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DIY Block & Tackle

Archimedes first developed block and tackle in ancient Greece before 220 B.C. Using a basic design that has come down to the present, Archimedes taught sailors to use block and tackle to move ships and cargo that no one could have moved alone. The principle of the block and tackle is simple, but ingenious. The weight of the object is divided over several different pulleys. While modern block and tackle units use metal pulleys or carabiners and synthetic ropes, the design of block and tackle hasn't change significantly in more than 2,000 years. Knowing how to make an emergency block and tackle can mean the difference between life and death in the wilderness.

Things You'll Need

40 feet of rope
2 carabiners
12 feet of rope
Load
Jacket or pack

Instructions

- 1
  Throw the rope over a branch that is strong enough to hold your load. Make a fold in the rope and wrap the fold around itself to form a loop. Push the fold through the loop and pull. This makes a slipknot.
- 2
  Clip one carabiner to the loop of the slip knot.
- 3
  Thread one end of the rope through the carabiner, leaving a large loop. Attach the second carabiner to the second, large loop.
- 4
  Pull one rope so that the slipknot is just below the branch. Tie this rope off at the tree.
- 5
  Wrap the second rope around your load. If the load is a person, you may need to use a jacket or backpack as padding between the person and the rope. Tie it off this rope.
- 6
  Clip the load rope to the second carabiner.
- 7
  Pull the loose end of the rope and lift the load using both carabiners as pulleys.

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