ball on the end of a reel?

[rjack321]

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.

That's what I have. And its virtually impossible to thread the line back through the guide if you accidentally pull it through. Granted that would in all likelihood be at the end of the dive and you could just tie the loop off and ascend. I have considered adding a ball - but in warm, no glove water I haven't seen a strong need.

 

[Steve R]

That's what I have. And its virtually impossible to thread the line back through the guide if you accidentally pull it through. Granted that would in all likelihood be at the end of the dive and you could just tie the loop off and ascend. I have considered adding a ball - but in warm, no glove water I haven't seen a strong need.

Agreed.

And when it's at the beginning of the dive, (oh it's happened) you're now needlessly wasting time rethreading it (and you'll get it sooner or later), simply because you chose to over-extend and mis-use the argument of 'what does it bring to the dive'

I friggin' hate that one when it's used in these contexts. It's a total bess-turd-ization of common sense.

I don't know about you, but I didn't spend all that money to dork around on a deep wreck with the clock running, re-threading a reel because I happened to slipped with my fingers. I'll just make that an impossibility before I get there. Just a stupid idea to me, and you don't have to do it more than once to see why.

You've just answered the question for certain environments IMO.

 

[KMD]

So can we agree the answer is:

If one is at 10' depth in warm Mexico waters, ball isn't needed while,

if one is at 80'+ depth in cold waters with dry gloves, ball is nice to have.

 

[johnkendall]

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

We are always discussing Cave 3 stuff. Remember that the whole equipment thing is a top down approach, so the setup is designed for using Magnum reels with several thousand feet of line, being layed while scootering.

HTH

John

 

[RTodd]

We are always discussing Cave 3 stuff. Remember that the whole equipment thing is a top down approach, so the setup is designed for using Magnum reels with several thousand feet of line, being layed while scootering.

HTH

John

Sort of true really. First a confession. I have a primary reel with a ball on it because it allows me to be slightly sloppier and doesn't really affect anything. That is definately not a DIR answer. The primary reason it is still there is that I never bothered to take it off. But, I would never put a ball on an exploration reel. Exploration reels get tied into other lines and left and so there isn't any benefit to the ball plus you would be leaving the things tied all over the cave.

 

[Randy43068]

I can hear JJ or even JI saying to stop worrying about the Bull$%it and minutia when talking about the ball on a reel...

 

[TSandM]

It seems to me, in my rather simple way, that whether you have 400 feet of line on the reel or 2000 feet of line on the reel, the only time the ball is in play (as it were) is at the time you place your primary tie, whether that's to rock or steel or another line. After that, the ball is not an issue as you run the line, no?

I have a great deal of difficulty, even after taking a cave class and enjoying the propensity of line to seek out and find any attachment point on a diver, seeing how something round and the size of a coffee bean on the end of the line, snugged up against the reel, is much of a hazard. It would have no more relief than the locking screw, which is clearly permitted, and would be round to boot, making hanging anything up on it much less likely.

 

[rjack321]

If you are adding line, you'll end up with little balls at each new starting point. Or if you are establishing a line you'll end up leaving it at the primary tie.

 

[TSandM]

Well, I would see this as something you'd be most likely to do to your usual, reusable primary reel. But even if you left a little ball every 1000 feet or so, is this a big deal? If you're doing exploration, you're not in an area where a lot of people are going, anyway . . . And I have a hard time understanding what kind of a problem a little ball on the line is going to cause, especially since it's by definition at a tie-off point.

Anyway, I've fielded the question upstairs, and we'll see if I get an answer.

 

[rjack321]

Yeah that was the reference to Cave3 mentioned below. If you don't use it in Cave3 would you have a bobble on your 400ft Cave1 reel??

I don't, but only cause I haven't found a cool enough bead for me yet