Referencing Length Traveled on Reel/Spool

[Kevrumbo]

Don't use knots --use these (see page H-16: Wire Marker Cards with Vinyl Cloth Label Adhesives. Either preprinted numbers or blank labels to write your own numbers.) In a pinch, easier and faster to mark graduated lengths on a line in the field before a dive. . .

Also, you can use a label color scheme as well (see attached file). . .

 

[CompuDude]

Interesting scheme... but how do you account for color loss at depth? Or do you just assume the line will be lit? (which makes sense in a cave, of course, but not always in open water)

I use a somewhat similar scheme that's not color-dependent... I'll see if I can make up a nicely formatted document like yours.

 

[RTodd]

Don't use knots --use these (see page H-16: Wire Marker Cards with Vinyl Cloth Label Adhesives. Either preprinted numbers or blank labels to write your own numbers.) In a pinch, easier and faster to mark graduated lengths on a line in the field before a dive. . .

Also, you can use a label color scheme as well (see attached file). . .

That is really useless in a cave context. And, in an open water context you really don't need knotted line. We knot lines for survey, you count knots and guess for distances between knots and for line used in tieoffs. A pretty color scheme would only work in a very well thought out relining. Even then, huge PITA and unnecessary. Color schemes underwater don't work. You forget them. WKPP used to use a color scheme for bottle markings. The super complicated fix, just paint the mod on the bottles. Hard to forget that.

 

[TSandM]

I can't quite envision how these work. Do you have the little cards sticking out of your line? If so, how badly does that impact the way it spools back onto the reel? Peter had pieces of duct tape on his, and they kind made a mess of rewinding.

 

[CompuDude]

I marked my primary reel using the attached scheme. Huge PITA, but you only have to do it once. Picked up the method from an instructor buddy of mine. All black marks (sharpie) so not dependent on color at depth.

Rarely truly necessary for something this intricate, but it's been handy to be able to measure out distances once or twice, as well as laying down a pace line to teach kick cycles and UW distance measuring.

 

[Thalassamania]

I marked my primary reel using the attached scheme. Huge PITA, but you only have to do it once. Picked up the method from an instructor buddy of mine. All black marks (sharpie) so not dependent on color at depth.

Rarely truly necessary for something this intricate, but it's been handy to be able to measure out distances once or twice, as well as laying down a pace line to teach kick cycles and UW distance measuring.

We use lines and reels more as transect items that as guides, but we use a system much like yours.

 

[Kevrumbo]

Interesting scheme... but how do you account for color loss at depth? Or do you just assume the line will be lit? (which makes sense in a cave, of course, but not always in open water)

I use a somewhat similar scheme that's not color-dependent... I'll see if I can make up a nicely formatted document like yours.

Uh . . .your HID will "paint" in any missing colors by providing full-spectrum visible light.

I can't quite envision how these work. Do you have the little cards sticking out of your line? If so, how badly does that impact the way it spools back onto the reel? Peter had pieces of duct tape on his, and they kind made a mess of rewinding.

The "cards" are actually the backing for the adhesive cloth vinyl labels which you peel off and apply/wrap around the line; we use these labels as reference designators for our payload sub-system electronics wiring, subject them to extreme heat & cold in temperture chambers, and they hold up very nicely (i.e. they stay stuck on the wiring, and are water, oil, humidity resistant). Cut small enough, or just wrapped around tight & flush on the line, they do not mess-up a rewind on the spool or reel. . .

That is really useless in a cave context. And, in an open water context you really don't need knotted line. We knot lines for survey, you count knots and guess for distances between knots and for line used in tieoffs. A pretty color scheme would only work in a very well thought out relining. Even then, huge PITA and unnecessary. Color schemes underwater don't work. You forget them. WKPP used to use a color scheme for bottle markings. The super complicated fix, just paint the mod on the bottles. Hard to forget that.

Then in your case RTodd, one would write numbers instead of utilizing a color scheme (wow does that make sense) . . .

 

[rjack321]

The little tape bits are a bit more than I think I need. Cute but not necessary for my couple times a year measuring efforts.

 

[CompuDude]

Uh . . .your HID will "paint" in any missing colors by providing full-spectrum visible light.

Sooo... you're saying that the line will be lit. Like I said? And you're ok with losing the utility of the line markings in an environment where the line might not be lit, apparently.

Interesting scheme... but how do you account for color loss at depth? Or do you just assume the line will be lit? (which makes sense in a cave, of course, but not always in open water)

 

[Kevrumbo]

Reach your modifed thirds turning pressure in a wreck; start reeling in your line and make a mental note of how far you penetrated by looking at the illuminated color pattern of your line markers, and also look around to see where you are presently inside the ship.

Seems simple and apparently utilitarian to me.