I guess I should expand on my comments.
- first I was not there and so I am all full of speculation.
-second apologies if this comes across as opinionated - honestly the below is my musings on recovery. Take it as such and totally ignore me if you want. Chances are though if you get yourself stuck down the beach at Cape Flattery or the Cotterill or on the track into Lookout Point or your swimming through big or little swamp east of Kalpower and I happen along... if you want my help Im gonna do it my way!!! I guess in essence I totally agree with Dougal. A recovery is a function of the people doing it and their experience and abilities. Not the specific technique they use.
Many years ago after having a rated shackle let go during a slow snatch recovery in mud I have since not used a snatch. I have of course seen plenty of other failed snatch recoveries but thankfully no serious trauma. I have also seen plenty of failed winch recoveries. Just on Last Saturday I had a 16mm dyneema rope through a snatch block let go while trying to winch 5Tonne of tree off the shed. A bit of a bang, everything hit the deck. Re-assessed changed things up and got it done.
All techniques can fail but slow winching with Dyneema is pretty bloody safe in my experience. I have had three or four rope breaks in the last 7 years that I have used dyneema, all of them were wholly uneventful compared with the stored energy of a failed snatch or failed steel rope recovery.
I use lots of dyneema, winches, shovels and a 5m drag chain to anchor winch vehicle when necessary. Just to put this in perspective - between my antics and mates and then random phone calls from mates of mates I would be involved in more recoveries than most city slickers 
Most good proper recoveries are at this time of year when the southern cape is sticky.
In sand - I can see the benefit of a snatch - you are never really bogged in sand just failing to proceed. In mud when a vehicle is proper stuck like the 80 series in this thread I want as much control and safety as possible. Time is likely my least important factor.
SO if I was involved in the above presented recovery.
First would be looking at that huge lump of dirt in front of the cruiser I would likely guess a recovery from rear would make most sense. If too messy behind then perhaps some road enhancement via trees affected by Stihl disease. (heck with a shovel and a chainsaw Malcolm Douglas et al would have reveresed that cruiser out of that)
If behind recovery was impossible then start looking to dig out those front tyres and make a ramp out to winch up. Obviously the picture is scarce on details but the edge of that clay pan will likely have a good tree candidate for a winch or for a winch vehicle to chain to for support. Obviously length to a good anchor can be an issue but Didnt I say carry plenty of Dyneema! (2 or 3 - 30m hanks of Dyneema would weigh in the same as a snatch strap)
Anyways Im sure you get the picture.
Steve
'95 130 dual cab fender (gone to a better universe)
'10 130 dual cab fender (getting to know it's neurons)
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Originally Posted by benji
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