Tech Tip: Question Potshot Techniques

I've had some success in stacking potshots on the same strand of rope. I attach the first bag to the rope and throw over. I then put a carabiner on the next potshot and then clip it to the same rope allowing it to slide. I then attach thin cordage to the bag so I can retrieve just the one bag to re-throw if needed.

If I throw each subsequent bag a little farther, then pulling on the rope catches each and stacks them. Or, if I'm high enough and there is not too much debris on the throw end side, I can even finesse the rope to get the next 2-3 potshots to slide down if stuck and hook together. Now I have a single strand with multiple bags weighted on the end for my ascender.

However, as you would expect, the trick is getting the bags to really slide down and not independently get stuck away from each other.

Using multiple strands to batman up seems to have more consistent results. A downside is arm strength and fatigue. I've also heard of using a prusik on all the strands, but haven't tried that nor convinced that 3+ strands would work that way.

May I draw on the experience and observations of you all?

I've tried that before, and we found that the thrown bag has to lift the rope up as it flies, which produces substantial drag on the thrown bag... thus, I can see this working but not for throws that are very far. We did not think of having a retrieval cord - that is an important improvement. Have tried a Bachman knot around 3 strands of nasty/sandy rope - which worked rather poorly.

Tom

True. Hard to minimize drag. Great point, and one of the other major drawbacks.

Make sure there is some slack down from the far lip, and free running slack behind you to spool out from the main strand. Hold the main strand with the bag, so as you throw it tends to pull more rope out rather than trying to slide down the line. You then pull it all tight, set the bag, and repeat.

I got a few PMs on this one, so hopefully generalizing the consensus will be OK to those that shot over an email.

The batman technique, with a partner assist seems to be the consensus. The slide a carabiner down a single line idea has been tried, but all agree that it tends to be an inefficient method with only mediocre results.

Further, someone with a high strength to weight ratio can be an advantage to a team.

Similar to my snowmobile? It is all about the power to weight ratio there as well.

Thanks all.