COVID19 Compliant - Afternoon - Fewbie Desert Drive - Love Lakes to Murquab- 12 Mar 2021

[Thomas Varghese]

1 minute ago, Wrangeld said:

Perfect. Then we can use yours. 

everybody are welcome @Wrangeld to use them. Last time the shackle slipping incident commented upon by @Kalahari happened when my rope & shackles were used. I fixed them and as it was for the 1st time I may have hooked them wrong as @Jeandre Bezuidenhout himself hooked them next time and the shackle didn't slip and the car came out from the stuck. I had a doubt from that time the shackle might have unhooked itself as I hooked them wrong and not because the tow hook had been shaved a little. Anyways I think we can rest the matter as 4 new tow hooks has been fixed and I have my own shackles and rope.

The only thing I did wrong that time was coming over to check what is the condition of @Shehab Alawadhi's car when he announced his car is bridged. I didn't take a walk by coming out of the car as per covid protocols and remained in my car watching what the marshal & 2nd lead is doing to recover a bridged car. Of course how would 1 learn by not seeing the actions in person? 

[Wrangeld]

22 minutes ago, Thomas Varghese said:

everybody are welcome @Wrangeld to use them. Last time the shackle slipping incident commented upon by @Kalahari happened when my rope & shackles were used. I fixed them and as it was for the 1st time I may have hooked them wrong as @Jeandre Bezuidenhout himself hooked them next time and the shackle didn't slip and the car came out from the stuck. I had a doubt from that time the shackle might have unhooked itself as I hooked them wrong and not because the tow hook had been shaved a little. Anyways I think we can rest the matter as 4 new tow hooks has been fixed and I have my own shackles and rope.

The only thing I did wrong that time was coming over to check what is the condition of @Shehab Alawadhi's car when he announced his car is bridged. I didn't take a walk by coming out of the car as per covid protocols and remained in my car watching what the marshal & 2nd lead is doing to recover a bridged car. Of course how would 1 learn by not seeing the actions in person? 

Hi @Thomas Varghese you're missing the point. This is not a question of what happened in terms of watching a recovery or anything else such as the past situation of a rope slipping, this is about the type of tow hook you've installed. 

It's not a question of wanting to use your equipment instead of mine, it's about knowing the risks of using soft shackles in these thinner plate metal hooks. They often have sharp or abrasive edges that risk cutting the shackles, that's all I was saying. Members are kind enough to volunteer in most cases to their own equipment to reviver other club members. As you are well aware, Carnity does not supply this. Indeed, as you also saw, as you progress in rank there is an expectation that you invest in more and more equipment. Again, this is at the personal cost of the senior. 

It is not unreasonable, therefore, to suggest that where we see a potential risk for the personal property we put at the disposal of others that we mention these concerns. Sadly, I have experience of soft shakles being destroyed by having been used in exactly this type of tow hook. For that reason, I was simply pointing out, quite reasonably in my view, that it is not unreasonable to expect that in a recovery situation of your own vehicle, your own equipment is risked instead of someone else's. If you find that premise at all unreasonable or incorrect, please let me know and I will happily address your concerns as to why this might be the wrong approach. 

I repeat, my comments were in no way connected to any event that concerned anything else aside of the extremely narrow point of plate metal thin tow points that risk the possibility of fraying or cutting soft shakles. 

My verdant hope, in your case, is that with the body of experience you are building on your drives, the necessity to utilise this additional functionality now installed will be significantly mitigated as your capability to self recover will militate against their use in any event.

[Thomas Varghese]

11 minutes ago, Wrangeld said:

Hi @Thomas Varghese you're missing the point. This is not a question of what happened in terms of watching a recovery or anything else such as the past situation of a rope slipping, this is about the type of tow hook you've installed. 

It's not a question of wanting to use your equipment instead of mine, it's about knowing the risks of using soft shackles in these thinner plate metal hooks. They often have sharp or abrasive edges that risk cutting the shackles, that's all I was saying. Members are kind enough to volunteer in most cases to their own equipment to reviver other club members. As you are well aware, Carnity does not supply this. Indeed, as you also saw, as you progress in rank there is an expectation that you invest in more and more equipment. Again, this is at the personal cost of the senior. 

It is not unreasonable, therefore, to suggest that where we see a potential risk for the personal property we put at the disposal of others that we mention these concerns. Sadly, I have experience of soft shakles being destroyed by having been used in exactly this type of tow hook. For that reason, I was simply pointing out, quite reasonably in my view, that it is not unreasonable to expect that in a recovery situation of your own vehicle, your own equipment is risked instead of someone else's. If you find that premise at all unreasonable or incorrect, please let me know and I will happily address your concerns as to why this might be the wrong approach. 

I repeat, my comments were in no way connected to any event that concerned anything else aside of the extremely narrow point of plate metal thin tow points that risk the possibility of fraying or cutting soft shakles. 

My verdant hope, in your case, is that with the body of experience you are building on your drives, the necessity to utilise this additional functionality now installed will be significantly mitigated as your capability to self recover will militate against their use in any event.

I understand. After your comments I had called the garage to soften the edges. They said they will do it as soon as I can give back the car but unfortunately I'm already back in my home in Ajman. 

I always love to learn more everyday especially from experienced people like you. 

Can the edges be softened by a planer? I think I can. Maybe a grinder blade? Or should I combine a D shackle and soft shackle arrangement? Please suggest @Wrangeld

Edited March 10, 2021 by Thomas Varghese

[Thomas Varghese]

I hope everybody in the club is reading and correcting their equipment learning from senior members. 

