compass, reel, light, scooter - only 2 hands?

[rjack321]

Ok,
RTodd motivated me... I don't think I've ever posted an inquiry here before since there's too much chaff by and large. I have asked this question elsewhere and haven't gotten any monumental ideas.

I have a short body gavin and my buddies and I are trying to explore more sites from shore. Most in the 0.25 to 0.5 mile range (one way). It works best to have everyone running the compass heading together - tends to cancel out the small errors. Problem is with the reel, there's just no apparent way for me to hold it, while looking at my compass. Light and scooter are filling up the right hand.

I have debated getting a scooter mounted compass like this:

Or possibly building something for the handle, although I don't know how far away it needs to be from the motor yet.

Too date the best idea I've gathered is to have a team of 3. Two running the heading with the 3rd reel buddy slightly behind and in the middle.

Other ideas?

ps Please don't tell me to buy an X. Can't afford it. If you don't have a scooter please refrain from answering, ditto if you don't dive DIR. Thank you in advance.

 

[Doc Intrepid]

Offhand in open ocean I'd agree.

Team of three. One on compass heading, one running the reel, one paying attention to the entire team looking ahead for obstacles, landmark nav, maintaining depth, etc.

I use a Gavin. Goodman on right thumb while scootering holding a specific compass heading. Counter-productive to try to do more (for me at least) simultaneously, reel-wise.

Also, with three if someone's scooter dies, one can tow the scooter, the other the diver.

 

[vbcoachchris]

I have seen people use a kayak compass on them, but they are big. I use a Suunto SK 7 in a Deep Sea boot for long runs in Lake Washington. If you use two large bungee loop and put the compass as far out on tube as possible it works fine, but that is on the 26 Ah. The short body might be affected by the motor

 

[boomx5]

Personally, I like the compass mounted on the handle like the X. I'm not sure how that would work on a Gavin since I'm not sure if you can avoid deviations caused by the motor. I also like the three man team idea and think would work just fine. I've also always wondered how a compass either velcroed or bungied to the back of the right hand would work so you can see it while scootering. Maybe a thin neoprene glove with a compass mounted to the back that would slip over the dryglove on your right hand.

 

[rjack321]

I've also always wondered how a compass either velcroed or bungied to the back of the right hand would work so you can see it while scootering. Maybe a thin neoprene glove with a compass mounted to the back that would slip over the dryglove on your right hand.

This is at least a cheap and easy way to see if the approx. location works or gets wacky signals, etc. I have some cheezy gloves and an old trident compass I could experiment with. I'll try that next time.

 

[RTodd]

Ok,
RTodd motivated me... I don't think I've ever posted an inquiry here before since there's too much chaff by and large. I have asked this question elsewhere and haven't gotten any monumental ideas.

I have a short body gavin and my buddies and I are trying to explore more sites from shore. Most in the 0.25 to 0.5 mile range (one way). It works best to have everyone running the compass heading together - tends to cancel out the small errors. Problem is with the reel, there's just no apparent way for me to hold it, while looking at my compass. Light and scooter are filling up the right hand.

I have debated getting a scooter mounted compass like this:

Or possibly building something for the handle, although I don't know how far away it needs to be from the motor yet.

Too date the best idea I've gathered is to have a team of 3. Two running the heading with the 3rd reel buddy slightly behind and in the middle.

Other ideas?

ps Please don't tell me to buy an X. Can't afford it. If you don't have a scooter please refrain from answering, ditto if you don't dive DIR. Thank you in advance.

Personally I would try to find a way to do the dive without needing the line because I wouldn't want to load 2,500 feet on an exploration reel without a reason. But, if topography, the ability to find the site again, etc. dictates leaving permanent line in, I think you you need to break up the tasks a bit more Exactly how you break up the tasks depends on the strenth of the team and site conditions/ topography. With a strong team, member one in the lead with a compass, focusing on that and staying in light contact with the team. (This team member would be riding with light in right hand.) Team member two keeping 1 and 3 together and periodically checking the heading. Member 3 running the line. I am assuming dark enough water for light signals to work. Team would stay very tight together. Since it is open water and you can always return, running speed isn't as critical and some stopping to stay together should be fine.

If this is a straight shot out and vis allows you to see between tieoffs then even member 3 will have some idea when you start getting off course just by checking behind him.

 

[RTodd]

This is at least a cheap and easy way to see if the approx. location works or gets wacky signals, etc. I have some cheezy gloves and an old trident compass I could experiment with. I'll try that next time.

Don't succumb to the strokery because it seems easier. Learn to scooter and use your light with it on your right thumb. It is a valuable skill to have. For example, coming up on a stage drop on a long cave dive and want to make it fast - move light to your right hand and keep it steady so the team doesn't stop to check on you and free up your left hand to stow the stage you are breathing and prep the one you are going to on the fly making the drop or pickup much faster.

 

[vbcoachchris]

Rjack

Are we talking about LK Washington. If so currently the visibility is 2-4 ft with virtually no tie points, just a flat silty bottom. You can bring your own tie points (PVC poles 3 feet long work well). With the Suunto compass, it is low profile, no entanglement issues, and does not interfere with towing. This allows team member one to run the reel AND heading without extra task loading. It also allows the second and third team members to stay on the line. If you lose the line in that lake there is nothing to tie off to in order to perform a search pattern and even our 21 watt HID's get absorbed by this lake, so if you get more than a few feet from your team members you could be in for real trouble. I rarely use a compass on my Gavin, but this is one place on earth where in might be justified and it in no way comprises the goal.

 

[jjones9527]

On bigger/longer dives we alway use a three man team. The added redundancy and division of tasks is a huge bonus. Are you looking for a specific area, or just exploring in general. If just exploring in general shoot a bearing and ride for a few minutes, then stop, place a wrap, re-shoot and carry on. If you're going for something more specific it makes it a lot harder, and as was stated above, recovering 2500' of line isn't going to be fun. If we are lining a wreck to shore, we will usually have a boat drop us onto the wreck and run the line to shore on a general bearing. This lay will be very rough, as tie off points may be far and few between. Once the initial line is run we will go back for a round trip, this time taking any stakes we need and tightening and securing the line as required.

 

[rjack321]

Yes this is places like Lake Washington. Where vis is about 5ft (very tannic water) and you are trying to hit a wreck 0.33 miles from shore. But it also applies to other reefs, pinnacles and such. Obviously the bigger the feature and the closer it is to shore the easier this is.

The general idea is to leave the line and be able to repeat the dive next month, etc. with less putzing and threat of missing the dive to see blah bottom. And to be able to return to your entry place easily. Or to allow a different team to check out the dive.

Yes I do have my light on my right thumb, no biggie for me. But with the compass on the left arm, as soon as I bring my arm up and the compass into view of my eye the reel/line is in conflict with my body. Its oriented cockeyed and the line may tangle on my knife, gauges, buckles, etc.

While dropping in on the feature from a boat and running to shore first is do-able, it also is a bit "cheating". Part of the appeal is being adventureous and trying new stuff. Hence the question, to maybe learn a new way to do something that I didn't think of myself.