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Croesor Rhosydd - Boat is stuck
- Thread starter rhyst
- Start date
We could see the half of the boat in the distance and it was above water. I'm not familiar with the mine so I can't say if it was floating or on a shallow bit. We pulled the only cord that crossed the pool quite hard but there was zero movement from the boat and the cord went round the corner and we could not see if it actually attached to the boat. If the cord was jammed in a pulley on the other side that would make sense (though I'm not sure I understand the setup in that case).
Woody155
New member
It’s most probably jammed In the pulley on the far side again. From the knot off the boat to the main line. Will see if I can sort it at the weekend👍
Steve Clark
Well-known member
We are planning a trip this coming weekend. What do we need to fix it? A dinghy? Some polyprop?
Someone more knowledgable may provide better info but I think the elegant pulley system is not in any way functional at the moment and I don't know how you would fix that. If you approach from Croesor you will need a boat or a willingness to swim to go and get the existing boat.
Freeing the boat and simply having cord attached to the boat and tied off at both ends would seem the simplest solution initially but I assume the pulleys were added to avoid tangling/need to paddle and all that.
Freeing the boat and simply having cord attached to the boat and tied off at both ends would seem the simplest solution initially but I assume the pulleys were added to avoid tangling/need to paddle and all that.
jasonbirder
Member
In fairness the boat is a relatively recent addition and for many years you always had to take your own Inflatable Boat in
Woody155
New member
Basically how it’s been for the past few months it’s a one way system, as if you pull the rope the other way the knot gets jammed in the pulley.
It needs a complete new line putting in to solve the issue and be tied to both ends of the canoe (as Tseralo said)
The other issue is that now it’s only tied to one end of the boat, the boat is crossing the lines and getting tangled that way too.
I did it wearing a thick wetsuit prior to the boat was installed. It was slightly daunting jumping in from the abseil point.
I also had worries about my harness snagging on something underwater, dislodging some large weight and dragging me down into the depths.
On the positive side it was zero faff and we got to explore the cavens to the right as well.
Cantclimbtom
Well-known member
In Feb half term last year with my son, it was tied to boat on at one end (front, facing Rhosydd) and the pull cord had been left on the wrong side, presumably the last people found it easier to get out of the boat like that closer to the "shore". So when I pulled it, it was getting snagged on rocks about 1/3 or 1/4 the way back to Croesor.
I had actually stripped off to swim and putting harness back on for abseil down when I gave it one a last attempt with a hand jammer on the twisty rope (almost snapping it level of force) resigned at that point to my swim. To my surprise and even greater relief it came free! The water looks even colder surveyed while only wearing boxer shorts and a head torch. But I'd say if people aren't fully prepared to swim (or reverse back) then they shouldn't be down there. I think the canoe is great, it's a real bit of character so it'd be very sad for it to go, but it will end up causing rescue callouts of unlucky urbexers.
I had actually stripped off to swim and putting harness back on for abseil down when I gave it one a last attempt with a hand jammer on the twisty rope (almost snapping it level of force) resigned at that point to my swim. To my surprise and even greater relief it came free! The water looks even colder surveyed while only wearing boxer shorts and a head torch. But I'd say if people aren't fully prepared to swim (or reverse back) then they shouldn't be down there. I think the canoe is great, it's a real bit of character so it'd be very sad for it to go, but it will end up causing rescue callouts of unlucky urbexers.
cavemanmike
Well-known member
You should take a spare inflatable just in case. We took an inflatable chair in many years ago, it was hilarious
Steve Clark
Well-known member
We have now cancelled our trip for the weekend. A cock-up with a hut swap/booking has left us with no beds in Wales and two empty huts in the lakes so we are going there instead.
BikinGlynn
Member
nah so long as u have bag with derry drum that makes a great float
Loki
Active member
Slightly off topic but what do people do crossing the lakes in coventosa these days? And what do the Spaniards do? Is there a difference? In 2000 I did the through trip with a student group and we used inflatable dinghies, removed wellies and srt kits and put them in the bottom of the boat and paddled across. This Easter some acquaintances did the same thing but Aparrently a Spanish document they saw advised against this and suggested swimming in wetsuits instead. The walls and submerged rocks are razor sharp and boats are easily popped for the careless.
Now after 10+ hours caving would you rather have carried a wetsuit all the way though and swim dragging a floating! bag of kit or jump in an awaiting boat and fend off the rocks? If you don’t know the lakes are 50, 100 and 150m long.
Only a madman would wear neoprene all the way through the cave btw. They’d need to consume their own body weight in water to combat dehydration!
Now after 10+ hours caving would you rather have carried a wetsuit all the way though and swim dragging a floating! bag of kit or jump in an awaiting boat and fend off the rocks? If you don’t know the lakes are 50, 100 and 150m long.
Only a madman would wear neoprene all the way through the cave btw. They’d need to consume their own body weight in water to combat dehydration!
JoshW
Well-known member
University groups will soon be able to borrow BCA/CHECC owned buoyancy aids for this trip free of charge!
Just gotta get my backside in gear and set up a booking system!
