Loose P bolt - giants

SamT

Moderator
Oh - yeah - just to let you know - we noticed that the left hand P bolt on the ab back into the crabwalk from the windpipe was loose (it rotated slightly). I think it would be sound to ab off but could do with re gluing (but dont sue me).

Its the ones with the nice shiny stainless maillons on (presumably so you can pull you rope easily).

Have never noticed them before - we always just chimney down. and there is a stonking great thread near by which serves just as well.

Will let HnH and DCA know.
 

bubba

Administrator
Was going to say, they must be new - nothing wrong with that thread imho so probably a bit un-necessary really...
 

SamT

Moderator
quite agree - actually - its more difficult to ab down there than it is to climb - School trips/novices should'nt really be there if they cant climb down that. and if you need a rope - a top rope from someone belayed above while you climbed down would make far more sense.

Still - modern caving you see - stick a P bolt in where ever there is a drop of more than 8 inches.
 

bubba

Administrator
It's quite an intimidating climb the first time you do it (remember not all cavers are climbers as well), but I agree that the way should be for people to be toproped down it rather than abbing. That said, I used to ab down there myself many years ago.

As I've said before, one or two P-bolts is infinitely preferable to a cluster of old mangy spit and spit holes, with the associated damage from failed drilling attempts. I don't think they should replace good solid natural belays such as in this example, but on the whole, if you're going to place bolts then you might as well use bombproof ones.

You're becoming a bit of a tradionalist Sam - next you'll be chopping bots and using classic abseil techniques on hemp ropes :wink:
 

Stu

Active member
I can empathise with both views here. Rigging off spits always scared me rigid. P bolts inspire more confidence (notice I didn't say complete!). What does make me laugh is when people seem to use every bolt because it's their. Some are intended for ladder/lifeline, some pure SRT and some for rescue needs. Well thats the way I see it.
 

SamT

Moderator
stu said:
What does make me laugh is when people seem to use every bolt because it's their. Some are intended for ladder/lifeline, some pure SRT and some for rescue needs. Well thats the way I see it.

quite agree :)
 

bubba

Administrator
Equally, it makes me cry when people only use one bolt when there's another one sitting right next to it...
 

paul

Moderator
SamT said:
Its the ones with the nice shiny stainless maillons on (presumably so you can pull you rope easily).

The maillons are there to prevent wear on the P bolts when somebody is lowered down as opposed to abbing down and pulling the rope through. As you can imagine, the wear would be much, much greater when lowering somebody.

I also cannot see what was wrong with the natural thread already there (other than possibly position?).

I have always continued the traverse on past this point, through a hole in the calcite at a narrowing, then on a short distance to where there are large boulders jammed in the rift. The climb down there is a lot easier although getting through the calcite hole does worry novices a bit although it is safe. Plus you have less of the Crabwalk to do to get to Garlands!
 

al

Member
Oh Paul! Don't tell everybody about the traverse route - we'll all end up queuing at the eye-hole!

And how do you do that "Paul wrote" stuff, anyway? :cry: :cry:
 
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