tension knots, how'd you cleared them

[Freeflaw 0]

There aren't too many stories on dz.com about tension knots. As a new jumper with an interest in base, I'd like to hear from people who have had tension knots and resolved them without chopping (or had them on a reserve ride). If TMs could chime in that be great. If possible provide info as to the type of equipment used, how many jumps on lines, location of the knot, severity of the malfunction (how hard was it diving) and whatever other peculiar details of the incident you might find worthy of mention

[Glitch 0]

I've had tension knots twice... In both instances, the knots were cleared by relieving tension on the lines. In the first instances, a knot prevented my slider from dropping more than about 1/4 of the way down the lines. A control check of the canopy wouldn't clear it. In the second case, the R brake line was fouled up, and upon a controlablity check I noticed that I could pull the toggles down but the R side wouldn't go up. I did clear both tension knots though.... This was done by following the time honored method of cutting away and pulling my reserve, followed by and appropriate NSTIWTIWGD story while passing out beverages that evening....

Randomly f'n thingies up since before I was born...

[hangdiver 1]

Yep, they're not called tension knots for nothing. Relieve the tension(the jumper or canopy whichever you prefer) and they go away.
There is a story over on base jumper where the jumper landed tension knots.

"Mans got to know his limitations"
Harry Callahan

[faulknerwn 38]

I solved them once. I had opened at altitude for a CRW jump so I had tons of time to work with. I had a knot high up on my right side causing me to turn. I stopped the turn by pulling opposite riser while I worked on the problem. Pumping brakes and risers did nothing until I noticed one slack line. On one of my right connector links (forget which one) I noticed one line was slack and not pulled taut like the rest. I reached up, grabbed the loose line and tugged on it and poof the problem was cleared...

[popsjumper 2]

Quote

I've had tension knots twice... In both instances, the knots were cleared by relieving tension on the lines. .... This was done by following the time honored method of cutting away and pulling my reserve, followed by and appropriate NSTIWTIWGD story while passing out beverages that evening....

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[chuckbrown 0]

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I solved them once. I had opened at altitude for a CRW jump so I had tons of time to work with. I had a knot high up on my right side causing me to turn. I stopped the turn by pulling opposite riser while I worked on the problem. Pumping brakes and risers did nothing until I noticed one slack line. On one of my right connector links (forget which one) I noticed one line was slack and not pulled taut like the rest. I reached up, grabbed the loose line and tugged on it and poof the problem was cleared...

Yup, what she said. Pull the knot out if you have time. Mine, likewise, was on a CRW jump where I had 10,000 feet to work on the problem. I think I cleared mine by 8,000 (it took a few tugs). Obviously, 2,000 feet during a normal FF jump is too long to work on the problem.

[mx19 0]

We've had a few occasions at work with tension knots, most of the time they have been cleared by pulling down the riser then letting go quickly so as the riser returns to its normal position it takes the pressure off the knot.

[3mpire 0]

I searched the forums and google but didn't find anything that defines "NSTIWTIWGD"...?

[JohnnyMarko 1]

no shit there i was thought i was gonna die

[3mpire 0]

thanks!

[fencebuster 7]

Mr. Bill gone bad. Tension knots . . . spinning . . . . Fought it for 4000 feet and as my vision started to gray out decided it was time to give it up. Unremarkable reserve ride. My canopy and d=bag landed about 100 meters away. With the exception of the bruises from the Mr. Bill gone bad, no harm, no foul!

Charlie Gittins, 540-327-2208
AFF-I, Sigma TI, IAD-I
MEI, CFI-I, Senior Rigger
Former DZO, Blue Ridge Skydiving Adventures

[drjump 0]

Just out of curiosity--How were the lines stowed in the packed rig?

[faulknerwn 38]

Freestowed in a standard PD tail pocket

[drjump 0]

[riggerrob 643]

Strong Enterprises tells tandem instructors that the best way to clear tension knots is to pull both brake toggles into a deep stall, they let up rapidly. The canopy dives forward, the lines go slack and - most of the time - tension knots disappear.

The long term solution is to hire neater packers, because tension knots can be eliminated if you keep all the lines neat.

[Granimal 0]

Had them once and couldn't clear them. I cut away and deployed my reserve. Ironically, I joked with a skydiver about how it was the last day my reserve was in date and that I might just cut away for the heck of it before the jump. Unfortunately, I had a real problem but still get asked about it over 10 years later... sigh.

