I'm looking for opinions on reels for wreck penetration diving...finger spool? side handle or lantern handle? What features should I look for in a reel? Does anyone have any experience with using either kevlar or spectra line for a reel?
Reels & lines for wreck penetration
- Thread starter Sh@rkW@tcher
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Lantern or side handle does not matter much - as long as you can still hold your backup light and the reel in the same hand. For that reason, a finger spool does not make a great choice for use as a "primary" wreck penetration reel. Plus a large finger spool holds 150' of #24 line and holds a lot less of the heavier 36 or 48 you would use in a wreck so it woudl seriously limit penetration.
I prefer side handle reels as they are a little lower profile, ride better on a D-ring and fit better in a pocket.
Line wise, larger is better. Where 24 is standard for cave diving 36 or 48 is better in a wreck where the line is more likely to be abraded and move over a sharp edge. In addition to being more abrasion resistant, the larger line sizes handle a bit better.
I have not tried kevlar or spectra (on reels anyway). My concern would be with abrasion resistance rather than just tensile strenght and a heavier braided nylon makes sense. I have not seen a braided spectra line yet. Line handling is also critical so a gain in strenght is not really worth it if it becomes harder to handle or more prone to tangling.
The big thing is I think to use a tie off before and after a sharp edge like a hatch cover or rusted hole in a bulkhead both to prevent any excessive movement of the line over the edge and also to prevent the line from pulling back too far from the break to limit the search required if it silts out.
As with cave diving, a safety reel makes sense to have along.
In both cases, with the larger line being used, a larger primary and safety reel may be in order to match the desired pentration distances and compartment sizes.
I prefer side handle reels as they are a little lower profile, ride better on a D-ring and fit better in a pocket.
Line wise, larger is better. Where 24 is standard for cave diving 36 or 48 is better in a wreck where the line is more likely to be abraded and move over a sharp edge. In addition to being more abrasion resistant, the larger line sizes handle a bit better.
I have not tried kevlar or spectra (on reels anyway). My concern would be with abrasion resistance rather than just tensile strenght and a heavier braided nylon makes sense. I have not seen a braided spectra line yet. Line handling is also critical so a gain in strenght is not really worth it if it becomes harder to handle or more prone to tangling.
The big thing is I think to use a tie off before and after a sharp edge like a hatch cover or rusted hole in a bulkhead both to prevent any excessive movement of the line over the edge and also to prevent the line from pulling back too far from the break to limit the search required if it silts out.
As with cave diving, a safety reel makes sense to have along.
In both cases, with the larger line being used, a larger primary and safety reel may be in order to match the desired pentration distances and compartment sizes.
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