Spanish Whiplass

Submitted: Saturday, Feb 18, 2006 at 23:51

ThreadID: 30915 Views:2977 Replies:6 FollowUps:5

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F4Phantom

Does anyone remember the post about the Spanish whiplass. I do, and thank goodness as it saved my bacon today. I did a short run up to toolangi this arvo to test out my laptop moving map GPS. All I wanted to do was do was a few easy smaller tracks, get a good feeling about my GPS working and go home (we had a tea date at friends, the wife said I had to be home in 2 hrs, I said "no probs, will be home in 2 hrs easy!" does this sound familiar to anyone else?) so I started seeing myself in the map along pauls range, I noticed a little cut through track and it was steep as, so I go down, head for a creek crossing and then the plan was to go right home. All was well except the mud at the creek crossing and the very deep ruts. I jacked the car, packed timber, rolled in mud till it was everywhere, incuding all througout the car. It was getting dark and I remembered the SW. I did it up, put the car in reverse without a driver and the damn thing had that much power it pulled the car out the first time I got it rigged properly 2nd attempt over all. Mate, this site taught me that and it woked perfectly. Anyway I dont want anyone to point out all the mistakes I made, and yes I ruined the evening with the wife - again.

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Reply By: Member - Allan M (ACT) - Sunday, Feb 19, 2006 at 00:34

Sunday, Feb 19, 2006 at 00:34

F4Phantom,

Good to hear that you didn't have to spend the night in the boonies. That would have made the wife very happy, I bet.

Did you mean Spanish Windlass? There's a pretty good description and diagrams of it at http://www.inquiry.net/outdoor/skills/b-p/windlass.htm .

I remember as a teenager (30 years ago) pulling a 4wd out of a mud hole at Lake Eildon using a Spanish Windlass. It was very effective.

AnswerID: 155785

Follow Up By: Ray Bates - Sunday, Feb 19, 2006 at 01:28

Sunday, Feb 19, 2006 at 01:28

Yes. Spanish Windlass

FollowupID: 409778

Follow Up By: F4Phantom - Sunday, Feb 19, 2006 at 08:54

Sunday, Feb 19, 2006 at 08:54

yes thats what i ment, i only read the thread once a while ago. anyway, top little trick, massive mechanical advantage when you think one man can pull the weight of a car up a 25 degree incliine in mud.

FollowupID: 409794

Reply By: Jimbo - Sunday, Feb 19, 2006 at 09:03

Sunday, Feb 19, 2006 at 09:03

Great Yarn. Glad to see that some of these things do actually work in practice. Sounds like a fair alternative to a hand winch.

AnswerID: 155803

Reply By: Footloose - Sunday, Feb 19, 2006 at 09:30

Sunday, Feb 19, 2006 at 09:30

Sounds like hard yakka to me !

AnswerID: 155809

Reply By: Mike Harding - Sunday, Feb 19, 2006 at 10:25

Sunday, Feb 19, 2006 at 10:25

What type of rope did you use, hemp, nylon etc and how long/thick was it?

As you were on your own how did you support the upright pole and turn the winder at the same time?

You did well :) I really, really, hate being bogged in mud.

Mike Harding

AnswerID: 155816

Follow Up By: F4Phantom - Sunday, Feb 19, 2006 at 13:31

Sunday, Feb 19, 2006 at 13:31

I will explain a little more detail.

I used 2 tonne tape like a thin snatch strap, doubled up so it gave 4T. Ideally you need a longer winch stick for more leverage. I had a fairly short lever which was not ideal but still gave me a lot of power. A bit longer rope would have helped to get the winching started before it was under load, my rope doubled up was loading up as soon as the log was hitched, this did not help. It was very difficult to keep the upright pole upright as it wants to spin over and unwind, I thought of digging a hole. Basiscly, a hand saw or chainsaw, plenty of rope and 2 or more people will be able to recover a 4x4 no problem from almost anything I would say. Also you get a fantasic feel in ratio for the weight of the car, and can feel it grabbing which feel you dont get with a real winch. The feel gives you a very good idea as to how bogged the car really is and how hard it will be to get out. Lastly the ropes line it takes as it loops through the timbers is the key way to make it work(obviously), the first time I ran it the wrong way, it gave the same power but the wind (wiindd, not wind) was making me have to put the log in an over under fashion which is really hard under load. The second attempt was easy, less effort and the car came straight out, well straight out after 6 hours of other stuff.

FollowupID: 409814

Reply By: Member - Matt M (ACT) - Sunday, Feb 19, 2006 at 20:16

Sunday, Feb 19, 2006 at 20:16

F4Phantom,

I'll bet your wife wasn't any happier when you explained that you were late because you had been mucking around with a Spanish Whip Lass!

Matt

AnswerID: 155888