SMB deployment....

[rjack321]

Anything I need to know?

So you got this SMB on the surface and your holding the reel at 185ft. Now what? Tie off the reel with minimal slack and how do you get it back? How/why does the GPS fit in?

I'd think you'd be better off knowing the direction and distance from shore since you scootered out there in the first place and presumably want to scooter there again in the future not take a boat there (otherwise you are better off just mowing the lake bottom with the depth sounder)

 

[coldsmoke]

So you got this SMB on the surface and your holding the reel at 185ft. Now what? Tie off the reel with minimal slack and how do you get it back? How/why does the GPS fit in?

I'd think you'd be better off knowing the direction and distance from shore since you scootered out there in the first place and presumably want to scooter there again in the future not take a boat there (otherwise you are better off just mowing the lake bottom with the depth sounder)

Well, good questions.

I was thinking that we would shoot the bag, tie off the line and cut the reel loose. Ascend and then cut the smb off. Of course that leaves the line but we would pick that up later I presume. The gps would be carried in a waterproof box and pulled out at the surface to mark the spot.

The problem with knowing the direction and distance is that we don't really know where the boat is in this valley. We are planning to head out along one side of the valley and run search patterns from the side. Like out x minutes, turn 90 degrees for x minutes and then back. How do you extrapolate a straight line from a series of estimated zig zags in poor vis? My thinking is that you get a gps point and plot it on a map. Then you can draw a line and get a good bearing and distance which you can use to approximate trigger time.

Then you have the added bonus of numbers for when a buddy with a boat comes to visit.

Your Zodiac is pretty light and gas is cheap - wanna come out and help ping the bottom?

Hunter

 

[scblade27]

Shoot the bag from the location you want, loop the reel under a railing or rock or whatever. Then take the reel to the surface with you letting it unravel. Then you, your reel, and your bag will be at the surface. Then all you have to do is untie/unclip/cut the bag and reel in your line. Of course if you are 190 ft deep, you would need 380 ft of line, so it may be cutting it a little close.

 

[rjack321]

Well, good questions.

I was thinking that we would shoot the bag, tie off the line and cut the reel loose. Ascend and then cut the smb off. Of course that leaves the line but we would pick that up later I presume. The gps would be carried in a waterproof box and pulled out at the surface to mark the spot.

The problem with knowing the direction and distance is that we don't really know where the boat is in this valley. We are planning to head out along one side of the valley and run search patterns from the side. Like out x minutes, turn 90 degrees for x minutes and then back. How do you extrapolate a straight line from a series of estimated zig zags in poor vis? My thinking is that you get a gps point and plot it on a map. Then you can draw a line and get a good bearing and distance which you can use to approximate trigger time.

Then you have the added bonus of numbers for when a buddy with a boat comes to visit.

Your Zodiac is pretty light and gas is cheap - wanna come out and help ping the bottom?

Hunter

Wow how big is this lake? Its not Flathead or in Glacier NP is it? Those are going to be mighty expensive and inefficient ~30min searches.

I wouldn't worry about the GPS and how to shoot this bag etc etc. quite yet. The bigger issue is narrowing down the search area.

 

[rjack321]

A buddy of mine and I are going to try and find this super secret ferry in this super secret lake. Of course the "Officials" know where it is, but they won't tell.

Couple ideas... If this is in Glacier and NPS is being caggy, use a FIOA request to try and get some additional information about its location. Montana has a state public disclosure law as well. You can also use newspapers to help narrow down where it sank.

I wouldn't worry about the SMB and how to manage the search or marking at this point.

 

[coldsmoke]

Wow how big is this lake? Its not Flathead is it? Those are going to be mighty expensive and inefficient ~30min searches.

I wouldn't worry about the GPS and how to shoot this bag etc etc. quite yet. The bigger issue is narrowing down the search area.

No it's not Flathead but it's big. The search area is relatively small. While I'm not the expert on the location, I have been told that there is a pretty likely search area and I am assuming this area could be covered over half a doz dives or so.

The plan is to search shallower first and hopefully hit the top of the boat. This keeps the He cost down. It's a pretty big boat so we could hit maybe as shallow at 130ffw or so. Of course this depends on exactly how deep the bottom is, but we're thinking 190 is max. It might be sitting on the bottom at 160 though. Don't really know.

There are detailed bathymetrics available to the public, but this particular area there apparently are none. Sneaky huh. So that's where we gonna look.

We have the search area about as small as we can do without a boat.

Hunter

 

[Rainer]

Sounds like it'd be cheaper just to hire the boat for the day. Half a dozen mix dives (for three people) is going to get costly... But it's hard to put a price tag on the fun of exploration.

 

[KMD]

Well, good questions.

I was thinking that we would shoot the bag, tie off the line and cut the reel loose. Ascend and then cut the smb off. Of course that leaves the line but we would pick that up later I presume. The gps would be carried in a waterproof box and pulled out at the surface to mark the spot.

The problem with knowing the direction and distance is that we don't really know where the boat is in this valley. We are planning to head out along one side of the valley and run search patterns from the side. Like out x minutes, turn 90 degrees for x minutes and then back. How do you extrapolate a straight line from a series of estimated zig zags in poor vis? My thinking is that you get a gps point and plot it on a map. Then you can draw a line and get a good bearing and distance which you can use to approximate trigger time.

Get yourself a torpedo float. Example of one: RIFFE Riffe Torpedo Float and Flag

Put your GPS in the water resistant case and turn it on. Synchronize your dive watches to the GPS time. Tow the float behind you and do your dive. If you find the item simple check the time on your dive watch. After the dive you will be able to look at the GPS track and match up the time with your find.

The track will allso allow you to know what areas you searched, so if you don't find it you can go back to effeciently search adjeacent areas.

Kevin

 

[rjack321]

Maybe start a new thread on search and marking techniques

 

[coldsmoke]

... But it's hard to put a price tag on the fun of exploration.

Exactly