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From: Seng, Dave <Dave_Seng_at_health.state.ak.us>
subject: RE: [Paddlewise] whatsa prusik?
Date: Tue, 18 Jul 2000 11:50:30 -0800
I'll be interested in hearing what Bill Hansen's answer is ('cause I
couldn't quite picture what he was describing), but just for reference check
out http://fmg-www.cs.ucla.edu/geoff/prusik_knot.html for a nice reference
on the prusik knot.  It's basically a climber's knot - typically used to
secure a loop of line to a "standing" line in a manner that will hold tight
under pressure, but release and slide easily up (or down) the line when the
pressure is removed.  A climber can use two prusik loops to ascend a fixed
rope by "walking" up the line by standing in the loops.  Pressure on the
left - the prusik tightens and holds, which allows the climber to take the
weight off the right foot and slide the prusik up the rope - then put weight
on the right and releasing the left and sliding it up.  Slow going and
typically done with mechanical ascenders these days.   Not a very good
description - I can tie them much more easily than I can describe them!
Thus the web link...

Dave Seng
Juneau, Alaska


Bill Leonhardt wrote:
> 
> Whatsa prussik??
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From: Steve Cramer <cramer_at_coe.uga.edu>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] whatsa prusik?
Date: Tue, 18 Jul 2000 16:30:42 -0400
"Seng, Dave" wrote:
> 
> I'll be interested in hearing what Bill Hansen's answer is ('cause I
> couldn't quite picture what he was describing), 

Around here, when we say "Prusik cord" what we mean is 4-6 mm accessory
cord, that pretty stuff sold in REI for 8 times the price of braided
nylon. And which I use to tie boats down to my racks, because it's
strong and easy to tie knots in. If I want to tie Prusik loops, I use it
(5-6 mm), because the main paddling use of Prusik loops is as anchors in
Z-drags, where the cord takes a lot of strain.

Steve
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From: <LedJube_at_aol.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] whatsa prusik?
Date: Tue, 18 Jul 2000 21:27:07 EDT
In a message dated 7/19/00 12:54:48 AM, bhansen2_at_twcny.rr.com writes:

<< Okay guys 'n' gals - my ignorance has been on display again. What I called

"prussik line" is the braided nylon-dacron line which rock climbers use.

Obviously I got the name wrong - and that means I don't know *what* to call

the climbers' line. >>

    OK, go easy here. Bills just showing his years of experience. Back in the 
olden days, many people called nylon kernmantle lines "Prussik cord" because 
that's what they were used for. After Christ was born, we started calling the 
stuff by it's proper name "Perlon" or "Spectra" depending on the particular 
material. Some time in 1990's, for some strange reason it started to be known 
as "Accessory cord" or "Static line".

And that's the truth!
Jed
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From: Seng, Dave <Dave_Seng_at_health.state.ak.us>
subject: RE: [Paddlewise] whatsa prusik?
Date: Tue, 18 Jul 2000 12:53:38 -0800
Steve Cramer wrote:
> 
> Around here, when we say "Prusik cord" what we mean is 4-6 mm 
> accessory
> cord, that pretty stuff sold in REI for 8 times the price of braided
> nylon.

  Now that I read it _that_ way........duh! LOL - at myself - for making the
answer a whole lot more complicated than it needed to be.  A case of
answering the question when I should have been questioning the question.

Dave Seng
Juneau, Alaska
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From: Andree Hurley <ahurley_at_viewit.com>
subject: RE: [Paddlewise] whatsa prusik?
Date: Tue, 18 Jul 2000 17:04:21 -0400 (EDT)
You can also use a prusik on a "z-drag" to rig in up for greater
mechanical advantage. Thinking rafting but I guess there is a parallel for
climbing. Rafting as in getting a raft, or kayak, off of a rock or other
obstruction.

Andree 

Viewit.com  - http://www.viewit.com/
      New: Online Sales -  GPS, Video  - http://www.onwatersports.com
           Online Editor - http://www.canoekayak.com - August 2000 is live

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From: Patrick Maun <pmaun_at_bitstream.net>
subject: [Paddlewise] Was "whatsa prusik?", what activities do you do?
Date: Tue, 18 Jul 2000 16:58:25 -0500
Speaking of climbing, any other rock climbers out there in 
Paddlewise-land? I'm curious because it doesn't seem to have a direct 
link to the sport like cross-country skiing (I don't think I've met 
many paddlers in these parts who don't ski in our off-season), but I 
do think that the sports share a couple of traits. I've been climbing 
for a little bit now and really enjoy it. This has lead me to do some 
thinking about activities and how they relate.

