Chris Abel
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Posts posted by Chris Abel
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I would like to say a big thank you to all the AWDC team & sponsors for a fantastic year.
It was hard work on Sunday the punches were difficult the weather was against us, and I felt like Cr@p
, however we still pushed on and finished the season on a High! 
It’s sad to see the Range Rover go, but at least it will be back for the HW2009 with Kev behind the wheel and Alistar Darlings lookalike in the passenger seat!
we won’t be doing the whole series next year because the new buggy won’t be finished in time, however we might turn up to a few round’s to chuck a spanner in the works.
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As there seems to be quite a lot of talk about new trucks, events and series for 2009, I thought it was a good time to share with you a new event we are planning for next year.
Xtreme Timed Challenge
This will be a new take on the classic Point to Point discipline which will require teams to visit a set number of points around a course in the shortest time possible.
I envisage 20-30 'gates' that the vehicles must pass through over a 2-3 mile course, using CyberKeys to record their visit. The route taken between gates is free.
Cars would start at one minute intervals and there would be a set number of laps to be completed through the day.
Kirton Off Road Centre have agreed to allow the first event to take place at their site on a date to be decided. Regulations would be in line with the MSA Point to Point criteria.
Now comes the crunch...
As this is a speed discipline teams will require the following:
MSA Clubman License (£10)
MSA approved helmets
MSA approved fire extinguishers
MSA approved Harnesses
MSA specification full rollcage
I envisage this appealing to Challenge, Safari and Modified trials drivers, although a winch is likely to be required for the purposes of self recovery.
The severity of the course would be somewhere between current Challenge and Comp Safari events.
The first event will require a minimum of 12 cars to get it off the ground, so before we go any further in the planning stages we need to get an indication if there is any interest. If the first event takes place and is a success then there will definitely be a second event in 2009.
I look forward to your comments
Count me in new truck will have an MSA approved cage. We need something like this to keep the sport evolving, I love the concept of the King of the hammers in the states and to bring an event like this to the UK is a great idea
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They work very well but do take time to set up and then remove. The plough type are probably the best all round ground anchors.
Mo
Go for a plow type, I use a ScrapioRn anchor and its hard as nails probably the best product they have made/copied but its quite heavy! X-Eng anchor is incredibly light but from what ive heard it does not like the rocks and is bulky to stow on the truck. Devon anchors are good but they also bend when used in rocky ground. Carls Gold digger anchor is a good piece of kit, if i bent my Scrap iorn one thats probably what i would go for.
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first off a big congrats to neil and co for arranging a wonderfull event.. my only minor concern is that it seems more geared towards the more experienced drivers with the big money motors... there seemed very little available for the standard/less experienced who will be the future of the sport when the top drivers move on to compete in other events...please nobody take this as an insult to the days of work involved in arranging such an event as its not meant to be. perhaps that particular event was more extreme than normal.
You dont need big money to still have fun at an AWDC event, the majority of the punches could be done with a fairly basic vehicle. If all depends on how quickly you want to do them.
Simon and I have talked about entering in a £50 MOT failer suzuki sj with an 8274 to see how many punches we could still get, and we would still do the hard ones,
might take us a bit longer though. -
Seriously considering going back to what i know of axles i have rebuilt but we'll see
You just need to make a few alterations to the way there mounted to your car, to make it sit lower like my truck and you will never think twice again
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Like Simon W, said great event! West Harptree is a small site and to set a challenge there to keep us all busy in no easy task, So big thankyou to the AWDC
Also another big thankyou to Gigglepin 4x4 for Sponsoring the event and Simon and I. 
We have been using the Bluetooth headsets for the last 3 events and they do make a huge diffrence. I'll be in the passenger seat at the next 2 rounds in Simons truck, might stick my winch on his truck though!
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Hi,
The answer to this thread is real simple.
The event organisers have a duty of care & responsibility to insure that risks are reduced to a minimum.
If this means insisting on winch sails for whatever reasons must be used on any type of winch line/cable then them are the rules!
So, if the event you want to attend has rules that you do not agree with the choice is simple - follow them or don't attend.
Personal opinions are just that, personal, we all have them and are free to express them as we see fit - however rules is rules and we either follow them or just don't play.
My personal opinion for what it is worth is that all lines should have some sort of sail used to create awareness that a winch is being used - general warning flag would be a more apt description.
A. Thomlinson.
I work in the house construction industry, constantly writing risk assessments & method statements, looking at the way we work and how we can make improvements making the workplace safer.
I started this pole because I'm concerned for the safety of my co-driver and others who are potentially at risk from the use of winch sails. I do not want to start writing Risk assessments and Method statements for what we get up to at the weekends because from the HSE's point of view what we do brake all the rules anyway.
I do see your point Andy and yes a sail is a good idea to indicate that a winch line is in use. However the level of risk imposed on the co-driver when repositioning this sail can in most situations outweighs the reason to using a sail in the first place.
