<< 1 >>
Rating: 
Summary: Overall a good book.
Review: Contains some good information and some nice diagrams.
If you're intrested in exactly how much force (ie 4000 Newtons this way, 3500 this way...) then this book will provide you with this info. The physics of towing, lifting, bridging, and pullies are all covered and explained well. Tables of tensile strength constants and numerious equations put all the nessecary info at your figertips.
If you're more interested in how to get your jeep out of that mub pit, then you're looking for common sense, some planing, and experiance.
Overall a pretty good book and certainly wasn't a disappointment. It's small enough to fit in the glove box if you're inclided to do tension calculations in the backcountry.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing
Review: I expected more practical tips for getting out of odd situations. I finished the book thinking I should add an engineering calculator to my toolbox--and not feeling like I got many useful ideas. A careful read would provide practical information, I'm sure, but my eyes glazed over at all the math and physics, before I got much benefit. Cole gives good safety information, and recommends a very comprehensive toolkit (weighing in at almost 200 lbs. excluding winch). His gadgets and tricks are well suited to four-wheeling in his native, deforested England, where it's hard to find a tree to winch to. It's good to understand a few principles behind winching, but a little algebra goes a long way. (Did you know that two pickets driven 1 meter into undisturbed earth, spaced 1 to 2 meters apart, inclined away from the load at 15 degress, should hold a pull of 1810 kilograms? Do you care? See page 15.) I'd rather see a cookbook approach with photos: "Is your vehicle stuck like this? Then do this!" If it were written by an instructor at one of the 4x4 camps, I think it would be successful.
Rating: 
Summary: Author's comments
Review: I was interested to see a number of comments. I realise that it may be complicated and strove not to make it dependant on maths. What prompted me to put the book together was a collection of briefing and lecture notes that I had created while running my small company and giving instruction. I was acutely conscious of some glaring health and safety failings on the part of many people undertaking off-road (ie emergency) style recoveries. In the main it is not intended to be a collection of 'if you are stuck like this photos' and this again was a conscious decision because of the enormously wide variety of situations that could occur. In any case the understanding behind such a picture would still be necessary otherwise the learning point would be reduced. My main target was to give people a feel and understanding of what may be involved in any situation and loads on winches and materials, what the ground could support, and so on is fairly crucial. This also involves bridging in which the scope for fatal disaster is extremely high. The tables at the end are sufficent to enable someone to work out almost anything without a calculator, so long as paper and a pencil available. Not that I necessarily would do that but in the middle of nowhere with a vehicle up to its axles in mud or across a ravine making sure that nothing too hazardous is attempted should be common sense. I was guided by the publishers to a certain extent who felt that it didn't need significant re-presentation. I had also produced a laminated quick reference card but this wasn't practically publishable. This is still available by special request. I am pleased that most people have gained something constructive and hope that at least a few dangerous situations have been avoided.
Rating:
Summary: Author's comments
Review: I was interested to see a number of comments. I realise that it may be complicated and strove not to make it dependant on maths. What prompted me to put the book together was a collection of briefing and lecture notes that I had created while running my small company and giving instruction. I was acutely conscious of some glaring health and safety failings on the part of many people undertaking off-road (ie emergency) style recoveries. In the main it is not intended to be a collection of 'if you are stuck like this photos' and this again was a conscious decision because of the enormously wide variety of situations that could occur. In any case the understanding behind such a picture would still be necessary otherwise the learning point would be reduced. My main target was to give people a feel and understanding of what may be involved in any situation and loads on winches and materials, what the ground could support, and so on is fairly crucial. This also involves bridging in which the scope for fatal disaster is extremely high. The tables at the end are sufficent to enable someone to work out almost anything without a calculator, so long as paper and a pencil available. Not that I necessarily would do that but in the middle of nowhere with a vehicle up to its axles in mud or across a ravine making sure that nothing too hazardous is attempted should be common sense. I was guided by the publishers to a certain extent who felt that it didn't need significant re-presentation. I had also produced a laminated quick reference card but this wasn't practically publishable. This is still available by special request. I am pleased that most people have gained something constructive and hope that at least a few dangerous situations have been avoided.
<< 1 >>
| 
