Meeting location was set at the Botanical Golf next to the Leaping
Frog Restaurant
car park
Wanneroo,
everyone was
very punctual
and on time
which from an
event leaders
perspective, was
really awesome.
There were actually more participants turning out that morning than
originally
expected, with 8
vehicles and 14
participants
taking part in
the recovery
workshop.
A very informal but necessary drivers meeting performed that
morning with
having everyone
sign up to cover
ourselves for PL
and PI
insurances at
the same time,
an outline of
what was going
to happen during
part of the day
was delivered.
Once we were all
on the same
page, we
convoyed it out
onto road, head
lights on and
radio checks all
sorted, heading
east.
The initial plan was to find some sandy tracks that would best
simulate what
the CSR project
team could
encounter on
their intrepid
adventure come
April, up the
Canning Stock
Route. So far as
to say I had a
plan and a
backup plan if
the first plan
wasn't going to
be challenging
enough and it
seemed that the
backup plan was
going to suffice
but it was going
to be an
interesting
exercise getting
everyone there
and back again.
Ben and I towed the two trailers in and out, this workshop gave the
CSR Project Team
and others a
chance to have a
good close up
look at these
purpose built
trailers
dedicated to
travelling -
being towed up
and down the
CSR. From my
perspective, the
trailer I was
towing would
arguably be the
very best orr-road
trailer I have
ever towed in
very soft sandy
condition,
weighing in at
800kg unloaded,
it was a real
pleasure to
tow... it sat
behind the
Patrol rock
solid, even in
the deep ruts.
Really very,
very impressive
I thought.
Being that I have never towed this trailer before, I wasn't exactly
sure what to
expect, so
before heading
onto the sandy,
very soft and
powdery sand I
went about the
deflation of ALL
tyres, including
the trailer,
paying close
attention in
achieving the
same footprint
on all tyres,
this assists in
minimising
transmission
wind up over
distance. So
whilst still on
the tarmac, I'd
advised the the
rest of the
convoy do the
same, after all,
it was only a
short section of
tarmac being
negotiated
before entering
the sandy track.
To my astonishment, my Patrol towing the big white flat top trailer
negotiated the
first tricky
hill with ease,
it was never
going to be an
issue it seemed
and I knew then
that I would not
be having any
problems towing
this trailer in
and out of this
sandy tracks,
thought I still
need to be
switched on in
terms of judging
that all
important weight
to power ratio
or what we
seasoned
4wdrivers refer
to now a days as
getting the
maximum torque
to the drive
wheels just
perfect at the
right time of
ascents.
Max torque to the drive wheels was explained in detail once we all
managed to get
through the
first
interesting
ascent, some
having a couple
of attempts of
which they will
remain nameless
as what happens
out there, stays
out there ;-)
The feedback
whilst
explaining the
reasons for what
and why we do
things and when
we do it was
really very
good... being
that this event
was more a
workshop -
members
collaborating
ideas than
formal style of
training, the
experiences of
some very
seasoned and
established
4wdrivers
contributed to
the day’s events
was magnificent
and really
appreciative
from a trainers
perspective. All
then that was
required was
just to
facilitate this
event.
Once morning tea was over, back in the vehicles and off up the
Sandy track till
Ben and his
intrepid
adventurous team
identified a
terrain time
that would best
fit what they
would encounter
on the CSR. It
was going to be
my backup dune,
the more
challenging one
that the lads
chose, but
getting out from
this spot would
be a challenge
in itself to
many as well.
Ok, the first exercise was to have Ben head down the track and
attempt to get
back up in his
Prado, the first
three attempts
failed and
having to
reverse the
Prado and
trailer down he
hill and around
the corner, Ben
made it look so
easy, but it
isn't. On the
fourth attempt
to my surprise,
Ben made the
summit, very
impressive
indeed as I know
if these
conditions when
the sand is so
dry, not many
actually get up
without towing a
trailer.
