Raft dive safety - the rope that goes around it

[sundevil777 93]

As seen in the pic near the back of the April Parachutist, the rope is free to pass through all the attachment points. I remember reading an article a few years back reminding us that it is better to have separate pieces of rope tied without much slack to each attachment. This prevents it from becoming a large amount of slack from tension on one side. Such a large bit of slack poses a hazard if a person gets flipped through it.

I've only done one raft dive, it was fantastic. I was the only person that remembered to modify the rope as described, although others were reminded after I started doing it.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[Fast 0]

Good reminder.

I can't say I have been on many raft jumps, but we do jump different kinds of inflatable crap. Most of it gets dropped off over the landing area by one of the jumpers riding it.

~D
Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me.
Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

[mr2mk1g 10]

Agreed.

Take the rope that comes with the raft, cut it into an equal length per eyelet. Tie each lenght through an eyelet on the raft and put a big knot or monkey's fist in the end of each lenght - each hanger gets a knot to hold. This way there's nothing to get entangled.

Only raft dive I've been about for, the raft poped on exit and the rope, (running round the raft as you describe), wraped itself round the right arm of one of the hangers. He only got out of the situation by deploying his hook knife and cutting himself free in freefall.

[BIGUN 1,053]

Speaking of raft dives. I once heard a story (don't know if it's legend or fact) about someone who was left alone in the raft when it sandwiched them inside. The story goes that they tried to get out and finally grabbed their P/C and pitched it outside the raft and was extracted on opening. Truth or fiction? NE1 know?

EDIT: Having a bad typing morning.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[PhreeZone 15]

Kinda fact. At WFFC 2002 thy tried to deploy out of a raft. The PC bounced around in the burble for about 5-6 seconds until it finally caught good air but it was interesting to see it about wrap the person in the raft a few times before depolying.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[BIGUN 1,053]

Thanks, Eric. That would have been about the time I heard it. I did file it away in my "Techniques for Survival" mental database as one of those... keep trying till your goggles fill with blood factoids.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[sundevil777 93]

Quote

Agreed.

Take the rope that comes with the raft, cut it into an equal length per eyelet. Tie each lenght through an eyelet on the raft and put a big knot or monkey's fist in the end of each lenght - each hanger gets a knot to hold. This way there's nothing to get entangled.

Only raft dive I've been about for, the raft poped on exit and the rope, (running round the raft as you describe), wraped itself round the right arm of one of the hangers. He only got out of the situation by deploying his hook knife and cutting himself free in freefall.

Quite right, a short piece with a knot to grab that only attaches in one place avoids the issue entirely. It also avoids creating excess slack in the rope in case the attachment separates from the raft.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[ecll 0]

A few years ago I followed a raft out of the Skyvan at Couch Freaks. At about 5,000 feet the two end people in the raft bailed out and the raft immediately sandwiched the center guy. At about 3,500 feet I saw a hand with a pilot chute come out of the side of the raft and he luckily had a normal deployment.
Note to self...rafts that are rigid at alitiude deflate and go limp as they descend. Second note...the possibility of sandwiching is another reason to use none continuing lines.

[happythoughts 0]

Issue one - rope wrapping around hands.

One solution (my favorite) is to cut the rope into 10in lengths. Then, put a large knot on one end for good grip with one hand.

Also, you can hold with your hands on opposite sides of the grommet.

The biggest danger is when holding the rope with both hands between grommets. If the raft flips, it ties both hands together and you cannot get to your hook knife to free yourself. (This has happened. Person was hanging by hands with hands bound together until the rope broke.)

Issue two - exit.

Don't deploy from inside because of the burble issue.

Around 5K, the outside departs. The person in back puts their right hand on the front persons shoulder.
Everyone uses left hand/arm to cover reserve handle.

The person in front waves the right arm - to left, right, then everyone rolls out to the left at once.

[PharmerPhil 0]

Actually, and I believe the rope was tied off at each grommet. You can see in the attached photo, that the grommets actually ripped off the raft (must not have been TSO'd) and are still equally spaced along the rope.

Obviously, that raft dive didn't go so well. You'll note the divers have their legs out, two of the floaters are sharing airspace, and a split second after the photo in Parachutist was taken all hell broke loose. Along with the grommets.

[IGOLOW 0]

Not the incident you were talking about but someone at my DZ jumped with a small pool float and it folded around his leg. Here is the video. It's not the best quality but you get the idea. Not fun!

http://www.teammantis.org/postnuke/html/downloads/Rob.zip

This is him 4 days after
http://www.teammantis.org/postnuke/html/downloads/Rob_s_Eyes.wmv

[The111 0]

At the Hog Flop a few years ago somebody got his hand tangled in the rope after everybody got out of the raft, and the drag caused him to seriously hurt (dislocate?) his elbow or wrist, before managing to free himself.

www.WingsuitPhotos.com

[peggs82 0]

Quote

Not the incident you were talking about but someone at my DZ jumped with a small pool float and it folded around his leg. Here is the video. It's not the best quality but you get the idea. Not fun!

http://www.teammantis.org/postnuke/html/downloads/Rob.zip

This is him 4 days after
http://www.teammantis.org/postnuke/html/downloads/Rob_s_Eyes.wmv

HOOOOLLLLLYYYYYY crap!!!!

[OSOK 0]

Wow... I didn't know spinning could do that...