BSA gives slacklining the OK

[shortridge]

Has anyone tried this? I was always good on the balance beam in gymnastics, but walking on a wire in the COPE program - even just a foot off the ground - gave me the jeebies.

 

http://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2012/03/13/walk-the-line-after-review-the-bsa-gives-slacklining-a-qualified-ok/

 

Will you bring this to your PLCs or Venturing leaders?

[qwazse]

Thanks, SR

 

I'm in! Both the troop and the crew would love this!

 

I'll tell them I heard it from you first!

(This message has been edited by Qwazse)

[frank10]

Only BSA would feel the need to post rules for standing on a rope. Will they offer their approval (within limits...) for sitting on a tree stump next?

Stump sitting is now an approved activity however, stump must be between 12 and 18 tall and at least 10 inches across. Only one scout may sit on a stump at a time and spotters must be provided. No one shall sit on a stump that is more than 10 degrees off level how ever them may sit on the ground and lean against the stump provided there are no protruding roots and ground cover such as grass is present.

Tour permit is required and Field uniform mus be worn by both sitter and spotters.

 

 

(But yes, this looks cool.)

[Scoutfish]

"Acrobatics (any time your head is lower than your torso) are prohibited."

 

Uh oh! I se where some people will argue at which point falling could actually be rougue acrobatics!

 

Demand for a specific definition of falling will be called for.

 

Then you may have your true " traditionalists " who will decry this as a blasphemy since real scouts would use only a monkey bridge!

 

How about cub scouts? Will this be adapted for them?

 

Maybe a 2x4 secured directly on the ground at a height of no more than 3" off the ground and scouts must wear a safety harness at all times!

 

Of course, it will be pointed out that this is no more than a balance beam and will be shunned.

 

 

[Basementdweller]

Never heard of it........So I looked it up.......

 

 

 

Not my thing....too old heal to slow.......

 

 

These guys and gals are skilled, I wonder how this would work at a District camporee.....Line up a 100 boys and they try to balance on it??????

 

I bet a Troop did this, no mats or it was 5 feet in the air, Junior fell off broke his collar bone, button whole his clavical, or arm.....Now we have rules.

 

The gear is cheap enough from 50 to 100 bucks for the ribbon and ratchet.

[Beavah]

I had to laugh and wingnut's comments. That about sums it up. This is why G2SS is now over 100 pages. It's a bit like a welfare job for some staffers. The only activities which should be "reviewed" are ones that are empirically showin' higher-than-average accident/incident statistics. And then I reckon they should probably be "reviewed" by some folks who actually have experience with the sport.

 

Yah, we see troops doin' this occasionally. Gear is not expensive, eh? Just takes some climbing webbing, a few carabiners and a garda clutch.

 

I've actually never seen anyone doin' this using an (expensive!) crash pad. Seems like inappropriate overkill. Crash pads are fairly small, eh? They don't move with the fellow on the line, and they're also not really designed for this sort of low height fall. Havin' a spotter is fine for beginners or for old guys, more as instructional or psychological support. I can't imagine it really being a safety issue. After all, the height of the line is by definition below what Climb on Safely recommends for spotters being needed.

 

This truly is one of those activities where da minimal safety issues are just obvious. Like not riggin' the thing so high that yeh end up singing soprano.

 

Beavah

 

 

[le Voyageur]

 

 

Been slacklining for years as a Climbing director at several differant camps. Done right with spotters it's nothing more than another cope event.....

[Eagle92]

Kinda asinine if you ask me. And yes I can see some troop doing it. My troop did something like this, it was pole walking. We had 3' high upright poles to mark off the parking lot that we walked on. We didn't use spotter, but LeV is right, all this is is a COPE event.