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WC2011 - descent line stolen to Sara Campbell!

Thread Status: Hello , There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
It can take a long time to get an up-to-date response or contact with relevant users.
Another case that needs to be figured out is the deliberate removal of the lanyard. For example, when Herbert did his 120m CWT WR at Vertical Blue a few years ago, he said he felt 'increasing resistance' on his lanyard so he removed it at 70m on the descent, then continued without a lanyard to 120m in the absolute total darkness, got the tag, and ascended in the darkness and made the world record. And it counted. However personally I think that if a diver feels the need to remove the lanyard the ascent should begin immediately, there should be no possibility to continue the descent.
 
It's a bit of an issue for the ascent too, where removing the lanyard has a significant impact on performance. If you took it off at the bottom you'd be removing a lot of drag - just ask Will about the difference that makes. But then, if you disqualified somebody for showing up at the surface without a lanyard, you'd also provide a disincentive for removing it in a genuine emergency - like when Natalia's one got stuck on a caribiner a few years ago and she had to haul the whole mess back to the surface.
 
I read this thread with interest and for sure, Michal was lucky to find another line in order to help him back up.

Don't know if it's at all viable, but what could possibly help is, instead of using the standard rope to use optic fibre.

The idea is then is to use a light source on the surface to illuminate the fibre. For example: a green light, all is good, strobing red light abort the dive and orange you have lost some points (so its up to the diver to decide to continue or not).

I know it would not have helped Michal on his way down as he dived with his eyes closed but I'm sure finding a illuminated rope at depth will be easier than the standard dive rope.

There are obviously some cons that will have to be considered (cost, durability, rigging up the light mechanism etc.) but this would all be worth it if it aides even one diver to a safe dive.

There are some other pros, in general fibre optic cable has a very smooth surface so drag on your lanyard would be minimised... also when narced a strobing red light will be way cooler than a dull rope :hungover

 
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William Trubridge used some kinf of iluminated rope when he did his 100-101 records.
 
Not to mention a completely smooth line would make the discipline that Michal was doing a bit challenging.

More control over lanyards used by competitors is pretty much the solution here. Test, tag and predive check.
 
Will said:
If they made a fibre-optic cable that had a zero-stretch core, and was weather resistant then it might be usable. These stats aren't so promising for our application:
http://www.trinorthlighting.com/Technical_Data_Package.pdf
Click to expand...

Hiya Will,

I don't really know much about fibre-optics except that it's good for us S. Africans who sit on the skinny end of the bandwidth pipe.

I do however notice that he doc that you attached is dated Sep 1995. Not sure if the fibre optic technology advanced since then also, scanning a few online links I see some reference to UV protection on one manufacturer's site, so it could be that one can specify some requirements when ordering.
 
chrismar said:
Not to mention a completely smooth line would make the discipline that Michal was doing a bit challenging.

More control over lanyards used by competitors is pretty much the solution here. Test, tag and predive check.
Click to expand...

Hi chrismar,

Depending on what touches it, some smooth surfaces become quite grippy underwater, for example leather on polycarbonate.

I don't know what fibre optic cable feels like under water. However, IF it sounds like a viable idea then I suppose there is only one way and that is to physically test it.
 
Fibre optics are generally not touched except by a splicing technician. The part that IS touched is the outer sheath, so the options for that are variable. (Somewhat, obviosuly within the restraints of the requirements)
It has become highly flexible lately for telecommunications usage but I am not sure on cost or ability to make a fully flexible F/O LARGE enough to be of use.
And 1Degree out on a F/O cable in terms of a bend radius means it's useless in terms of signal transmission.
 
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