18 minutes ago, Wrangeld said:

Hi @Thomas Varghese you're missing the point. This is not a question of what happened in terms of watching a recovery or anything else such as the past situation of a rope slipping, this is about the type of tow hook you've installed. 

It's not a question of wanting to use your equipment instead of mine, it's about knowing the risks of using soft shackles in these thinner plate metal hooks. They often have sharp or abrasive edges that risk cutting the shackles, that's all I was saying. Members are kind enough to volunteer in most cases to their own equipment to reviver other club members. As you are well aware, Carnity does not supply this. Indeed, as you also saw, as you progress in rank there is an expectation that you invest in more and more equipment. Again, this is at the personal cost of the senior. 

It is not unreasonable, therefore, to suggest that where we see a potential risk for the personal property we put at the disposal of others that we mention these concerns. Sadly, I have experience of soft shakles being destroyed by having been used in exactly this type of tow hook. For that reason, I was simply pointing out, quite reasonably in my view, that it is not unreasonable to expect that in a recovery situation of your own vehicle, your own equipment is risked instead of someone else's. If you find that premise at all unreasonable or incorrect, please let me know and I will happily address your concerns as to why this might be the wrong approach. 

I repeat, my comments were in no way connected to any event that concerned anything else aside of the extremely narrow point of plate metal thin tow points that risk the possibility of fraying or cutting soft shakles. 

My verdant hope, in your case, is that with the body of experience you are building on your drives, the necessity to utilise this additional functionality now installed will be significantly mitigated as your capability to self recover will militate against their use in any event.

My only intention was to get out from you regarding the comments I made about using the soft shackles wrong. Kindly understand because of COVID protocols we novice are not getting much chance to learn by seeing how all these are employed. We just watch from a distance what is happening and is not learning how to properly use our tools. 

[Kalahari]

52 minutes ago, Thomas Varghese said:

 I may have hooked them wrong as @Jeandre Bezuidenhout himself hooked them next time and the shackle didn't slip and the car came out from the stuck.

Hi @Thomas Varghese, the 2nd attempt we had to recover you at 45 degrees to the right, to prevent rope from slipping. This was only marginally possible due to pocket at 30 degrees. If it was the other way around, then we would have had no option but to let you dig out tons of sand. 

[Thomas Varghese]

2 minutes ago, Kalahari said:

Hi @Thomas Varghese, the 2nd attempt we had to recover you at 45 degrees to the right, to prevent rope from slipping. This was only marginally possible due to pocket at 30 degrees. If it was the other way around, then we would have had no option but to let you dig out tons of sand. 

My God. Thank you for saving me. So my doubt about the wrong deployment of the soft shackle is false. How can we learn when all these things are not explained. As we have to remain in cars due to the present situation and the briefing itself is over radio its very difficult to learn properly. Only we drive and drive. 

Edited March 10, 2021 by Thomas Varghese

[M.Seidam]

@Thomas Varghese Hi Thomas . I am afraid I agree with Richard @Wrangeld regarding the sharp edges of your rear hook tows. Unfortunately I have it my self too .till I get them sorted smoother or change them totally I use the smooth round yellow D Shackle as a connector between the tow point and the soft shackle. 

Edited March 10, 2021 by Mohamed Seidam

[Thomas Varghese]

1 minute ago, Mohamed Seidam said:

@Thomas Varghese Hi Thomas . I am afraid I agree with Richard @Wrangeld regarding the sharp edges of your rear hook tows. Unfortunately I have it my self too .till I get them sorted smoother or change them totally I use the smooth round yellow D Shackle as a connector between the tow point and the soft shackle. 

We both fixed the tow hooks from the same garage. That's why its behavior is the same. I think being an engineer, slightly rounding the edges with a grinder should lower the risk. Actually you had told me about this earlier and I had instructed the garage to smoothen them. But the car came out after 8.30 pm and I was in a hurry to settle the bill and head back home. @Wrangeld has sharp eyes like an eagle to notice this even from a picture. 

[Foxtrot Oscar]

Ahem....Are you all done? 

Good afternoon fellow adventurers.

I am very much looking forward to spreading some off-roading love at love lakes tomorrow! We shall start off gently and I aim to increase the challenge level as we progress further into the sand. As always, what we do and what we achieve is entirely dependent on the convoy and what you want and how you feel. . 

@Watteau and his good lady will be supplying mocktails mid drive , @Matt.T said he's bringing the corned beef sarnies and @Thomas Varghese is bringing his best behavior  hahaha

What I do expect from you all, is a bucket of humility, spades of good humour and an abundance of wits. YALLA! 

We shall be using radio channel 3 (three)

My proposed convoy for tomorrow is as follows:
 

Driver	Car	Level	Position
Angela @Foxtrot Oscar	Black X	Expert	Lead
@Kailas	Red Wrangler	Adv	2nd Lead
@stavros papachristos	Wrangler	Fewbie	3rd
@Serafino	Wrangler	Fewbie	4th
@Matt.T	Wrangler	Fewbie	5th
@Watteau	Raptor	Fewbie	6th
@Shehab Alawadhi	F150	Fewbie	CF
@Mario Cornejo	Patrol SWB	Fewbie	8th
@bassel el rafei	Landcruiser	Fewbie	9th
@Thomas Varghese	White X	Fewbie	10th
@Arda Yagcioglu	Black X	Fewbie	11th
@Melenany	F150	IM	12th
@Pancho	Wrangler	Expert	Sweep

See you all tomorrow  

[Alex Raptor]

just me tomorrow the wife is having a spa day.........

BREAKING NEWS - She's baaaacccckkkkk, didn't want to miss  @Foxtrot Oscar's drive, she enjoyed it so much last time, no pressure Angela.... 

Edited March 12, 2021 by Watteau