Submitted by nhutton on Mon, 01/02/2010 - 14:29
It was a lovely Thursday afternoon around 3pm, at work. Well I had finished for the day and was doing nothing til 5! Out of the blue Bob Norris calls me and tells me of some Dorset Greeenlaners that were stuck near (what sounded like Chinnock-near Yeovil). No problem me thinks. The boss said it was OK to help out so I call Ron Fisher and find out it's CHIDDEOCK!!!!! Pigging miles away! As I have my reputation to uphold, I headed towards Bridport with Quarr Lane in the Tom Tom.
I got there just before dark and saw that Ron and Les had gently fallen out of the very shallow ruts and were tied up with tow ropes, Les's winch and a very small, insignificant hand winch to the trees that lined the track above them. It looked so easy to pull them out that I wondered why they had called for help.
I tried to winch Ron out backwards, using a snatchblock to change the angle, but he stayed downhill of the ruts. We tried to winch him forwards tied to Les's tow hitch using Les's front mounted winch. Again Ron slipped down the hill. Every time we moved forwards or backwards we kept the tension on the small, insignificant hand winch.
It took a little while to realise that this pokey little thing could pull Rons 90 back up the hill and into the ruts again. It took a while and all of our strops, shackles and tow ropes to get it done, but eventually The front made it up the hill, followed a good while later by the rear.
Again we tried my winch and snatchblok to get Ron up to the top of the hill and a small assistance for Les.
I was there for two and a half hours and they had been stuck there for two and a half hours before I got there. Both drivers are experienced and very, very well equiped and thankfully didn't let pride get in the way of a shout for help. I had a great time putting things into practice that I had seen Rog and Paul do with such ease and disregard for Baby. If it wasn't for Les's little, insignificant hand winch then it would of taken a lot longer and been a lot more difficult!
As a 'Thank you' Ron has got me a similar small, insignificant hand winch. It will be packed in the back of my car as 'a must have at all times' bit of kit.
Many thanks Ron.
Nigel.
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Nige, what you might not know
Nige, what you might not know is that when Paul got me into challenge events, his rrc only had a front winch. All rear or sideways winching was done with a small insignificant hand winch! Hard work.
Hand Winch
It is true that without the hand winch we would have been stuck longer! I tried using the winch - but as Nigel offered to do it it was only hard work for him! He might of thought I said wench!
International Rescue - the Nigel Hutton Way!
Hi Nigel, I have written a few words for the club magazine - with pictures for those who like them! I will try to get to the next club night to deliver the hand winch to you. Just one small point it is from all four stranded souls - Les, Jane, Angela & Ron. Many thanks for turning out at short notice.
Regards and many thanks R,A,L & J
International Rescue
Many appologies. Many thanks to the four of you. I will see you at the club night.
Nigel.