Jon Lines

[Akimbo]

A neighbor just returned from Palau and showed his Reef Hook to me.



The interesting part was the integrated storage bag and thinking it might be a good idea for what seems to be called a Jonline or Jon Line now. All the Jonlines, or decompression shock lines, I have seen are a piece of small line, shock cord, or webbing with a clip at both ends anywhere from 3-10' long. They are usually folded up and secured with expendable rubber bands or bits of bicycle inner-tubes. All that works fine until you complete decompression and have to stow it before climbing the ladder. Mine usually gets stuffed into a pocket and about half of it comes back out as I remove my hand.

So, this has inspired me to build a replacement for that quick & dirty bit of line I carry on decompression dives. Here is my thinking and I am looking for improvements:

1. Six feet of 1" Nylon Webbing with a stainless O-ring about midpoint. I like 6' when the current is running and 3' when the anchor line is just heaving in the swell.
2. A loop for a Stainless Asymetric Snap Hook sewn at one end and a Stainless Steel Snap Shackle at the other.
3. A small bag, probably something off the shelf, that the line passes through large enough to hold the webbing and snap hook — I like the snap shackle on my harness in case I have to cut loose fast and under a strain.

Actually, I am hoping somebody has a better solution than the bag but it ain’t bad.

 

[Insta-Gator]

6' x 1" nylon - From Pet Smart. You can even get your name put on it.

 

[Rainer]

Just hand the damn thing up to a crew member once done with deco before you climb the ladder. Last thing I want to do at the surface is start stuffing one back into a bag...

 

[AfterDark]

WOW! All I have is a 1/4" line 6' long with a spring link on one end! I keep it in the same pouch as my SMB, mirror, lift bag...etc..
You guys are FANCY!

 

[blue steal]

Same here, pretty basic, just 6' of 1/4" line with a hook made from a coat hanger. Works great.

 

[Akimbo]

I suppose it helps that I recently bought a light industrial sewing machine off E-bay and I have a box of rigging hardware accumulated over 40 years.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

I use my spool. When I'm done I simply clip it off.

 

[g1138]

Get an empty finger spool and some 1in webbing w/ attached hook sewn on and then spool it all up.
Use a bolt snap to lock the length on the spool, sew the actual webbing as a loop on the spool, and use a boat snap shackle to attach it to you (if you do that w/ jon lines; I've never used one)

 

[DevonDiver]

Have a look at some nylon/velcro wallets. Cut some of the clutter away from inside (credit card slots etc). It leaves you with a nice velcro sealable pouch. Sew your nylon jon strap into the wallet. Easy to store, easy to deploy

 

[waterpirate]

Why all the fuss?

For getting back on the boat, why would you stow? After your last stop you are done with it till your next dive.

I prefer the 1.5 inch webbing. I buy it at pet smart and cut the hardware off. I replace the hardware with a ss garvin clip and a quality brass bolt snap that will pass through my scooter ring. All this goes to the upholstrey shop to be re sewn. Cost is ussually 5.00. When bolt snap fails or clip is to bent, repeat proccess. Easy come easy go.

Now back to usage. I stow mine in the pocket with my back up mask in its own compartment. I use mine on almost every dive because I enjoy the hands free deco, nearly asleep. I deploy on the bottom by removing the line from pocket and clipping off to my scooter ring. I remove the rubber band and route the line up my left side and around my head and proceed up the line, deploying as needed. After my last stop I route the line as before and climb the ladder. No big deal, no danglies, no need to put back into pocket untill next dive. Typically when back on the boat I inflate drysuit, and take a few minutes of zen on the bench and refold the line for the next dive.
YMMV
Eric