Searching and Running a Line?

[rob.mwpropane]

Good day, let me preface this by saying I'm not venturing outside of my certification. There are no overheads or wrecks. Depth is 65' or so. Very benign all things considered.

I bought an old reel with about 400' of line because the viz where I dive is pretty limited. I'd like to get some pointers on how to search for different structures / items. Just looking for some simple tips. Maybe tie knots every 10'-15' and search in circular or semi circular motions until finding something?, and then do the same from there? Or do you just pick a direction and go? It will help tremendously from me having to come back to the surface to know where I'm at so to speak.

My plan would be to try and layout with a compass the what's where and who's who. Will help build a bunch of skills and be kinda fun while I'm at it.

Again, all OW, all benign. Please don't recommend a cert when I'm really just trying to have some fun. So what do you advanced divers do?

Appreciate everyone's help!

This is the best I could come up with searching online.

 

[tbone1004]

you can look up standard search patterns, but the general rule I use with a real is like what you said. You can knot the reel, but I think it's unnecessary. Your increments will be based on what the vis is like. Better vis, longer increments. Tie to the anchor or something solid and go out from there.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

you can look up standard search patterns, but the general rule I use with a real is like what you said. You can knot the reel, but I think it's unnecessary. Your increments will be based on what the vis is like. Better vis, longer increments. Tie to the anchor or something solid and go out from there.

I'll give that a shot, thanks!

 

[rjack321]

Good day, let me preface this by saying I'm not venturing outside of my certification. There are no overheads or wrecks. Depth is 65' or so. Very benign all things considered.

I bought an old reel with about 400' of line because the viz where I dive is pretty limited. I'd like to get some pointers on how to search for different structures / items. Just looking for some simple tips. Maybe tie knots every 10'-15' and search in circular or semi circular motions until finding something?, and then do the same from there? Or do you just pick a direction and go? It will help tremendously from me having to come back to the surface to know where I'm at so to speak.

My plan would be to try and layout with a compass the what's where and who's who. Will help build a bunch of skills and be kinda fun while I'm at it.

Again, all OW, all benign. Please don't recommend a cert when I'm really just trying to have some fun. So what do you advanced divers do?

Appreciate everyone's help!

This is the best I could come up with searching online.

View attachment 567265

Circles almost never work (unless really small). You will end up swimming in a swooping spiral back to your starting point due to the drag in the line bowing it.

Spokes on a wheel using a compass (N-NE-E-SE-S etc) is a more reliable although slower pattern -because you cover the same leg coming and going. Knotted line can help you create a known area. 5ft knots in terrible vis, 10ft knots for most conditions. Each leg of the spoke would be say 5 to 8 knots. It will depend on the visibility at the outer edge of the spoke (where the wheel would be). Could you see a little more than halfway to the end of the other spoke? If not make shorter spokes. In great vis you can go further out as you know you will have see the whole slice of pie between the two adjacent spokes.

EDIT: also depends on the sizing of the object you are looking for. If you are hunting for a 150ft passenger steamer even in 6ft vis you can go a bit further on a spoke as it hard to "hide" something that big in-between pie slices. If you are looking for a 35lb sailing anchor you need to tighten up and be pretty compact or the pie slices will get too wide at the outer edge.

 

[tbone1004]

@rjack321 good point, most of my hunting for stuff is in lakes with near 0 vis but also no current

 

[rob.mwpropane]

No current, all in a quarry. There are some attractions that were put there years ago, and I'm told a lot of cars have been dumped there. The original lines that were ran have since disintegrated or get lost in the muck.

Silly questions, but is there any issues letting a reel dry rolled up? I don't want mold or fungus to grow inside it.

 

[Steve_C]

There are a number of scuba courses for which I bought the book, read it, but never took the cert. Search and Recovery book has several search patterns. (This is a course I did take but not saying you should take, just read the book)

 

[rob.mwpropane]

I've thought about buying a book, and maybe at some point I will (that's a class I would like to take). For this though, I think there's enough info here and elsewhere to get by. Thank you though.

 

[rjack321]

Silly questions, but is there any issues letting a reel dry rolled up? I don't want mold or fungus to grow inside it.

I've never seen mold growing on nylon line.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

I've never seen mold growing on nylon line.

I set my stuff next to a dehumidifier, just wanted to make sure.