feel Ray is remiss in not addressing is the use of a change of direction (COD) pulley on the anchor so as to redirect the haul line out of the "line of fire" of the load line in case of "snap back" if something in the system fails suddenly. One time-honored recommendation is to "dampen" the load line by hanging a PFD on it or draping loops of a second rope over it. But I am told by those who have been in a situation to witness failure of a mechanical drag system that these measures are really not effective in preventing the potentially severe consequences of snap back.
I have a few thoughts and comments about this video. First, Ray uses what many in the US might consider an unusual knot to secure his webbing anchor loop on the tree. Many in the US would probably prefer a water knot to tie the ends of a webbing anchor together. But water knots can be difficult to untie after they are submitted to extreme tension. A popular method to avoid any tension on the knot securing an anchor, assuming sufficient length of webbing is available, is the "wrap three, pull two" method. First one runs the webbing around the tree three times, ties the ends together with whatever knot, and pulls the two loops that do not have the knot leaving the knot against the tree trunk facing out toward the load. The friction on the other two strands prevents any tension being applied to the knot.
The knot that Ray uses in the video is a flat overhand, AKA offset water knot, AKA "European Death Knot". Despite the last moniker this knot is really quite strong if backed up with a second knot to prevent creep. One thing Ray does not mention is to provide enough length of webbing so that the two limbs (or four limbs) of the anchor that the carabiner is clipped to make no more than a 60 degree angle to each other. If the angle is more obtuse the load on the anchor limbs is actually magnified compared to the the tension on the load line.
Ray does show and suggest the use of pulleys but this point bears emphasizing. The friction resulting from running a rope through carabiners can reduce overall efficiency by 40% or more. A 3:1 MA haul system can easily result in the MA of a Z drag becoming less than 2:1 if pulleys are not used or not available. Furthermore, any time a rope is bent around a diameter less than 4 times the diameter of the rope, the rope is significantly weakened because all of the fibers on the outside of a tight bend take the load and those on the inside take little of the load. This is why all knots weaken the minimum breaking strength of rope significantly.
Another point that I feel Ray is remiss in not addressing is the use of a change of direction (COD) pulley on the anchor so as to redirect the haul line out of the "line of fire" of the load line in case of "snap back" if something in the system fails suddenly. One time-honored recommendation is to "dampen" the load line by hanging a PFD on it or draping loops of a second rope over it. But I am told by those who have been in a situation to witness failure of a mechanical drag system that these measures are really not effective in preventing the potentially severe consequences of snap back.
Yes, he is. He was the first person to achieve the BCU Coach 5 level in the three disciplines of Canoe, Inland Kayak, and Sea Kayak. He has written a popular canoeing book, now in its second edition (probably not in 1854), has a website, and has a YouTube channel with lots of informative canoe videos.
Here is a longer video demonstrating in a lot more detail how to outfit and use a drybag counterweight along with side flotation bags.
Last century (and for all I know, still now), the Boston Whitewater Chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club was famous for installing side flotation in open canoes. They used two planks of ethafoam—each about 6' x 2' x 2"—affixed to each side of the canoe right under the gunwales. With this side flotation you could heel the canoe dramatically without taking on much water, plus you could flip an overturned canoe rightside-up without taking on much water.
In this shorter follow-up video, Goodwin demonstrates how to use a leashed kitbag, instead of a water filled drybag, as the re-entry counterweight.
