Show/Hide Table of Contents

« PreviousNext »

Courtesy Rigging

Description

Courtesy rigging is used when you need the rapide positioned over the lip of the drop for a clean pull, but when you want to give all but the last person an easier rappel by temporarily locating the rapide farther from the edge.

There are lots of different knots and ways that you can tie your ropes, but here is the general workflow. 

1. Tie two sets of fixed rigging: one that extends over the lip and one that is close to the anchor.
2. Add a rapide to the rigging that extends over the lip. The one close to the anchor does not need a rapide.
3. Temporarily shorten the longer fixed rigging by connecting the rapide to the short rigging with a carabiner.
4. Run your rappel rope through the rapide and rappel as normal.
5. The last person removes the carabiner so that the rigging extends over the lip. 
6. The last person rappels down the awkward start.

If you want to save some rope and not rig two independent sets of fixed webbing, you can rig the shorter rigging with a frost knot or with a water knot and overhand on a bight. Then you can thread the longer webbing with into the frost knot or overhand on a bight in a follow-through fashion. 

Video

Next

Retrievable Rigging