DIY Dive flag/float

[GoBlue!]

When not diving from a boat, have used the good old inner tube concept for years. I did weave together 2" webbing for a 4 point soft "tuge frame". Webbing is also yellow to increase visibility, in addition to flags. To this is a heavy mesh bag inside, and 1" webs going down to 5 foot intersection beneath tube. This puts a load on it so it doesn't get knocked over by wave, boat wakes, or wind.....[message truncated]

Would you be able to post (or send) a couple pics of this setup? Sounds great.

(Or perhaps next time I'm in Grosse Pointe visiting the family, I'll have to stop by! )

Jim

 

[paolov]

i made my own Dive Balloon that had a lift capacity of around 250 pounds.

We had to gather huge amount of debris, specifically long bamboo poles bundled together with wire bindings.

I had material from road sign posters and i cut it to a size that would contain or displace 118 liters of water.

i connected a purge valve with 2 inches diameter at the top (tho i think it needs 2 valves to allow more air to vent) i then attached a length of string that reaches the loop at the bottom .

i had the sides sewn double stitched then on the sides had one inch meshed webbing to for the loop at the bottom to hold the quick release clips.

as a safety i placed silicone glue to further seal the edges.

 

[pinkladydi]

for the ball go to a craFT STORE then cover it with something like panty hose, the flag is easy to sew , i found the lead weight at the end of a stick the bigger issue, then discovered the a pole from a golf course to be the answer........ what i found that was even better ....... as far as the float ,........ take an auto tire inner tube a SQUARE MILK CRATE, positioned in the center before you inflate it,[ with your scuba tank] the crate holds the anchor for transport as well, tye "hang on" strips on the tube....... tye the flag to the float & you have a great homemade dive float to use as a safety float/ flag holder, anchor is droped into the ocean to keep float in desired location, crate can hold extra lead for "new' divers as they have not been properly weighted..you can use this to hold all sorts of things
pinkladydi@hotmail.com






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I was wondering if there was a way to make a light-weight flag similar to the ones in the scuba shop, but for less than the $15 they charge.

Theirs usually consists of a ball or cylinder of styrofoam through which a thin rod of several feet is inserted with a flag at one end and a lead weight at the other. Ta da.
Simple. A clump of styro, a rod, a weight, and a flag.
How easy.

But when I went to the hardware superstore, the only styro they had was in massive thin sheets used for insulation.
Where do you get a cheap ball of styro nearly a foot in diameter?

And, more important, is styro used in a project like this ecologically safe? Don't birds and fish pick at it and doesn't strofoam last forever?

 

[Lawman]

I used 4" pvc pipe with the ends capped with plywood discs. Drilled a 3/4" hole in both ends and put a length of 1/2" pvc pipe all the way thru. A lead weight hangs off the bottom where line attaches. There's an eye screw in the top pipe. A dive flag slips into the pipe and the eye screw holds it it. Pulls easily, doesn't tip over and I tie it onto a 100' line behind the boat. Compact, cheap and indestructable.

 

[oversea]

I was wondering if there was a way to make a light-weight flag similar to the ones in the scuba shop, but for less than the $15 they charge.

Theirs usually consists of a ball or cylinder of styrofoam through which a thin rod of several feet is inserted with a flag at one end and a lead weight at the other. Ta da.
Simple. A clump of styro, a rod, a weight, and a flag.
How easy.

But when I went to the hardware superstore, the only styro they had was in massive thin sheets used for insulation.
Where do you get a cheap ball of styro nearly a foot in diameter?

And, more important, is styro used in a project like this ecologically safe? Don't birds and fish pick at it and doesn't strofoam last forever?

Use a large shark float. They are about 2.00 at a good tackle shop

 

[diveh3]

I built one from some scrap parts I picked up at a construction site.
I had to buy the material and SS ring. Think I got $8 into it including the innertube.

Here is some pics.

 

[Tiny Bubbles]

I haven't had it in the water yet but here's my first stab at one...

I used 4" PVC for flotation (I hope it floats, anyway) with stainless eye bolts for tying to, a reflective diveway marker for a mast, and a 1-lb lead ingot at the keel end.

-Tiny-B.

 

[midwest_matt]

I have a dive flag attached to a coleman single person raft. It works good, 190lb weight capacity, easy to tow, and I can put a cooler in it.