#24 and #36 cave line question

[wjefferis]

I have searched to see if this has been answered in the past, but couldn't find anything. I am looking to get a primary reel before I take a cavern course. I have seen primary reels sold with a choice of either #24 or #36 cave line. I know that #24 is thinner than #36 which is thicker. What I am unsure of is what do most people use for their primary. I was thinking that #36 would be used for wreck penatration and #24 is used for cave penetration. Is this correct?

 

[Jeff Toorish]

Yes, for the most part, cave divers use 24 and wreck divers use 36.

Jeff

 

[K Mejean]

I could be mistaken but I believe that #24 is the standard for cave diving. I have it on both my primary reel and my spool. I would also recommend that you just get a finger spool to start out with. It is plenty for the cavern. It won't tangle as easy (helpful for starting out and getting used to running line), and it will save you some money as they are pretty inexspensive. Just my 2 cents.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Go ahead and pick up a good primary reel, sometimes even a 150' spool isn't enough to reach existing goldline and there may still be cavern zone to explore. TDI allows up to 200' total penetration from the surface. Consider a spool for your safety though.

24# is what cave divers typically use in Florida on their spools/reels.

 

[GLENFWB]

Dang Walter, if I knew you were looking for a reel, I would have let you use my Larry Green reel when we were in Cypress last week. I agree with Bugman, a good primary and a spool to start with. I used a Dive Rite for cavern, but I love my Larry Green reels. Simple, good price, and hard for even me to tangle. My DR is now my saltwater reel.

Oh yeah, mine have 24# line also. Let's go diving again, and you can take them for a spin...literally.

I have searched to see if this has been answered in the past, but couldn't find anything. I am looking to get a primary reel before I take a cavern course. I have seen primary reels sold with a choice of either #24 or #36 cave line. I know that #24 is thinner than #36 which is thicker. What I am unsure of is what do most people use for their primary. I was thinking that #36 would be used for wreck penatration and #24 is used for cave penetration. Is this correct?

 

[DA Aquamaster]

#24 is a cave diving standard, but I also see a lot of #18 in use. #36 is often considered a compromise line usable for both while serious wreck divers willl use #48 with a few even using 1/8".

+2 on getting a good primary for Cavern. A spool is not enough and a 200' spool is just large enough to be difficult to handle if you have average to smaller than average hands.

Besides, you need to learn to run a reel sometime and Cavern is that time. Beware when anyone says "just" Cavern as Cavern is where 90% of the cave diving skills are acquired and in particular the line running/handling skills.

I am a big fan of the Larry Green/Ralph Hood style reel as it uses an open design that is fairly easy to clear underwater "when" you bird nest it. The other option is the Halcyon design with very tight tolerances to prevent you from birdnesting it - but in that small percentage of times "when" you still manage to do it, it will not be something that can be resolved underwater.

A 150' spool makes a great safety reel and learning to use it at the cavern level makes sense as well.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

I'd go with the Larry Greens also, but I have a Salvo if you want to give it a whirl. Its similar to the Halcyon reels.

 

[UCFKnightDiver]

I have a Salvo reel as well, and would certainly recommend either Halcyon or Salvo's reels

 

[Dive-aholic]

Talk to your instructor about the primary reel. I advise my students to not buy a primary reel until after class. I have a Ralph Hood, Halcyon, and Dive Rite that I let them try during class so they don't make the same mistake I made and end up with 3 primary reels!

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I have a Ralph Hood, Halcyon, and Dive Rite that I let them try during class so they don't make the same mistake I made and end up with 3 primary reels!

That is a very nice thing to do.