At 2am out team responded to a vehicle in the water complaint. The witness did not see anyone get out of the vehicle, so we were called to the scene. After conducting a anchor point we were able to locate the vehicle approximately 100 feet directly out from the tread marks. This particular lake is know for stolen vehicle dumps and it has been dove before. The lake is also 100% Zero visibility.
Everything was going to plan, and the tow truck had arrived. Now it was time to hook the vehicle up to the tow truck. This was the tricky part. For anyone who has hooked a cable up before, 100' of cable becomes really heavy. My 2am idea was to attach a series of 50lb lift bags to the cable at about 20' increments. This idea was successful, but it was also still difficult to swim that cable out to the car. To finish the story, it was attached and recovered. No one was hurt and the only thing that perished in the incident was my low volume atomic mask (I loved that mask).
Like every incident I brain storm afterwards to try and figure a much easier way to make this effective. I came up with the idea about 10am the same morning to develop a pully and rope system in which a 100' line (rope) would be attached. Then I could attach the pulley to the car. After that is complete I could signal to topside with a line signal that I am ready to pull the heavy cable with the line. This system would give me leverage that I didn't have by finning and it would make running the cable much easier.
I thought about just using a line and no pulley, but then I would have to anchor myself to the car to keep from just pulling myself in. The pulley would allow me to place my knees on the car and use my strength to bring the cable to me.
Herein lies my question. Has anyone done this before, does it work well, and is there a better way of doing this?
Thanks in advance for the comments, and like always if this is the best mousetrap I hope it will help others.
-Eric
Everything was going to plan, and the tow truck had arrived. Now it was time to hook the vehicle up to the tow truck. This was the tricky part. For anyone who has hooked a cable up before, 100' of cable becomes really heavy. My 2am idea was to attach a series of 50lb lift bags to the cable at about 20' increments. This idea was successful, but it was also still difficult to swim that cable out to the car. To finish the story, it was attached and recovered. No one was hurt and the only thing that perished in the incident was my low volume atomic mask (I loved that mask).
Like every incident I brain storm afterwards to try and figure a much easier way to make this effective. I came up with the idea about 10am the same morning to develop a pully and rope system in which a 100' line (rope) would be attached. Then I could attach the pulley to the car. After that is complete I could signal to topside with a line signal that I am ready to pull the heavy cable with the line. This system would give me leverage that I didn't have by finning and it would make running the cable much easier.
I thought about just using a line and no pulley, but then I would have to anchor myself to the car to keep from just pulling myself in. The pulley would allow me to place my knees on the car and use my strength to bring the cable to me.
Herein lies my question. Has anyone done this before, does it work well, and is there a better way of doing this?
Thanks in advance for the comments, and like always if this is the best mousetrap I hope it will help others.
-Eric