There is an even greater risk imposed on the co-driver if the winch sail is to pass through the fairlead, removing the blanket from the drum involves the co-drivers hands in a very dangerous place with the driver flicking the winch backwards and forwards to try to remove it.
In the heat of the competition you have to consider the effects of mental and physical fatigue, removing that sail from the drum could result in the loss of a limb with a flick of the switch in the wrong direction.
I would like to see:
Sails (warning Flag) carried on vehicles but only used if winching across a track, otherwise they are not needed (unless you're using wire rope).
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i thought you were breaking it chris?
I was going to break it for parts for the new truck, but its worth more as a complete vehicle and i hate the thought of doing it, so many hours went into the build. I would keep it if someone would buy my house
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Is it one carefull owner with full service history Chris ?
something like that
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Im almost ready, truck came back from tay with no damage apart from a tyre valve. Might change the axle oils tonight and swap the winch ropes round.
West Harptree will probably be the last event i do in the Range Rover, its up for sale soon
We will probably turn up in Simon truck for the last two rounds, with me bitching for a change
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@Jim: wouldn't a steeringguard protect your steeringsystem a bit more?
Driving glasses might be better, he does have a tendency to drive into rocks at speed
Looks like a good event from the photo's and talking to Jim & Adrian, if they make it a bit more technical, longer sections next year ill be going
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I would like to find out what the general opinion is for the use of winch sails with synthetic rope?
For the Howlin Wolf challenge events we use a thin sail wrapped up on the rope that can be moved along the rope if needed, the majority of the time it’s at the hook end out of the way. The only time it gets moved down the rope is to protect the rope on sharp rocks.
At the Tay forest we were not allowed to do this so we used the conventional weighted Velcro sail, we found that the sail would constantly slip down the rope ending up getting dragged through the fairlead, when this happens on a 45 degree slope trying to free it is by no means safe. Keeping the sail in the middle of the rope also requires the Co-driver to constantly reposition the rope under load, how is that safe?
Synthetic ropes do store some energy but they are not a threat to the driver, co-driver or spectators unless you have direct contact with the rope.
I do however think that sails should still be used with wire rope because the potential kinetic energy stored under tension is far greater as we all know.
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Hello,
More news from Portugal....... Jim has repaired the Cv and borrowed a shaft off of another competitor as Martin was carrying his spares and as he is no longer in the competition he was not allowed to use parts from his car, as this is considered to be outside assistance and I believe the case is the same with his steering box. He went on to complete the stage well.
Next stage - Jim and Adrian went first and on the last winch out of the section they pulled all the winch rope out of the winch and the rope came off the drum, this cost them time and they completed the section in 18minutes. Paul was next to go and drove the section without winching in 8 minutes.
Next stage was a tricky out and Jim and Adrian went first again and they timed out in the stage costing them a 20 minute DNF penalty. Paul and Nev walked the course and then decided to sack the stage and also costing them a 20 minute DNF penalty.
More news as it comes, this morning there was only a few hundred points between 1st and 10th place.
Speak soon
Lucy
x
Sounds like a tough event, they were not carrying Spare CV's shafts then!? Im suprised that the new steering box broke that was suposed to be a really strong box.
Hope Adrians foot is ok and they have a better day tomorrow.
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Got a Text from Jim & Adrian, they went though scrutineering today, now loading the truck up with all the gear, they packed Arm Bands, snorkle, rubber duick, rope, shackles, latex gloves, grease gun etc all ready for a week of dirt and sweat
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Hay Simon ! Bet you couldn't sit on a branch that thin
Maybe a banana diet till next year then Simons in training at the Zoo again.. he was on banana's & Red bull at Tay but he still cant fly.
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I just cant be arsed
I like that answer too
lets not turn this thread into a MOT, road legal, SVA, thread.
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Same here
Apart from the 3 -link i didnt even scratch a light lense
Mind you Chris i do have ,
A wind screen
Lights & indicators
Insurance
Tax
MOT
UMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Plus i drove it to scrutineering & back
I have all of the above apart form the wind screen thankyou. I also drove to Scrutineering
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That all may be the case, but for me and some others, I have to drive 500 miles back on the road with the comp truck, and will drive accordingly. It is harder to compete on a drive to survive basis, while the rest is treating the event like a demolition darby. I have been criticised for this, but I think the event should involve the roadmiles bit just to stop the demo darby element of it; Also, the rules of the event did cater for this, and than it appears all those rules have gone out of the window overnight.
Constructive critisism from my side, to what is otherwise a great event and we enjoyed it very much.
Daan
Demolition darby? all i had on my truck was a small dent in the door, i do however remember the wings on your car
. I did not drive to the forest because i dont want to be pulled by the police for having broken lights, brake lines hanging off, etc etc. It makes sence to use the trailer if you have one. If you want to drive your truck on the road after competing thats up to you. If your TRE brakes off on the way back because you never spotted it, covered in mud etc.. and you then susiquently kill someone then you might change your opinion when your sat in prison. -
Dear All,
As the Scotish "I want to be like Chris Abel" challenge is now behind us I would like to share my observations after watching Chris/Simon, Alan/Dafydd.
