Marker Buoys - Anchoring

[The Kraken]

OK, guys, I need some ideas from you advanced techies . . .

Does anyone have a suggestion on how to attach/secure a marker buoy to a structure so that 1: All of the line won't play out at the surface and 2: The buoy can be retrieved easily at the surface without becoming entangled with the structure

Engage brains . . . 3.. 2.. 1.. NOW!!!

 

[salty]

We use a set lengthe of line( the depth plus some scope) on the end of the line is 5-8 foot of chain with a 8, 12, 24 pound weight (3 pices of stainless bar welded togther). The bitter end is attached to a tuna ball.

This set up is used to send down the tie in line off the boat the weight is droped and the line (5/8 or 1/2 inch) is "thrown" out. the tie in divers go down and secur the chain to the wreck and then the boat picks up the ball and stays teathered to the wreck.

 

[The Kraken]

That's a start. What I'm trying to do is to take the small marker buoys down with me, when the structure is located mark it with the buoys and, when surfaced and GPS co-ordinates are taken, recover the buoys.

I think your idea about setting the depth of the line first is a good idea. I could get a sounding off my depth gauge, allow 10' extra of line and still get a very accurate GPS co-ord at the surface based upon the buoy's surface location.

Thanx for the idea.

 

[matt_unique]

That's a start. What I'm trying to do is to take the small marker buoys down with me, when the structure is located mark it with the buoys and, when surfaced and GPS co-ordinates are taken, recover the buoys.

I think your idea about setting the depth of the line first is a good idea. I could get a sounding off my depth gauge, allow 10' extra of line and still get a very accurate GPS co-ord at the surface based upon the buoy's surface location.

Thanx for the idea.

If you have marginal vis you will be doing a S and R dive every time to find your wreck. Even with the GPS coordinates you will be drifting a bit to set your anchor and if you have say 10' of vis it could take quite some time to find your wreck. Be prepared to take a reel with you or use other S and R techniques to find your wreck.

--Matt

 

[The Kraken]

No current, I'm locating old, submerged structures in a lake. I have general GPS co-ords, but they were taken before the degredation was removed. Trying to set up a good, exciting, but tough diving location for the local area.

We don't have a whole lot of nice places to dive close by, so I figure dive what ya have.

But it would certainly help if someone had been there before you and could tell you where to find it and what conditions to expect.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

You can secure the bouy to the structure with a much lighter and more breakable line than the one on the bouy or use a breakable link between the bouy line and the structure such as a rubber band or thin o-ring. A sharp tug from the surface and the bouy and it's line should come free when the rubber band or o-ring breaks.

Some smaller marker bouys use a 6" piece of flexible lead that both keep the bouy neutral in the water and allows the lead strip to be wrapped around part of the structure. With these, a hard pull from the surface will unwrap the lead strip and release the bouy.

Another technique I have used to mark GPS locations in lakes is to attach the GPS to the dive flag with no slack in the line. When I find the object to be marked, I will change course 90 degrees and sim 30-40 feet then reverse course back to the object. Assuming your GPS is accessing a WAAS sat and has a track recording capability, the location of the object's location will how at the "spike" on the track and the objects precise coordinates can be recorded from that.

This technique works well in calm conditions, but wind, current and waves all make it harde to keep the flag directly over your position.