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Version A
Version B
Version C
Version D
Minus 8
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[ Top | Version B | Version C | Version D | Minus 8 | Return to Figure Eights ]
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I acquired this eight from Canyon Country at the 1994 TAG Fall Cave-in.
The BlueWater, Version A is forged from aluminum alloy and then soft anodized. Mine is 142 mm. tall, 72 mm. wide, and 15 mm. thick. The rope hole is 50 mm. high and 50 mm. wide. The top center thickness is 13 mm. The shaft length and width are 45 mm. and 26 mm., respectively. The eye measures 26 mm. by 26 mm. My eight weighs 131 g.
One side is stamped with the BlueWater logo, "600431," and "FRANCE." The other side has "3000" in raised digits.
The BlueWater, Version A is a typical example of a full size, flat shaft, forged, aluminum eight. It is essentially the same as the Simond standard eight.
The flat shaft is less common than other designs, but has little
functional effect. The body is thin but well-rounded, and the
rope tends to run smoothly. The inside of the eye and the rope
hole have a cylindrical area. This does not affect the eights
performance since the rope does not really cross the edge of the
rope hole cylindrical boundary. The finish is harder than many
eights, so the eight will wear better until the finish breaks
through. The eye is not designed for belaying.
[ Top | Version A | Version C | Version D | Minus 8 | Return to Figure Eights ]
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I acquired this eight from James & Bobbi Hyde in 2007.
The BlueWater, Version B is forged from aluminum alloy and then soft anodized. Mine is 144 mm. tall, 74 mm. wide, and 15 mm. thick. The rope hole is 50 mm. high and 50 mm. wide. The top center thickness is 12 mm. The shaft length and width are 45 mm. and 26 mm., respectively. The eye measures 25 mm. by 25 mm. My eight weighs 129 g.
One side is stamped with the BlueWater logo, "FRANCE," "30 KN," and "42903." The other side has "3000" in raised digits.
Except for the markings, Version B is essentially the same as Version A. I would not have bought it solely for the different markings; instead, I had other hopes. I bought Version B on eBay because it was black, hoping that it was hard anodized (most Type 3 anodizing is dyed black or dark gray because the pore structure is not as amenable to coloring). Alas, it was not, but at least something changed, so it is not exactly the same as Version A.
[ Top | Version A | Version B | Version D | Minus 8 | Return to Figure Eights ]
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I acquired this eight on eBay from Mitchell in 2022.
The BlueWater, Version B is forged from aluminum alloy and then soft anodized. Mine is 144 mm. tall, 74 mm. wide, and 15 mm. thick. The rope hole is 50 mm. high and 50 mm. wide. The top center thickness is 12 mm. The shaft length and width are 45 mm. and 26 mm., respectively. The eye measures 26 mm. by 26 mm. My eight weighs 131 g.
One side is stamped with the BlueWater logo, "FRANCE," and "400109." The other side has "3000" in raised digits.
This is the same as the previous version except for the markings. The logo and "FRANCE" are factory-filled with white paint.
[ Top | Version A | Version B | Version D | Minus 8 | Return to Figure Eights ]
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I acquired my BlueWater, Version D on eBay in 2009.
This eight is forged from aluminum alloy and then soft anodized. Mine is 131 mm. tall, 74 mm. wide, and 13 mm. thick. The rope hole is 48 mm. high and 48 mm. wide. The top center thickness is 11 mm. The shaft length and width are 44 mm. and 24 mm., respectively. The eye measures 18 mm. by 25 mm. My eight weighs 109 g.
One side of the shaft is printed with "BlueWater" and the other 2ith "35kN" and "Taiwan."
This is another "midi" size, forged, aluminum eight, but it differs from most, being Taiwanese rather than Italian. The eye looks like it is suitable for belaying, but it is too short I feel that it is too narrow for belaying with 11 mm. ropes.
[ Top | Version A | Version B | Version C | Version D | Return to Figure Eights ]
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I acquired my BlueWater Minus 8 new on eBay from Gil Pettyjohn in 2010.
The Blue Water Minus 8 is forged from aluminum alloy and then soft anodized. Mine is 115 mm. tall, 69 mm. wide, and 13 mm. thick. The rope hole is 40 mm. high and 46 mm. wide. The top center thickness is 11 mm. The shaft length and width are 35 mm. and 22 mm., respectively. The eye measures 20 mm. by 23 mm. My eight weighs 138 g.
One side is stamped with the BlueWater logo and "FRANCE." The other side is stamped "401006."
The BlueWater Minus 8 is a typical example of a "mini" size, forged, aluminum eight.
The rope hole is shorter than normal, so it may provide too much friction on stiff or muddy ropes.
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[ Top | Version A | Version B | Version C | Version D | Minus 8 ]
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