The Whetman Python is a 5m length of webbing designed specifically for river rescue applications. The Python has a 6mm marine grade steel ring on one end and an open loop to receive karabiners on the other. It has a breaking strength in excess of 10kN.
The Python has a number of uses.
It can work as an anchor in hauling, lowering boats & traversing the river.
The benefit of the steel ring being it can often replace a karabiner and receive other lines or webbing.
On the river karabiners are always in short supply and the rings can be invaluable to save karabiners for other tasks.
The ring can also be used as a pulley to create a Pig Rig when combined with two Pythons and two Ring Pull Prussiks - see below .
The Python can be a cowstail extension for work positioning a throwline deployment or belayer.
Very handy for portaging over rough ground & large boulders to haul & lower boats.
Short reach rescue: hold the ring in one hand and flick the coil out to reach to a close by swimmer. The rings acts as a stopper.
Raft Guide Flip Line: Used with a krab, clip the krab onto the gunnel line, throw the ring end of the Python over the upturned raft, grab it the other side, climb up & flip.
