Current lines behind the boat?

[Walter]

We are not always going to have someone onboard

That's your biggest mistake and greatest danger.

 

[dannobee]

That's your biggest mistake and greatest danger.

This isn't east coast diving where you're sometimes 50 miles offshore and the wind takes you further into open ocean.

If the **** hits the fan here, you'll likely get blown back to shore as the weather patterns generally move west to east. Furthermore, our dive boats rarely get further from shore than a reasonably fit adult could swim. You might be mad as heck, embarrassed, and cold, but you'll likely survive. Also, look on a nautical chart of our area, more than a few miles out and you're likely in 15,000 fsw.

Solo diving off of a boat is a different story, though. And I don't think Peter was advocating that, especially in light of last year's tragedy.

 

[mike_s]

Nice! You should've said, "keep it, and when you get back you can explain to your CO how you ended up with a dive flag float wrapped up in your prop."

that would have been funny to see him say that to them.


I wouldn't have gotten the line off either. Talk about a safety issue as you have no way to guarentee that they don't power up and engage the props while you are under.

If they are stupid enough to run over a dive flag and in the USCG, then I wouldn't trust them enough to cut it off for them.

 

[Nemrod]

that would have been funny to see him say that to them.


I wouldn't have gotten the line off either. Talk about a safety issue as you have no way to guarentee that they don't power up and engage the props while you are under.

If they are stupid enough to run over a dive flag and in the USCG, then I wouldn't trust them enough to cut it off for them.

You know, I was not really trying to be mean, but I simply had no time to help them, we were way out from the inlet, the sky was looking that funny color you sometimes see in the summer when you know it is time to be on dry land and I simply had no time to hang out and bond. Several years later, I discovered that my registration numbers were backwards. Yes, I actually am a dyslexic (or was) so maybe that is why I was never arrested, lol, for leaving the USCG stranded, . Maybe we should have offered them a tow, not sure the 25 horse Merc would have been up to it though.


Sounds like the place Peter C is going to dive is perfect for inflatable adventures.

The reason I suggest placing a dive flag float on the end is that if you use a long line other boats tend to fixate on the boat at anchor and tend not to see the trailing line and of course if it is several hundred feet long they might not be happy with you if they wind it up on their prop. Additionally, if there are waves, when you pop up, having missed the boat, you can immediately scan about and see where you are in relation to the boat and trailing line, without a float, the line can be hard to see by a diver with a view only inches above the water. It would be pity to surface 50 feet behind the boat and then miss the line because you could not see it. Just a thought and no more.

N

 

[mike_s]

Be sure the line floats, poly should float. Larger line is easier on the hands when you have to pull on it. Strength is not an issue even with line as small as 1/4". I used 100' but there was also always someone on the boat. I used and car tire innertube as a float.

I agree with you that 1/4" line has the strength.

but I'll definately say that 1/2" or 5/8" is a lot easier to pull yourself in on in a current. A thicker rope is just easier to grip to pull on, especially when you've got the drag of scuba gear on.

of course a thicker rope takes up more space in a deck locker and is heavier when wet also.

 

[Peter_C]

This isn't east coast diving where you're sometimes 50 miles offshore and the wind takes you further into open ocean.

If the **** hits the fan here, you'll likely get blown back to shore as the weather patterns generally move west to east. Furthermore, our dive boats rarely get further from shore than a reasonably fit adult could swim. You might be mad as heck, embarrassed, and cold, but you'll likely survive. Also, look on a nautical chart of our area, more than a few miles out and you're likely in 15,000 fsw.

Solo diving off of a boat is a different story, though. And I don't think Peter was advocating that, especially in light of last year's tragedy.

I won't discuss solo diving off a boat 5 miles off the coast since I will never be doing that. I am not really a solo diver anyhow, as I prefer to share the experience with friends

As to making it to shore, well we will typically anchor within a short distance of shore, but the coast is very rugged with shear cliffs. Not many places to climb up at, let alone getting pounded by the waves onto the rocks would be extremely dangerous.

An EPIRB does sound like a good idea to me for multiple reasons and could probably be mounted on my back plate behind my can light. Argon tank is sometimes on the left side depending on water temp and length of dive plan. I do have a handheld VHF I will carry while on the surface, and I always carry a mirror, whistle, SMB, and will be getting a Dive Alert to put in my pocket also.

One of my friends got a Dive Tracker Sport sonar unit, so we will have to see how well that works to make up for poor navigation skills.

 

[usmarinekurt]

I use a 100 foot line with a big red ball / I place a dive flag buoy every 25 feet including one with the ball at the end.
Does not leave a whole lot of imagination room ( I would think)

 

[Chuck Tribolet]

I prefer three-strand twisted to the braid. It's easier to splice. And NEVER
count on a knot holding in poly. I carry 150' of 1/4" with a small fender
on the end. I put a swivel between the line and the fender and it made the
line coil more nicely.

Mine gets put out maybe one dive in 20.

Remember that if you have a big buoy on the end, the wind will grab the
buoy.

 

[usmarinekurt]

I won't discuss solo diving off a boat 5 miles off the coast since I will never be doing that. I am not really a solo diver anyhow, as I prefer to share the experience with friends

As to making it to shore, well we will typically anchor within a short distance of shore, but the coast is very rugged with shear cliffs. Not many places to climb up at, let alone getting pounded by the waves onto the rocks would be extremely dangerous.

An EPIRB does sound like a good idea to me for multiple reasons and could probably be mounted on my back plate behind my can light. Argon tank is sometimes on the left side depending on water temp and length of dive plan. I do have a handheld VHF I will carry while on the surface, and I always carry a mirror, whistle, SMB, and will be getting a Dive Alert to put in my pocket also.

One of my friends got a Dive Tracker Sport sonar unit, so we will have to see how well that works to make up for poor navigation skills.

A handheld vhf sounds great on the surface but....is it going on the dive with you as well??
Am I missing something??

 

[Walter]

I prefer three-strand twisted to the braid. It's easier to splice.

I can splice either fairly easily, but the hollow braid takes a couple seconds and anyone can do it. It's by far easier to splice.