To make it short, they were cheating all along and after only seeing them at the end of one section I was disgusted and went to the pub to get drunk. I cannot believe That the organisers let them get away with this and that other competitors who saw the same I saw just let them get away with it and even applauded at the prize giving.
To be more specific:
a) Chris has a tree monkey as a co-driver! It cannot be in the spirit of our sport if the winch bitch is replaced by a monkey who actually can climb up trees to set winch anchor points. Simon should be handicapped with chains around his ankles and handcuffed behind the back.
B) Chris' truck did not have a windscreen. This unbelievably was not notice during scruteneering and actually alowed him to hear when his co-driver (the above mentioned, to be punished tree monkey) shouted instructions at him. While every other driver ignores the bitch (as it is supposed to be) Chris actually listens to Simon wich is clearly against the rules and border line cheating! For future events Chris should be made to wear ear plugs and should be blind folded to make sure he does not react to hand signals either!
c) No breakages on his truck! The unwritten code of conduct in winch challenges states that your truck has to break down at least once per day on a trophy. While everyone adheres to this unwritten rule Chris' truck never breaks down. His "simulated" break down in the first section was traced down to a squashed fuel line was a clear attempt to cheat on the rule as not even tools had to be used to fix the car. Again, clear cheating and I suggest that the other competitors should be given 30 minutes of tinkering time on Chris' truck before the event starts.
d) His winch(es). Well what can I say. Having reliable double motor electric winches front and rear is just taking the tiddle. Again, in combination with a), B) and c) above this can only be seen as playing outside the rules. A hand puller or alternativly a hydrolic winch which stalls all the time should be made mandatory for "Team Cheating".
I thought a long time before posting this accusations but the above photo evidence makes it clear to everyone what was going on.
Hopefully we can avoid this kind of behaviour going on in the future.
Best
Stef
I did have a leaky brake line does that count as brakage
Love you stef
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It felt steeper than that looks
It was right on the point of balance, technical winching at its best
Great photos Mr Nick and Simon, its nice to see what everyone else got up too, Mr Nash taking driving on its side to a whole new level No need to drive to scotland next year, ive got half of the tay forest on my yard
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How much water can't wait........ it's soooo close now Dont forget to take your Arm bands
i wonder how well Jim can drive with his head under the water
the Terra trips dont like water
is the GPS waterproof? -
Well done, guys. Awesome performance! You do make a bit of black smoke though Chris
Black smoke = More Power = getting up hills faster
We had a great weekend up in Scotland, Alan, Dafydd, Simon and I worked hard for that at the weekend. It was by far the hardest event we have done so far. I would like to thank the Teams that were true sportsman, letting us pass in a section.
Its a shame that Mr Marsden broke his car so soon, i was really looking forward to overtaking mid section, maybe ill get the chance next year?!
Look forward to seeing some more photo's, i hope someone got a picture of Alan's car driving on two wheels in section 11
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We were going to enter four of the howling woolfe starting with the kirton site, but after speaking to a couple that entered the last one, they declined to do anymore because of a couple of guys cheating by running over the tape, and apparently these guys are in the top 3 !!. so we decided not to enter this event because of what we heard. But they did says the howling is one of the best set out and organised events, just a shame there's cheating exercisers !!
I would like to say that Simon and do not cheat and have no intention of cheating, we get good results by a combination of driving/ co-driving skill, teamwork and a well setup truck. We do not need to cheat to get good results.
There were far to many punches that had rope and posts ran over on sunday, if you do run the rope over or push a post over then put it back to how it was or call a marshall over to put it right again dont just leave it.
Whoever it was that drove straight over the rope to get punch 1 must have known exactly what they were doing.
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Great event again for us again, many thanks to the marchals and AWDC organisers.
We managed to rip the Panhard rod bracket clean off the chassis which cost us 30 mins other than that all went smoothly for us. Got my work cut out this week to get the truck ready for Tay
MOT booked for wednesday afternoon.I want to Drive like Garry Andrews one day
, however we still pushed on and finished the season on a High! 
might take us a bit longer though. 
We have been using the Bluetooth headsets for the last 3 events and they do make a huge diffrence. 
Maybe a banana diet till next year then 
How much water 
MOT booked for wednesday afternoon.
Muddy Truckers Trophy March 13th-15th 2009
in Competing in Land Rovers
Posted
I think someone's pulling your leg! Shooting season finishes 31st January and breading season for the Pheasant and partrige starts in April.
Anyway im looking forward to this one, Co-driving for Jim and we got ourselves a good team mate
Its a shame it clashes with the AWDC series, maybe next year someone could start up a website listing the dates of all challenge events so it could be avoided in future.