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Subscribe today for some amazing stories and content from our expedition team or find an outfitter for your next adventure.
Slings or a Modern Flip Line
2 to 4 Carabiners
2 to 3 Pulleys
Accessory cord 3 mm in diameter less than your Static Line
Familiarization with a 3:1 Mechanical Advantage System
Utilizing Load Releasing Hitches, Klemheists, and Figure Knots
Anchor Points
Adding efficiencies to the 3:1 system
Attaching the system to the raft
In this lesson, Nathan and Trevor are working on helping you familiarize yourself with a basic 3:1 mechanical advantage system, also known as a Z-rig. This tried and true system has been around the rafting community for a long time and knowing the ins and outs of this system can help you with even the worst wraps. Some advantages of this system are the ease of setup and the universal nature of it as it is widely taught in swift water rescue courses around the world. We have to stress that this only a familiarization video and should be construed as entertainment. You should not rely upon a video from the internet in a real recue scenario. Seek appropriate training through a certified swiftwater rescue instructor before you utilize any techniques in this video.
You are going to need a good amount of equipment to set this system up and you can find a gear list in the what you’ll need section, however it is important to note that having a pulley designed for the diameter of rope that you are using will go a long way to reducing the stress on your lines.
You may want to consider adding some additional gear into your setup to help you add a pulley redirect into the system. Adding an additional sling, carabiner, and pulley can help to add a bit more safety by pulling you out of the line of fire for any equipment breakage. This can also help to make your system a little more efficient by keeping your lines in the 3:1 system parallel if there are obstacles or difficult terrain preventing you from getting your lines parallel.
Anchors can often be the most difficult part of your system as you don’t accurately know how much force your anchor can hold. You should consult your swiftwater rescue instructor for more detail on how to select the proper anchor for your system.
The Prusik has been a common sight in 3:1 mechanical advantage systems for many years, but our friend Ryan Jenks put together a great video on why you should consider changing your rigging system to incorporate the Klemheist rather than a traditional prusik. As this is a directional hitch though it is important to make sure that you are properly rigging this so you don’t let the Klemheist slip the wrong way in the system.