So here is my question. What other activities do you do? How do you 
divide them up (ie how do you find time away from paddling to partake 
in the heathen non-paddling related activities)? Do you find the 
sports complimentary (XC skiing) or completely non-related (ummm, 
NASCAR racing) with no influence on your paddling skills?

In addition to paddling and climbing I bike 2 or 3 times during the 
week. In addition to cross-country skiing in the winter. I see these 
as my main every day activities -- in other words things I can spend 
just a few hours doing during a busy week. Other activities (telemark 
skiing, camping - the non-paddling kind) are things that I love 
doing, but when it comes down to it, I only partake in them a few 
times a year.

Thoughts?

-Patrick

At 5:04 PM -0400 7/18/00, Andree Hurley wrote:
>You can also use a prusik on a "z-drag" to rig in up for greater
>mechanical advantage. Thinking rafting but I guess there is a parallel for
>climbing. Rafting as in getting a raft, or kayak, off of a rock or other
>obstruction.
>
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From: Melissa <bonnyweeboaty_at_yahoo.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Was "whatsa prusik?", what activities do you do?
Date: Tue, 18 Jul 2000 15:55:44 -0700 (PDT)
--- Patrick Maun <pmaun_at_bitstream.net> wrote:

-snip-

> So here is my question. What other activities do you do? How do you 
> divide them up (ie how do you find time away from paddling to partake
> in the heathen non-paddling related activities)? Do you find the 
> sports complimentary (XC skiing) or completely non-related (ummm, 
> NASCAR racing) with no influence on your paddling skills?
> 

-more snippage- 

Well, okay... I admit it - I'm a closet bicyclist.  Pretty much daily,
I do what I call my Ocean Shores Triathalon:  paddling, bicycling,
walking/sitting/flying kite on beach (does that third part count as an
athletic activity? - it does have three parts to it after all!).

I do find the paddling and bicycling complimentary, but unfortunately,
crunches are still a part of my daily routine as well.  I do try to do
things that don't seem like *exercise* to me (paddling and bicycling
are just too fun to consider them a *workout* - crunches, on the other
hand...).  I'm open to suggestions for an activity to replace crunches
- any ideas?  I would love to learn more Yoga, but in the little town
where I'm living at the moment, most people don't know the difference
between Yoga and tahini.

I do love skiing as well, but need to move to a place where there's a
bit more snow in winter (still dreaming of Alaska).  Well, that's
enough computer exercise for now.  Time to ride to the grocery store...

Melissa    



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From: John Fereira <jaf30_at_cornell.edu>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Was "whatsa prusik?", what activities do you do?
Date: Wed, 19 Jul 2000 07:56:16 -0400
At 03:55 PM 7/18/00 -0700, Melissa wrote:
>--- Patrick Maun <pmaun_at_bitstream.net> wrote:
>
>-snip-
>
>> So here is my question. What other activities do you do? How do you 
>> divide them up (ie how do you find time away from paddling to partake
>> in the heathen non-paddling related activities)? Do you find the 
>> sports complimentary (XC skiing) or completely non-related (ummm, 
>> NASCAR racing) with no influence on your paddling skills?

>-more snippage- 
>
>Well, okay... I admit it - I'm a closet bicyclist.  Pretty much daily,
>I do what I call my Ocean Shores Triathalon:  paddling, bicycling,
>walking/sitting/flying kite on beach (does that third part count as an
>athletic activity? - it does have three parts to it after all!).

I just bought a new mountain bike though I mostly use it for riding around
town, back and forth to work, and for riding from my house to the shop
where I keep my kayaks (right on the water).  Ithaca is very hilly and I
live "up on the hill".  I can literally push my bike out the driveway and
coast about a mile until I get downtown.

In the past few years I haven't skied as much as I used to even though
there is a ski resort about 30 minutes from here.  When I lived in
California there were several years that I was  driving to Lake Tahoe 250
miles away almost every other weekend to go skiing.  I would say that I am
a much better skier than I am a kayaker.  I raced for the Hewlett Packard
corporate ski team for three years.

