ball on the end of a reel?

[iowasnowboarder]

I was told that the ball on the end of the line precludes you from being able to rethread the line....I have the utmost respect for the individual who provided me with that answer...but I don't agree with it.

Yes, it does preclude you from being able to rethread the line...however, how could you possibly have gotten the line unthreaded with the ball in the way?

 

[johnkendall]

I got you a tag-along question..............is a bolt snap tied on to the reel (instead of a double-ender) DIR

When you are laying a lot of line, you really want to minimise the number of clips that can snag on the line. If you have a bolt snap tied to the reel, then you always have a clip near the line, if you use a double ender, you can remove it and reduce the chances of snagging.

HTH

John

 

[rjack321]

What is the reasoning against having the ball on the end of the line?

The edges of the little ball wear on the loop?? I don't have a ball, but that's only cause I've never found one cool enough for me

 

[CompuDude]

Besides those torpedos will kill you long before the novice ball anyway...

Huh? What's wrong with PTs?

For those against the ball, I wonder if a Monkey's Fist knot would be a reasonable substitute? I also don't see why it couldn't just be cut off in the unlikely scenario where it needs to be rethreaded for some reason.

 

[Steve R]

When you are laying a lot of line, you really want to minimise the number of clips that can snag on the line. If you have a bolt snap tied to the reel, then you always have a clip near the line, if you use a double ender, you can remove it and reduce the chances of snagging.

HTH

John

Who's laying a lot of line?

We're talking finding the mainline, or tooling around in a few hundred feet of wreck.

At least that's all I see here in the current set of posters.

That would be a single 400ft reel in most cases and you're using it immediately.

If'n we're discussing Cave 3 stuff, my apologies.

Clip near the line....If you mean when I am reeling in/out, it's under my hand, hidden away. Not any concern I'd worry about. Kinda similar to the bolt-snap on the light is under my thumb. If I can manage it, I keep those dangly-catchers under control with the hand/fingers/thumb.

If that was as high on the GUE list as some believe, they wouldn't have re-done the light thing to include installing a bolt snap to the light where a double ender would be less snaggalicious. Ya I know that argument too. After first being against it a bit, I have grown to accept and maybe even like it, but I could swing either way and be happy enough.

 

[rjack321]

I gotta big honkin' reel with 16-1800ft of line on it. But to avoid all this clip no-clip balony I got one of aquanuts' reels. He made the size custom for me, he'll make pretty much any size you want. Its super nice and the double ender can't unclip itself, no need to permanently attach a boltsnap: The Deco Stop
The handle/clip design really is a much better mousetrap IMO.

That's my "cave3" reel although I'm using it from shore. And no there's no ball on the end of its line.

 

[Steve R]

Hmmm Cave 3 reel with what looks like a marble line ball

OK I am sold.

Violeta, you're gonna get some nutts after-all...

 

[Warren_L]

I have heard rumors that having a hair ball or piece of dice or whatever on the end of a reel is not DIR. Just wondering if anyone here has the 'official' word. I haven't taken a GUE cave course so perhaps this is something explained in there?

I can't see any cons, but the main 'pro' I see is that you can't reel the end of the line past the ball -- makes for easy retrieval.


edit: Just to clear up confusion, I mean something like this...

I was told during my T 1 training that the ball at the end of the line was not required, so I took it off and tied a little loop at the end of the line to loop into the locking screw when not in use.

My instructor would say (with every gear config change he made me do), ask what benefit something brings to the table. If nothing, get rid of it.

It took a bit of getting used to, but it's not so bad, even with drygloves on.

 

[Jason B]

So let's say that the ball does (somehow) cause the line to break due to abrasion.
What problem is that going to cause? I can't see one myself.

 

[Steve R]

So let's say that the ball does (somehow) cause the line to break due to abrasion.
What problem is that going to cause? I can't see one myself.

It makes the job of pulling the line off the reel with gloves on after undoing the lock, easier, <gasp!!> and we can't have that sort of nonsense Gear for skill...lol.

You should know by now that this one positive benefit is outweighed by a myriad of conjured up scary situations,......and if that doesn't work, I'll just give you the no-brain cover-all answer of "it brings nothing to the table". (Even if it obviously does...lol.)

The reality is, having the ball makes it impossible to loose the line through the guide, and having no ball,........ something this side than impossible. That's what it brings to the party. Since the ball has no actual down-side, this seems like a no-brainer for folks who may chose to utilize it, which I assume wouldn't be warm water no glove or light glove cavers and the like.

The good news is, DIR has become such a well honed methodology, we're reduced to worrying about the stuff that makes no difference either way. But as I say, that's probably a good thing.