Hi
I have a question about the use of break cord. Am I asking for trouble if I leave the PC attached to the bridle? I've seen videos where some take the PC of, and some where they don't.
As you've probably guessed I have no expertise in this area... help?
If it's all the same I want to leave the PC on (just in case).
Regards
Espen :p
I would definitely recommend leaving the PC attached when making a static line jump. That way, a premature breakage of the cord will yield a trip to the hospital rather than the morgue.
I have not seen any negative effects of leaving the PC attached, but even if there were some impact on heading, I'd accept it in exchange for the insurance.
I believe it was one of the English guys (615?) who had this experience fairly recently. Perhaps he can comment?
--Tom Aiello
tbaiello@ucdavis.edu
Yup, if I hadn't had my PC on I'd have gone in still doing the boxman. I know everybody has different opinions and a few people I know didn't like my decision to use electrical tape but my personal opinion is whatever method you use, leave the PC on just in case.
That said, I had a conversation with Todd from BR who attaches his break cord between the shrivel flap and canopy and never uses a PC, that way the major snatch force (shrivel flap) has happened by the time the break cord has to do anything and at least you have an open container. Obviously the downside is your shrivel flap is still hanging from the object but for chilled out objects it's cool.
Craig
Thanks, Tom and Craig, for sharing your experiences, ideas and thoughts!
That said, do you insulate/wrap up the place you attach the break cord? I realize most times this might not be necessary, but I was thinking more about those times you use for example a piece of iron or something similar that might break the cord with less than 80 pounds of load/force.
Hmmm... I guess I'm kind of answering this one myself, but still.
Thanks again
Espen
espen@graffiti.net
Yes, I'd ALLWAYS have some kind of secondary insurance.
My electrical tape broke prematurely once off a 150ft building and that 48" pilot gave me a 3 second canopy ride instead of nothing.
It was clearly visible on video that the tape with 4 wraps broke at the moment of canopy extraction/decelleration; right after shrivel-flap release. Then the force is at its higest (except for line stretch, where you want it to break of-course)
There has been done a lot of research down-under where it is working OK.
But for the people who love to use electrical tape in colder places: the breaking characteristics may change a lot when it is used in the colder climate like europe.
Yes, the wheel has been invented for ages already... Go&get that safe breaking cord & your big P/C!
Erik R.
I'd recommend using something else to create the anchor, then tying the break cord to a runner coming off the anchor. This avoids the whole issue of tying break cord around something different at every site (because you always tie the break cord around a runner you bring with you). It may seem wasteful to leave the anchor materials in place, but a) you can reuse them whenever you visit the object (provided they're still sound--ask a climber how to tell if fixed anchors are good), and b) 1" tubular webbing costs something like $.25 per foot, so it's not a big financial loss.
--Tom Aiello
tbaiello@ucdavis.edu
Hi Erik
Got the break cord and the big PC, well 46" but that will work, I guess!? No electrical tape for me, I'll leave that one for the thrillseekers with bigger balls than me :-)
Er du norsk Erik?
Regards
Espen
espen@graffitit.net
i use a heavy piece of nylon rope tied in a loop and larks headed to the steel and i put my break cord through the rope.i used to use 550 test line around the steel but a semi sharp edge cut right through it once, so i started using the heavy stuff on the steel and let the break cord pull against a smooth surface. i also would'nt remove my pilot chute.it's always good to have a backup.
Recently, I've been using two pieces of 80 lb. breakcord - one tight between the static line and the bridle which is attatched to the shrivel flap or to the canopy attatchment point (on a pin rig), and one as a two inch loop between the same points. Some say that it would make a 160 lb. breakcord, but I do this as extra assurance that snatch force between the bridle and the static line won't prematurally break the breakcord - get what I'm saying? Anyway, no PC and no problems - yet - after about 20 or so.
BASE 573
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