AY Honor Abseiling Requirements

Abseiling

Skill Level

1

Year

2001

Version

03.11.2025

Approval authority

General Conference

Section One - THEORY.

Safety

1. Complete the following:

a. List and explain the safety rules

b. Explain the “dangers of falling” chart.

2. Explain the uses of the following knots:

a. Tape

b. Alpine butterfly

c. Figure of eight loop

d. Double fisherman's

e. Prusik

f. Bowline

Setup

3. Draw the diagrams for the setting up of the following abseil descents:

a. Single rope technique

b. Canyoning setup

4. Know the ways to identify safe anchors in various circumstances, e.g. trees, boulders, bollards.

Belaying

5. Explain the various verbal calls.

6. Explain the principle of belaying and the three methods used, and give the advantages and disadvantages of each method:

a. Body belay

b. Mechanical belay

c. Base belay

Care of Equipment

7. List the rules for care of ropes.

8. Explain the difference between dynamic and static rope.

9. Know the right type of equipment needed for abseiling.

10. Know the best way to store your ropes, e.g. coiling and chaining.

Descenders

11 a. Know which descending device to use in different abseils.

11 b. Give reasons why you chose that device, e.g. on/off time, security, heat, versatility, etc.

First Aid

12. Know about how to treat a patient for the following injuries:

a. Sprains

b. Concussion

c. Hypothermia

d. Broken bone

e. Shock

Cliff Rescue

13. Explain how to perform the following rescues:

a. The pulley system

b. The change-over method

Section Two - PRACTICAL.

1. Pass the abseiling exam with a pass mark of 60%. The exam is available from the conference youth ministries office, or through the instructor.

Verbal Testing

2. Answer the questions on the following topics:

a. Uses of the six abseiling knots

b. What are, and give the meaning of the standard climbing calls

c. Uses of various descenders

d. Give seven rules for care of rope

e. Give seven rules for safety

f. Know about first aid and how to treat patients

g. Give five ways to detect faults of ropes

Practical Testing

3. Perform the following tasks:

a. Tie the six knots

b. Set up the single rope setup and canyoning setup

c. Witness a cliff rescue demonstrated by the instructor

d. Coil and chain a rope

e. Set up the belay methods

Abseiling

4. From a minimum height of 10 meters, complete two abseils on each of the following devices, and know how to attach them to the rope:

a. Whale tail

b. Robot

c. Harpoon (easy access)

d. Figure of eight

e. Piton-brake bar

f. Rappel-rack

g. Harpoon (conventional)

h. Cross karabiner

5. Explain how to do the classic abseil, and over the shoulder abseil, for emergency use.

6. Be able to Prusik a ten-meter cliff.