The next exercise was to send Ben back down the hill, get him to
turn around and
head back up the
hill and get
bogged down to
the axles, then
the CSR team go
about how they
would normally
recover vehicle
and trailer on a
CSR project. The
chosen method
was to use
snatch straps,
all in all 5 of
them to be
precise. My role
was to identify
to the team any
unsafe practices
and
unfortunately
there were a few
identified and
then recognised
by the team once
explained to
them why.
Adopting all the safe working practices in a snatch recovery, the
recovery using
this method just
did not work and
there were quite
a few reasons as
to why that
everyone came to
terms with in
the end and
understood that
trying to make
it work would
create a very
significant
personal safety
issue, let alone
the risk of
damaging
equipment.
So what now? Bens vehicle bogged to the pan, trailer on the back,
no other way to
get out of this
predicament
apart from a lot
of hard labour,
sweet and tears.
There was once an old army techniques used for crossing rivers in
convoy by
training the
vehicles
together, in
their case, they
would have steel
rods attached to
uni joints
between a group
of 4wd's. This
was extremely
effective as
when the first
vehicle went
into the river,
the rest behind
would literally
push the vehicle
across, once the
lead vehicle is
over with a few
more over with
it, then the
lead vehicle
would start to
pull the rest
out of the deep
muddy water.
This recovery technique can be simulated with the use of either
tree trunk
protectors
and/or equaliser
straps and
training a few
vehicles
together, then
run maybe one or
two lengths of
winch extension
strap down to
the vehicle
being recovered.
All recovery
vehicles, in our
case all 4 of
them were on the
top of the other
side of the
hill, heading
either straight
or slightly
downhill.
So I offered this recovery method to the team and said, lets give
this a try and
it will
hopefully pull
Bens Prado and
trailer up over
the hill with
EVERYONE all
working together
in harmony,
effectively
using a 20x4
wheel traction
method, that
would be 20
wheels driving
all at the same
time. I'd
deliberately put
a dodgy
extension strap
on first up
which I was half
confident that
it would break
and it did.
Making good use
of three dampers
on the extension
strap, the 30m
of extension
strap went where
it needed to go,
under the
vehicles. Eric
was absolutely
astonished on
how quickly the
extension strap
took off, he
made comment
that he did not
even see it fly
back as it broke
in half.
Connecting all the straps up again, we attempted the recovery again
with a team
leader offering
instructions off
to the side on a
hand held UHF
radio, once
everyone got the
timing just
right in terms
of all vehicle
moving off
together at the
same time in
L4-1, this
method of
recovery worked
and treat and it
was really
incredibly
safely executed.
On the finalisation of this event, I personally presented a
donation to the
CSR team two
11000kg snatch
straps and 4 x
4.7t bow
shackles for the
purpose of any
light recovery
on flat ground
to slight
inclines only
where the snatch
straps can get
off the ground
at their given
stretch. If they
are still on the
ground such as
being over a
hill on more
than so 50 to 60
degrees, the
snatch recovery
performed
safely, won't
work properly,
as its designed
to. We NEVER use
a snatch strap
to tow with.
On the way out, there were a couple of ascents that proved to be a
bit challenging
with Rob Robson
there on the day
to render
assistance,
thanks Rob for
all your help
getting some
TCWA members
over the last
little bit of a
hill. We stopped
for lunch under
a few trees,
enjoying the day
then headed out
on lets say a
more leisurely
track.
All in all, I think the day proved to be a great effort in helping
the CSR 2012
April project
team stay that
little bit
safer, that they
all come home to
their loved ones
safe and sound.
From me
personally I
wish I was going
on this April
CSR trip, but I
will be away
again working at
the time... I
wish you all God
speed, a safe
journey, an
awesome
adventure and
best of all,
enjoy a great
time in the
company of some
really, really
nice people.
Participants… Elizabeth Bradshaw, Merv
Bradshaw, Terry
Wilson, Barry
Brown, Lyn
Hemsley, Jeff
Hemsley, Enzo
Ghersinich, Don
Smailes, Ian
Giles, Duncan
Wilson, Rob
Robson
(spectator and
recovery), Eric
Loughton, Ben
Blomfield, Geoff
Couper.
Take care and rubber side down ALWAYS!
Report by Geoff Couper.
