Floatline as a flag tow line?

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Texasguy

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I just don't log dives
Anyone used a spearfishing floatline as a flag tow line?

Example:
One in question is the second from the left, a blue one. Not that brand exactly but very similar.

I am shallow shore diving and the depth is consistent, where I don't have to change the length of the line much.

Would a proper floatline that is used for spearfishing be of an advantage to tow a flag?

I am thinking that:

1) it is thicker, should be easier to manage where it won't be caught on the fins that much.
2) it won't tangle underwater if too much slack is given (or just because)
3) should mostly rise up (vs regular line) towards the surface and will keep away from my fins

But, I am not sure how floaty it is and if it will mess with my buoyancy.

Any advice if it is something that would work?
 
Yes, a spearfishing floatline would work in that specific application. MAKO stocks floatlines. It might help to describe why and how they are typically used since most scuba divers are almost surely unfamiliar with them.

They are primarily used to connect a speargun to a surface float. This allows a freediver to release the gun on ascent and not have to necessarily fight the fish until he reaches the surface. She or he can even just allow the fish to pull on (or fight) the float and get tired before trying to bring it up. This would be a technique used for medium or very large sized open water fish (like a tuna or wahoo). The outside of the floatline is vinyl tubing (or a similar material) which provides some degree of stretch, however the tubing itself is not strong enough to handle a big fish.

A floatline is constructed with an internal, braided line which is very strong and is a little longer than the outside jacket. This allows the outside jacket to stretch 5 or 10% maybe, before the elongation is stopped when the internal cord is fully stretched out.

MAKO floatlines use a 1,400 lb test cord internally and even heavier connection hardware. So a floatline is extremely strong. The line is sealed inside the tubing and there is a good bit of air space around the internal cord. The cord should never get wet and this configuration provides the floatline with the ability to float. The tubing is used for a few reasons.

Probably the most important is that it is stiffer than a bare cord so it is much less likely to get tangled, knotted or wrapped around a freediver (and if it does, it is easier to remedy than a thin cord). The thicker outer diameter makes the line easier to pull and handle when hauling in a fish and as previously mentioned, the floatline is buoyant so it will stay up and out of the way of the submerged diver and will generally be resistant to tangling with obstructions on the bottom.

The thicker line does increase the drag to some degree when pulling through the water, but the reality of the matter is that it is minimal for the speeds a diver is moving. Freedivers might dive down 80 or 100 ft or more (while pulling down a gun connected to a floatline) so there is some drag generated, but it is not much. I doubt a scuba diver would be able to sense the drag generated from a floatline (the drag is primarily going to be associated with the surface float itself), rather than the floatline.

Although the floatline has very considerable tensile strength (far in excess of what would be called for in this application), if the line is very forcefully drug or scraped over a sharp shipwreck, then the outer jacket can be punctured or cut and this will allow water to migrate into the internal air space and the floatline may no longer float. The other question raised pertains to the issue of possibly too much buoyancy possible causing a problem for a scuba diver. This is most definitely not an issue. The inherent buoyancy is minimal and is just enough to keep the line from sinking; if it were otherwise, it would present a problem for freedivers and it would not be used.

Floatlines are commonly used for large fish, for hunting deep water, for fishing in strong currents and also can be advantageous when the vertical visibility is less than the depth.

Possibly that is more info than is needed, but I thought it might enhance understanding of a somewhat simple piece of equipment.

So if a scuba diver does not want to use a reel and does not want/need to adjust the length of the floatline during the dive, then a floaline should work quite well for the application. The benefits would include being very visible (especially the yellow color) and it is much less likely to get tangled on the diver's fins or regulator or tank valve.

As mentioned, you want to keep it off reefs and wrecks (for a variety of reasons) but an occasional brush against something will not harm a floatline. In fact they somehow often survive some considerable abuse when a spearo shoots a large fish near a wreck and the fish runs for cover etc.


MAKO stocks floatlines in two colors and several different lengths.


https://www.makospearguns.com/Professional-Float-Line-p/mfl.htm


MFL-2T.jpg
 
There's also the option of using a line thicker than the +/-2mm line from a reel but thinner than a freediving/spearfishing line.
Is the most common line used for drift diving in South Florida. Usually yellow polypropylene, hollow braid about 6~7mm (1/4" maybe hair more). Including the reel is about $15 for 100' or so.

I have about 75' of the freediving floating line but is only usef for freediving or to hold on to it while drinking cocktails floating by the boat. It would be too bulky to put on any reel so it would be always fully deployed.
Don't think is fully wrong but I believe that wheel has been invented already.
 
I am not really understanding the point of this either
  • It is less likely to get entangled
  • The line is floaty
I guess the main issue is that because it is not adjustable the float will always be at the same distance from you because of the current.

I.e if you have 15m of floatline, it will either be almost horizontal if you are at 5m and vertical and drag you a bit upwards if you try to go to 15m ? Unless you plan to roll it around your hand, but then you need to be able to let it go ?

Never used one so I don’t know...
 
I am not really understanding the point of this either
I don’t use one of these, but the idea is all the line is played out. It is inherently buoyant so instead of being behind you as you amble along the bottom, it floats at the surface, out of your way. Th guy that I know who uses has a set length of 50’ with a small float that gets pulled under if his depth exceeds 50’. In RI, where I do a lot of my diving, a float is required for shore diving. You can enter the water, clip it off and dive with both hands free.

Is it great or i it that he sells it for considerably more than a traditional nylon reel the reasonhe likes it? I don’t know.
 

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