Other than kayak the other outdoor activity that I spend the most time on
is flyfishing.  I've been doing it for 27 years and fishing in general for
about 40 years.  I tied all my own flies and have built several flyrods.
Fortunately,  the best times of the year to fish around here are the early
spring and late fall when the water is starting to get real cold (many
mayflies start hatching in the spring when the water gets to about 50 degrees).

Although I don't do it as much any more I used to play darts a lot.  At one
point I was competing on three different league teams and playing in 2-3
small tournaments a week.  I once played an exhibition game against Dave
Kelly, the first american to through a perfect game in international
competition.  I also once played against a guy in a tournament that had
just beaten the number 1 ranked player in North America.  I lost.

>I do love skiing as well, but need to move to a place where there's a
>bit more snow in winter (still dreaming of Alaska).  Well, that's
>enough computer exercise for now.  Time to ride to the grocery store...

Could you pick up some yoga for me?

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From: Jerry Hawkins <jhawkins_at_cisco.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] What activities do you do?
Date: Wed, 19 Jul 2000 08:26:43 -0700
--- Patrick Maun <pmaun_at_bitstream.net> wrote:
> So here is my question. What other activities do you do? 

Bicycling, hiking.  

Kayaking takes away greatly from the other activities, which I find complimentary to kayaking when I can find time for them.  Pre-canoe / pre-kayak, I bicycled at least 25 miles in the mountains one or both days every weekend.  Now my bike is complaining of neglect.

jerry.
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From: <gpwecho_at_juno.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] What activities do you do?
Date: Wed, 19 Jul 2000 13:39:20 -0500
PaddleWisers...

A lot of my money and time is spent on kayak camping, hiking, and
motorcycles.  The rest of it I guess I waste !    8->

...adieu  ...Peyton (Louisiana) 

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From: Wayne Smith <wsmith16_at_snet.net>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] What activities do you do?
Date: Wed, 19 Jul 2000 19:12:43 -0400
Other than sea and (occasional) whitewater kayaking, I spend my free time playing racquetball (I was a pretty good tournament player not that many years ago), rollerblading, bicycling, hiking, and cross country skiing. I can also be easily persuaded to play ice hockey
every so often. I get some canoeing in when I feel the urge, too.


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From: Pete Cresswell <">
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] What activities do you do?
Date: Wed, 19 Jul 2000 20:37:32 -0400
RE/
>> So here is my question. What other activities do you do? 

Windsurfing.

Paddling for fitness in the summer, swimming in the winter.
-----------------------
Pete Cresswell
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From: Wildwater <wildoats_at_ionet.net>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Was "whatsa prusik?", what activities do you do?
Date: Tue, 18 Jul 2000 19:12:38 -0500
> Speaking of climbing, any other rock climbers out there in
> Paddlewise-land?

Yep!

> So here is my question. What other activities do you do?

Mountain biking, hiking, camping, bird watching, flying, sailing.

> How do you
> divide them up (ie how do you find time away from paddling to partake
> in the heathen non-paddling related activities)?

Depends on the weather, and right now my hip which I dislocated in spring.
Paddling and biking are definitely "in"!  Hiking and climbing, I am hoping to be
released to do again by September, which will coincide with the cooler weather..

> Do you find the
> sports complimentary (XC skiing) or completely non-related (ummm,
> NASCAR racing) with no influence on your paddling skills?

I think they are all complimentary, even the non-related ones.  :-)

Alice


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From: Bill Hansen <bhansen2_at_twcny.rr.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] whatsa prusik?
Date: Tue, 18 Jul 2000 20:44:58 -0400
Okay guys 'n' gals - my ignorance has been on display again. What I called
"prussik line" is the braided nylon-dacron line which rock climbers use.
Obviously I got the name wrong - and that means I don't know *what* to call
the climbers' line.

Anyway, I use "rope" (how's that?) of about 5/8" diameter to secure the
kayks to the Yakima roof rack. I've also made 3 inch wide cradles for the
bow and the stern, and the cradles are fixed to the crossbar of the rack.
One "rope" goes around the kayak in front of the coaming, and the other goes
around the boat behind the coaming. The "ropes" rea teid with a variation of
a truckers' hitch and a couple of half hitches.

Anyway, bow lines only for longer trips. Yeah, I do remember all of the
excellent advice we got about both bow and stern lines the last time this
thread ran.


Bill Hansen
Ithaca NY

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