JLBC Cadet Corps Tutorial: How To Swiss Seat and Australian Seat

JLBC Cadet Corps Tutorial: How To Swiss Seat and Australian Seat

The Junior Leader Battalion Cadet (JLBC) Cadet Corps has a multitude of skills they need to master, and among these, knot tying is a critical component. The Swiss Seat and Australian Seat, in particular, are two practical knots that play essential roles in a cadet's training. This article aims to provide a detailed tutorial on how to tie these two knots correctly, ensuring safety and stability.

Swiss Seat

The Swiss Seat, also known as a rappelling or climbing harness, is a makeshift harness made out of a piece of rope. Here's how to tie a Swiss Seat:

Materials needed:

• One 15-foot piece of rope, preferably 7/16 inch in diameter, for comfort and strength

Steps:

1. Find the middle of your rope. Drape this middle point over your dominant shoulder for easy access.

2. Pass the two ends around your waist from back to front. Overlap the ends and make sure they are even.

3. Bring the two ends down through your legs, separating them.

4. Take the ends and pass them to your backside, ensuring each end comes around the outside of your thighs. It would help if you created a loop around each thigh.

5. Bring the ends up and tie them to the part of the rope on your waist at the back with a secure square knot or double overhand knot.

6. You should be left with two tails. These should be tucked under the loop around each thigh and secured with an overhand knot. This step is essential to prevent the tails from whipping around while rappelling.

Remember that the tighter the seat is around your waist, the better support you'll have. This ensures that when you are suspended, the weight is distributed more around your waist and less around your groin area.

Australian Seat

The Australian Seat, similar to the Swiss Seat, is another version of a makeshift harness. Here's how to tie an Australian Seat:

Materials needed:

• One 15-foot piece of rope, again 7/16 inch in diameter, is preferred

Steps:

1. Like the Swiss Seat, start by finding the middle of your rope and draping it over your dominant shoulder.

2. Wrap the rope around your waist twice, ensuring it is tight enough for support but not uncomfortably tight.

3. Like the Swiss Seat, take the two ends and pass them down through your legs, separating them.

4. This time, instead of going around each thigh, tie both ends up at your back with a square knot or double overhand knot.

5. The ends should then be fed through the waist loops at the front, creating a securing loop around your groin area.

6. Finally, secure the ends to the waist rope at your back with a secure knot and tuck the tails.

Again, the snugness of the seat is crucial. It should feel secure and tight but not overly constricting.

Remember, practice makes perfect! Keep going even if your first few tries are less than ideal. Keep at it; soon, you can tie a Swiss Seat and an Australian Seat quickly and confidently.

Remember that safety is paramount even with a perfect Swiss or Australian seat. Always ensure you are correctly anchored, never rappel alone, and always wear a helmet and appropriate footwear.

Above all, enjoy the learning process and have fun. The JLBC Cadet Corps is about skills and building character, resilience, and camaraderie. Happy knot-tying!