Knots in the rope?

[icomella]

I've read the manual extensively and can't find anything that says you can or cannot put knots in your rope to assist with climbing. If no one knows, I'll just wait until the Q&A opens in four days.

[SteveGPage]

Originally Posted by icomella

I've read the manual extensively and can't find anything that says you can or cannot put knots in your rope to assist with climbing. If no one knows, I'll just wait until the Q&A opens in four days.

You can. Rule is <I04>

[amesmich]

I didn't see anything about putting a metal ring on the end closest to the floor? Would that be legal? There is not a whole lot about the rope other than diameter and material and length.

[mman1506]

Originally Posted by amesmich

I didn't see anything about putting a metal ring on the end closest to the floor? Would that be legal? There is not a whole lot about the rope other than diameter and material and length.

104.D

consist entirely of flexible, non-metallic fibers twisted, tied, woven, or braided together
except for the last 4 in. (~10 cm) of each end which may be whipped, fused, covered
in heat shrink or tape, or dipped in a coating material to prevent fraying.

I would not consider a metal ring to be within those rules. They are very specific about what is allowed.

[amesmich]

Those exact rules seem to give permission to have the last 4 inches as NOT flexible and being a exception to the requirements of the rope itself thus a ring allowed. I guess its a Q&A thing.

[EricH]

Originally Posted by amesmich

Those exact rules seem to give permission to have the last 4 inches as NOT flexible and being a exception to the requirements of the rope itself thus a ring allowed. I guess its a Q&A thing.

I cannot read the rule that way. The last 4 inches are allowed to have anti-fraying measures added. Having a ring in the last 4 inches would not be an anti-fraying measure.

The way I break it down is:
-entirely of non-metal fibers
-[that are] twisted, tied, woven, or braided together
-except for the last 4 inches of each end, which may be whipped, fused, covered in heat shrink or tape, or dipped in a coating material to prevent fraying.

Basically, you can make a rope out of non-metal fibers, and the whole thing needs to be together using legal methods, but in the last little bit you can add something to keep the whole thing from coming apart.

The real question is, how does a splice count?

[Hitchhiker 42]

Originally Posted by amesmich

Those exact rules seem to give permission to have the last 4 inches as NOT flexible and being a exception to the requirements of the rope itself thus a ring allowed. I guess its a Q&A thing.

Going off of that, how about a rope loop at the bottom (like a noose)? I'd assume yes, but I wanted to clarify.

[MrBasse]

I think it's a bit of a stretch to classify a metal ring as a coating material though...

[mman1506]

Originally Posted by amesmich

Those exact rules seem to give permission to have the last 4 inches as NOT flexible and being a exception to the requirements of the rope itself thus a ring allowed. I guess its a Q&A thing.

The rules do not leave room for a metal ring and specifically defines allowed exceptions (may be whipped, fused, covered
in heat shrink or tape, or dipped in a coating material to prevent fraying.)

A metal ring would no longer meet the listed criteria of being a "rope" and thus cannot be installed on the field. If you tied the end of the rope to a chair would you then be able to bring that chair on on the field? Why is a metal ring any different?

[Jonny_Jee]

Hmmmm so can you tape the bottom of the rope with retroreflective tape?

[markmcgary]

Originally Posted by Jonny_Jee

Hmmmm so can you tape the bottom of the rope with retroreflective tape?

We've already found a vendor for retroreflective rope.

[amesmich]

I believe a loop is legal so long as it meet the size constraints. 12" I think off memory. I would not consider tying a ring to it but a loop woven into it. I suppose I could accomplish the same thing by making a loop with the rope and adding a hard "anti fray" polymer coating. Not sure we even want do it but generating ideas. Thanks for your thoughts.

[EricH]

Originally Posted by amesmich

I believe a loop is legal so long as it meet the size constraints. 12" I think off memory. I would not consider tying a ring to it but a loop woven into it. I suppose I could accomplish the same thing by making a loop with the rope and adding a hard "anti fray" polymer coating. Not sure we even want do it but generating ideas. Thanks for your thoughts.

10", actually, per I04.


I still want to see how the GDC handles splices--I suspect they'd be considered "woven" or "braided", and if they're done right they can be nearly the size of the original rope, or thicker, depending on the type used. But they can be very stiff...

[Kevin Sevcik]

Originally Posted by EricH

But they can be very stiff...

Better not make it too stiff for too long a distance:

Originally Posted by I04-D Bluebox

Flexible means that if the ROPE is held at any point, it should not extend more than 12” above the point where it is held. ROPES are meant to be pulled, not pushed.

[mman1506]

Originally Posted by amesmich

I believe a loop is legal so long as it meet the size constraints. 12" I think off memory. I would not consider tying a ring to it but a loop woven into it. I suppose I could accomplish the same thing by making a loop with the rope and adding a hard "anti fray" polymer coating. Not sure we even want do it but generating ideas. Thanks for your thoughts.

1.5

The intent of this manual is that the text means exactly, and only, what it says.

Yes the loop is legal but why does putting the metal ring in the loop make the metal ring legal. When you add tape to the end of the rope it becomes part of the rope as it is still within the criteria of the rope according to the rules. A metal ring does not.

Anyway ask Q&A.