[Fordrifle 0]

I'm a lapsed skydiver who has just got back into the sport after many many years and am a couple of consols short of my Cat A but with a few hundred jumps from 15 years ago which varied from extreme altitude to very low, mostly military jumps. So not quite your normal aff student but a student never the less.

I had a Mal on Saturday whilst doing one of my consolidation jumps. The canopy was a maverone 250 so a nice big pretty stable platform and I'd pulled at 4000. Checking canopy, I had pressure knots on my right side of canopy incorporating the end cell and also the next cell in plus a some of the third (leaving me with a 170ish plus washing). Tried to clear by pumping steering toggles and also tried riser pull (more tentatively) to no avail. I assessed that I had steerage albeit compensating with left 1/4 toggle for the drag of those end cells and was not descending very rapidly. Had an instructor calling over the radio saying I had a decision to make. At this point I still had 2000 plus altitude. I wasted some altitude, re-velcroing my right toggle back to riser so I could reach my student radio and tell the instructor I was going to stick with the main as I reckoned it was flyable.

I was quite relaxed but knew I had some work to do. I pulled my slider right down and started working through the lines one by one whilst also maintaining a rough heading towards the PLA using third left toggle to keep me straight. By 1200 feet I'd cleared the line knots and the cells inflated. Good approach and landing. Talking to, as a student by club instructors, understandably as they were very concerned.

In retrospect (a valuable thing in skydiving) I should have probably cut away for a reserve ride.

[erdnarob 1]

Tension knots are sometimes hard to be detected since they exist only while under tension and often "disappear" when you pick the parachute on the ground when no more tension exists. This is what seemingly happened to me at 2 occasions. It was years ago while jumping a StratoCloud. At the time, the extra steering lines were stowed in rubber bands attached to a loop near the tail. I was always told not to tighten too much those rubber bands to avoid a malfunction. Therefore, I was keeping those quite loosely. In two occasions I had a partial mal with that parachute. After deployment, the StratoCloud started a slow turn. There was nothing special I could see in the lines. In both case I did a cut away. I attributed the cause to tension knot on the steering lines. IMO, the wiping effect of a sudden line release is the probable cause of tension knot. I now think that rubber bands holding the lines should be tight enough in order to avoid that wiping effect and tension knots.

Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

[Lucky123 0]

I had a tension knot when I had around 12 jumps on my right steering line. As soon as I opened I did a control check and could not lower my right toggle. At first I thought about chopping, but my canopy was flying straight and I had some time so I decided to work on it. I pulled on my toggle very hard and it would not come out. Then I remembered I could land on my rear risers and decided that was what I was going to do, then I started to relax a bit. While working my way into the landing pattern I kept working on it and pulled with everything I had and it cleared.

[wrightskyguy 1]

Quote

I solved them once. I had opened at altitude for a CRW jump so I had tons of time to work with. I had a knot high up on my right side causing me to turn. I stopped the turn by pulling opposite riser while I worked on the problem. Pumping brakes and risers did nothing until I noticed one slack line. On one of my right connector links (forget which one) I noticed one line was slack and not pulled taut like the rest. I reached up, grabbed the loose line and tugged on it and poof the problem was cleared...


You left your crw buds hanging for a tension knot!!! Wendy, Wendy, Wendy

John Wright

World's most beloved skydiver

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[topdocker 0]

On a crw jump, I managed to fly over, topdock, and release the tension knot on a teammate's canopy. On a competition jump at Nationals!

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Jump more, post less!

[wrightskyguy 1]

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On a crw jump, I managed to fly over, topdock, and release the tension knot on a teammate's canopy. On a competition jump at Nationals!

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*** That's what I'm talking about. A real crw dog would cutaway and finish the dive on their reserve.

John Wright

World's most beloved skydiver

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[faulknerwn 38]

I still docked! Just was a bit late :-) And last time I did CRW on my reserve I nearly got kicked off the dz (don't try this at home kiddos :-)

[captain1976 0]

With all the cameras out there, anyone take a picture of one they can post?

You live more in the few minutes of skydiving than many people live in their lifetime

[mjosparky 4]

Tension knots are more prevalent with 9 cell canopies and as Rob said sloppy line control during packing. Canopies fill from the middle out and with the higher aspect ratio of a nine cell you can end up with slack lines at the outside trailing edge. Even a few loose control lines. Keeping the lines to the center of the canopy will reduce the possibility of this happening.

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals