Lost a finger with a bang stick

[Bhtmec2]

I'm pretty sure I'm on topic with, "only you can use your brain... so use it". Since it was a stupid move that resulted in lost finger. There's no one to blame here except the complacency of the victim.

If you want to be safe, don't play with things you don't completely understand 100%. Especially if said "thing" has the ability to take life.

You are spot on.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

I'm pretty sure I'm on topic with, "only you can use your brain... so use it". Since it was a stupid move that resulted in lost finger. There's no one to blame here except the complacency of the victim.

If you want to be safe, don't play with things you don't completely understand 100%. Especially if said "thing" has the ability to take life.

That is true, but Powerheads really are very dangerous. One tiny wrong move when you are excited and /or narced and you can have a terrible accident. I don't like to dive with anyone who is using a powerhead, except me of course.. I like to have one sometimes. But they are scary, most people, in most situations will be safer without one.

 

[Superlyte27]

I think the idea of using a powerhead for safety is stupid. I use a powerhead to kill fish to eat. That's it. And when I spearfish, I spearfish solo. Why? Because power heads are friggin dangerous. And my fishing buddy uses them too.

Powerheads require a large element of safety. In fact, our powerheads have TWO safeties on them. Even with that said, we don't enter the water with a loaded power head (we load it on the bottom) and we don't exit the water with a loaded power head. The ONLY place a power head has a live shell in it is on the bottom, where we are diving solo. I don't have to worry about shooting my buddy, and he doesn't have to worry about shooting me. Factor in that the power head is connected to the 54" shaft of my spear gun, and it's virtually impossible to shoot myself with it. And both safeties are engaged until the fish is spotted and ready to be killed.

 

[tracydr]

In the ER, had a guy burn his face looking down a barrel to see if his gun was clean after cleaning it. Had another guy staple his manly part to a board with a nail gun. He got a helicopter ride down the mountain for emergency,urology surgery. Another guy nailed his toe,right through the bone. At least he brought his tools in for me to use to remove the nail.
guns, staple guns, spear gums,hand guns, all require common sense. Hunter safety and growing up around weapons makes a big difference. It always amazes me when people do this kind of thing.

 

[lsorenson]

Why not. He may have felt that they need some protection. That is his call just like people carrying a gun each day. They have it in the event they need to defend their selfs.....

This thread is not about if it is right to have, sell or use a bang stick. It is about a stupid accident because a person did ot use his brain. The OP started the thread to let people know that a hard lesson was learned and not to blame bang sticks.

How about we get back on topic....... Just my 2 cents...

I would tell you what you could do with your 2 cents but they would pull the post...!

I do not believe my question was completely out of line... I asked "I am wondering why they were diving with a "bang stick"..." It was just a question... I have dove with all sorts of sharks, Hammerhead, Galapagos, Black tip, White tip, and face to face with a tiger (not the sand tiger variety). We have Bull's over here and at least one Great White that is tagged roaming our area of North Carolina (unknown how many others)... and I love spearfishing; the thought to dive with a bang stick has never crossed my mind...!

Frankly, I don't know anyone who dives with a bang stick so that's the reason I asked... I know a couple of years ago they found a Sand Tiger that was killed on one of the wrecks with a bang stick... pure shame!

So back to your 2 cents...

 

[gianaameri]

I think the idea of using a powerhead for safety is stupid. I use a powerhead to kill fish to eat. That's it. And when I spearfish, I spearfish solo. Why? Because power heads are friggin dangerous. And my fishing buddy uses them too.

Powerheads require a large element of safety. In fact, our powerheads have TWO safeties on them. Even with that said, we don't enter the water with a loaded power head (we load it on the bottom) and we don't exit the water with a loaded power head. The ONLY place a power head has a live shell in it is on the bottom, where we are diving solo. I don't have to worry about shooting my buddy, and he doesn't have to worry about shooting me. Factor in that the power head is connected to the 54" shaft of my spear gun, and it's virtually impossible to shoot myself with it. And both safeties are engaged until the fish is spotted and ready to be killed.

Does not the use of a powerhead destroy and taint unnecessarily the fish meat (in addition to the inherent risks you mention of such rudimentary weapon)?

 

[AfterDark]

I would tell you what you could do with your 2 cents but they would pull the post...!

I do not believe my question was completely out of line... I asked "I am wondering why they were diving with a "bang stick"..." It was just a question... I have dove with all sorts of sharks, Hammerhead, Galapagos, Black tip, White tip, and face to face with a tiger (not the sand tiger variety). We have Bull's over here and at least one Great White that is tagged roaming our area of North Carolina (unknown how many others)... and I love spearfishing; the thought to dive with a bang stick has never crossed my mind...!

Frankly, I don't know anyone who dives with a bang stick so that's the reason I asked... I know a couple of years ago they found a Sand Tiger that was killed on one of the wrecks with a bang stick... pure shame!

So back to your 2 cents...

I enjoy diving with those sandies there in NC. However I ,we don't spearfish when there are a lot of them around, kinda changes their disposition a bit. So if a spearo is going to spear fish around sharks he/she would be wise to carry several forms of protection a bang stick would IMO be the last option but one some would want at their fingertips. As I recall there once were small/short versions of a bangstick that a diver could wear on a belt. If a shark is that close and hasn't hit you it probably isn't going to anyway!

 

[gianaameri]

I enjoy diving with those sandies there in NC. However I ,we don't spearfish when there are a lot of them around, kinda changes their disposition a bit. So if a spearo is going to spear fish around sharks he/she would be wise to carry several forms of protection a bang stick would IMO be the last option but one some would want at their fingertips.

When I used to dive off Point Pleasant, N.J., on the "Lobster Motel" with Captain John his boat catered for a number of activities.

There were people interested in spearfishing, and there were people interested in fishing, and there were people interested in diving, and there were people interested in harvesting lobsters...

There were sharks (not that we could see them in the local vis.), but we knew there were sharks because some of the people fishing from the boat were pulling out half fish, that is fish which was literally bitten off in half and had a half moon bite shape typical of sharks.

The local dive shop (run by a Vietnam Veteran and former U.S. Navy Seal) saw no reason to sell or advise to take along a "powerhead" for "personal protection."

These things (the "powerheads" - not the sharks) are bloody dangerous and of little practical use as personal protection devices (and are far too easily accessible to criminals and mentally unstable people who can walk in a dive shop and buy one no questions asked).

They are not only dangerous to the untrained or unwary and the persons in their vicinity, but also to the trained person.

They are dangerous to the trained person because of the firing mechanism which is designed to go off from a bump. Furthermore, the cartridge primer may misfire easily if water/humidity gets in it (first bump no bang, second bump or no bump it later goes off in an accidental discharge).

They are dangerous to the people around the trained person because even the best trained person under the best supervision can make mistakes (and it is far too easy to make a mistake using such rudimentary weapon). We are human and we make mistakes even when we are operating at 100% efficiency/training (I can prove this if you click on this link on MY server... don't click if you consider it to be off-topic: http://www.rebreathermallorca.com/video/scubaboard/201309.wmv ).

NO ONE should be around these "powerheads." Their sale and use is simply insane (my 2 cents... and I obviously feel strongly about this topic).

 

[dumpsterDiver]

nobody needs powerheads because you didn't use them in New Jersey?

Well I used to dive in NJ too AND I NEVER, ever, not even once needed a rebreather. They are too dangerous to the people, even the best trained person under the best supervision can make mistakes (and it is far too easy to make a mistake using such rudimentary device). Selling these things is insane! I obviously feel strongly about this topic.

 

[gianaameri]

nobody needs powerheads because you didn't use them in New Jersey?

Well I used to dive in NJ too AND I NEVER, ever, not even once needed a rebreather. They are too dangerous to the people, even the best trained person under the best supervision can make mistakes (and it is far too easy to make a mistake using such rudimentary device). Selling these things is insane! I obviously feel strongly about this topic.

No one used them in N.J. that I know of. Not just me.

You know someone who uses them there?

Beco (the powerhead manufacturer) does not even have a Dealer in N.J.

They must be a Florida thing

Seriously, dumb to buy them, and dumb to use them (even for the well trained).

Rebreather is another topic already covered in this board.