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=09I have yet to see an ascender that would work in both=20 directions. You will probably have to remove the ascender and reverse it= =20 to achieve the effect that you are after. For most search and rescue=20 teams I have seen the gibbs ascenders used, They work well in a pouring=20 rainstorm (personal experience on a 12 story building) so they should=20 work just fine u/w. The only problem I see with the gibbs is that to=20 change directions you need to remove a pin and reinsert it, this could be= =20 tricky in a strong current with heavy gloves on. I have also used the=20 petzl ascenders and they seem to work quite well. The petzls may not be=20 as flexible in terms of different uses but they do not require a pin to=20 be removed to take the ascender off and reposition it. Fresh water and=20 even salt water should not cause the petzls much problem since they are=20 made out of aluminum. Both ascenders are designed to be used on 7/16 to=20 1/2 inch rope and I don't see any reason to be concerned about undue wear= =20 on the rope. I would agree that you should have a seperate line on your=20 camera gear in case you got into trouble and wanted to ditch it. I would= =20 also suggest that you use your rope at a 45 degree angle to the current,=20 this would allow you an easy way to get back out of the current by simply= =20 gliding back down stream. You should also have an attatchment=20 point to connect you to the rope in addition to the ascender, you might=20 consider using a descender for getting yourself out of the current in=20 this configuration. If the rope were at a 90 degree angle to the current= =20 you could get stuck in the middle due to a V effect on the rope. If the=20 rope were parallel to the current you would not need to use the ascender=20 both directions but you also could not get out of the current via the=20 rope if you needed to. =20 Feel free to contact me further if you have any other questions. I hope=20 this info is of some help to you. Alan Chapman=09=09=09=09NAUI #10476 achapman@co*.ua*.ed*=09=09=09NREMT University of Arkansas Fayetteville=09Washington County Sheriffs office=20 =09=09=09=09=09=09SAR Team =A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5= =A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5= =A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5= =A5=A5 Education may not be all it is cracked up to be, but it sure beats ignoranc= e! =A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5= =A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5= =A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5= =A5=A5 On Tue, 21 Nov 1995 bmk@ds*.bc*.ca* wrote: > So many people have asked me what I want to use ascenders for underwater= =20 > that I thought it would be easier to post the reply to the list. Here's= =20 > the story. I know a spot below a dam where chinook and stealhead salmon > concentrate during August. I would like to photograph these fish. The= =20 > blast from the dam has dug a crater and thrown up a berm. The fish seem > to like the inside of the crater. However there is quite a current in=20 > this crater. The current runs both out of the crater and into it! =20 > The problem then is to get myself and my camera gear into the crater=20 > ( and out! ) and provide a stable platform from which to operate the came= ra. > My plan is to run a line along the lee side of the berm and then into the= =20 > crater. I will then use the line to aid and protect my entrance and exit > from the crater as well as provide an anchor point for operating the=20 > camera. With a camera in hand I will probably need some mechanical=20 > assistance to move and anchor on the rope. Hence the need for ascenders. > The problems I see are 1. I don't want to throw the ascenders away after= =20 > the first use in water. 2. Since the current can run in either directio= n > the ascenders will need to be able to grip in either direction. 3. The= =20 > water is cold ( 5C? ) so I will need to be able to operate the ascenders= =20 > with a gloved hand. 4. I would like to use the thinnest rope possible. > 5. How to attach the ascenders to my diving rig so that I can operate th= em. >=20 > Beyond the above use of the ascenders there are several potholes I would = like > to dive that are protected by rather slimy looking walls. However this i= s=20 > more of a standard climbing use of ascenders. >=20 > Barrie Kovish > Vancouver >=20 > -- > Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@terra.net'. > Send subscription/archive requests to `techdiver-request@terra.net'. >=20
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