Finger spool’s double ended clip detaches

[Captain Bravo]

New diver here. I just completed my advanced open water diver course this week in Cozumel. As part of the course, my instructor had me practice deploying my small 4 foot dsmb from various depths.

On two dives, I lost the spool. First during the deep dive at 110 feet. A fellow diver was kind enough to pick it up and bring it back to me. I figured the double ended clip was a cheap one and not strong enough. So on the next dive I used a bigger, stronger double ended clip. On that dive, the spool got away immediately upon entry in the water. I quickly dove to the bottom at 40 feet and retrieved it.

For all remaining dives I kept the spool and the dsmb in my bcd’s pocket until the end of the dive when it was time to deploy it.

Now that we are back from our trip, I want to have a bulletproof way to transport the spool and dsmb without losing either and all the while still have an easy way to use them when the time comes.

Any advice?

 

[Griffo]

Well I keep mine in a thigh pocket, i don't clip it off to store it. Obviously you have it rigged in some way that means that the clip is being opened.
Can you describe better or take a photo of how you had it rigged? Is the spool over-wound with too much line possibly? Which way did you have the clip oriented? Where was it clipped off to? What sort of BCD etc?

 

[happy-diver]

tie the big loop so it can be tightly wrapped twice figure 8 to suit the size of the spool

the spool will not unspool

then clip it all up like top middle for clipping

 

[outofofficebrb]

Use this method in this video. Over 250 dives like this and it has not come undone except that one time I didn’t lock the gate properly.

 

[Mr. Sunday]

Lots of ways to do it. You might consider rigging it like is shown in this video.

 

[Captain Bravo]

Well I keep mine in a thigh pocket, i don't clip it off to store it. Obviously you have it rigged in some way that means that the clip is being opened.
Can you describe better or take a photo of how you had it rigged? Is the spool over-wound with too much line possibly? Which way did you have the clip oriented? Where was it clipped off to? What sort of BCD etc?

I had it clipped exactly as shown at the beginning of the first video below from outofofficebrb.

I did remove 30 feet from the spool after the 110 feet deep dive, so now I have 70 feet instead of 100. Still the spool unclipped and went to the bottom.

 

[outofofficebrb]

I had it clipped exactly as shown at the beginning of the first video below from outofofficebrb.

I did remove 30 feet from the spool after the 110 feet deep dive, so now I have 70 feet instead of 100. Still the spool unclipped and went to the bottom.

Do you mean how it is shown on the screen shot before you hit play (that will for sure come out and is only used that way for when you are actually using the DSMB) or did you watch the video and actually set it up like he has it?

 

[Diving Dubai]

Loop of bungee on the spool, keep the line on and if the D/E does come undone, prevents spool running away.

This is an old pic.

I have a different fixing method to keep spool and dsmb together while still allowing me to detach the spool easily if I need to (swap reels or dsmbs) but the bungee still applies

On a dive my reel/spool stay sattached so I can quickly deploy if/when we get swept off a site YMMV

Just by pulling reel/spool away from dsmb release bungee loop from spool

 

[The Chairman]

On two dives, I lost the spool.

Hook the loop coming through the eye of the spool, not the spool.

​

 

[Captain Bravo]

Do you mean how it is shown on the screen shot before you hit play (that will for sure come out and is only used that way for when you are actually using the DSMB) or did you watch the video and actually set it up like he has it?

Option one