In reply to Ramblin dave:
> (In reply to mattrm)
> [...]
>
> Repeat pedantry: if nothing gets in the way, you'll go the same distance but end up lower because you started lower.
>
> It's when something large and floor-like gets in the way that this becomes an issue. (Although ironically if you end up on the deck then you'll actually fall less far because the ground will have stopped you. Try to manage a wry smile at this while you wait for the x-ray.)
I'm also confused now. You'll go two different distances, as there is two different amounts of rope out. I'm very willing to believe I'm wrong, as my understanding of maths is poor at best.
So taking the two situations:
a) I'm well below the bolt, take a fair bit of rope out and stretch to clip in, and fall.
So in this scenario I'm assuming bolts are 1 meter apart. Assuming you've climbed 30 cms above the bolt. By that I mean your knot/waist/harness is 30 cms above the bolt.
You have 70cms from that knot to the next bolt. For the rope to reach the next bolt, it's got to go up 1m from the bolt below you, up to the bolt and then 70 cms back down. So if you've got the rope up to the bolt, you've got 1.7m of rope out. If you fall of then, there's 1.7m out and you'll fall 1.7m below the bolt that's only 30cms away from you. Right? Wrong?
b) I decide to climb up to waist height instead, go to clip in and fall.
Again, bolts 1m apart. I climb from the bolt to the next bolt. So my waist is right by the next bolt. 1m of rope out. I fall off, I end up 1m below the next bolt.