Looking for feedback...

[DeepSeaDan]

Tender directed sweep or arc searches are the easiest and most effective. I know where you're coming from with the circle search - they sound like they'd be the fastest but they aren't. I can't remember the last time we did a circle.
Just something else for you to ponder

...it would be better, but you are using comms. right? One could do it on line pull signals, but I'll tell you Pal, I'll only have so much time to train these lads ( I have two former commercial divers, the rest are basic level scuba & most are inactive as sport divers ). IMO, circle searching can be done quite quickly - when your not tethered! And comms., while ideal, would not be necessary.

Another sad reality: my dept. will never pay for ILS to come up here; likely the best I'll be able to do is to go to them & and take whatever training I'll need to take back to the group.

So my friend - "a pondering I will go!"

DSD

 

[DeepSeaDan]

What Bridge said..., in a large majority of cases, anywhere you can do a circle a pendulum will work too. We have just found that it works easier, and for sure you need a good tender to control your search pattern. (Just make sure you boat drops a bow and stern anchor point to prevent the boat from swinging and screwing up the search pattern.)

Given the questions you are asking, I can't stress enough you should look into taking a PSD course. I know a lot of it may not apply to you for what you want to do, however it'll answer a lot of your questions and the rest you can simply file away

If I can pull this off, I know for certain I'll be getting trained ( likely to the Instructor level ). And you're right - I can just put the superfluous on the hard drive!

DSD