So you heard retractor is a bad idea, I had my first hand experience today

[eelnoraa]

I don't use retractor myself, but I have heard lots of negative comments about it, never understood why until today. My buddy uses a retractor on his right chest d-ring. Normally, he connect his console there. Today, he brought a piston grip light, so he connect the light.

Long story short. At one point, my buddy had a cramp. He let go the light, grabbed his fin. In our efford to resolve this, his back side ended up on the sand bottom, viz reduced to almost zero. When he was ready to go again, we realized his light was tangled up with a piece of kelp nearby. So we back to the area with almost no viz, tried to untange his light. Let me tell you, with thick gloves, thin retractor cable, 1 ft viz, this was like a impossbile task. I guess we worked on it for about a minutes or two, which seemed like forever. Eventually, we freed the light. My buddy breathed through 400psi of air just like that. At this point, we decided to end the dive. We ascented surface swam back to shore.

So retractor?? no thanks!!

 

[gcarter]

Did you have a knife? Did you contemplate cutting the kelp?

Just curious (although I use a retractor I am on the fence)

 

[farsidefan1]

I have ALWAYS use a retractor for my console. It keeps it out of the way of kelp and other entanglements. When I use my pistol grip light I have another connector (coiled) in case I get clumsy and drop it. Of course I only dive in warm, relatively clear tropical water (no gloves). I think you handled the situation very well. I do think it is an example of why multiple cutting devices should be on hand. Sometimes a knife is the right tool, sometimes shears or one of those trilobites. Any of these might have been usefull had you not been successful in disengaging your buddy. By the way, congrats on being there for your buddy in a low vis situation. As I said, I think you did an excellent job!

 

[eelnoraa]

Did you have a knife? Did you contemplate cutting the kelp?

Just curious (although I use a retractor I am on the fence)

Yes, I did. and I used it. I left out the detail how we free the light. The main problem is how thin that cable is and how it always keep tension on the cable, making untangling the cable impossible in our situation.

Persoanlly, I have never used retractor. After this incicent, will never consider, espeically those thin cable type.

 

[gcarter]

Yes, I did. and I used it. I left out the detail how we free the light. The main problem is how thin that cable is and how it always keep tension on the cable, making untangling the cable impossible in our situation.

Persoanlly, I have never used retractor. After this incicent, will never consider, espeically those thin cable type.

My retractor had a habit of not properly retracting, even when fairly new, and even though it was plenty strong to handle the console.

I took it apart and slathered it with silicone grease, generously filling the casing. Operation improved dramatically.

Now when I let go of my console it actually retracts. FWIW.

 

[DevonDiver]

I have ALWAYS use a retractor for my console. It keeps it out of the way of kelp and other entanglements.

I don't think (?) that the OP was opposed to the retractor in preference for nothing, but rather favored alternative securement methods that might be less inclined to entanglement, for instance; bolt-snaps.

 

[Griffo]

Floaty Pistol grip light + coiled cord almost killed my GF. No retractors, coiley cords, or anything else that can't be simply cut free is allowed anymore. I've got a few brand new retractors, should sell them on ebay.

 

[formula1mb@aol.com]

Floaty Pistol grip light + coiled cord almost killed my GF. No retractors, coiley cords, or anything else that can't be simply cut free is allowed anymore. I've got a few brand new retractors, should sell them on ebay.

Can you give some more details, sounds like some good lessons to be learned.

 

[Them]

Maybe this is a dumb question, but.... how firmly are these retractors really attached to the diver?

I've never used one or really looked at them (total noob) but it seems as though push comes to shove you move away, calm down, and go back for your gear/retractor. Wishful thinking on my part?

Generally speaking anything attached to a person and likely to snag should have a link that breaks before you do. Of course that doesn't work with everything but watches have spring pins, neck sheaths have pop-apart links, and so on. That's also why you don't wear gloves around some types of equipment...the glove catches and drags your hand into harm's way before you can remove it. Likewise rings (jewelry) can snag and pull off or deglove a finger. Seems like people who design retractors would know that.

 

[Griffo]

Can you give some more details, sounds like some good lessons to be learned.

I'm sure i've told it a dozen times but can't find one of the threads right now. Short version - deep penetration dive, untrained, tail end charlie, curly cord got caught on wreck simultaneously removing the primary reg from mouth, trapping her, and tangling it up in a way that had it out of easy reach. So many things wrong with that story (training mainly), but we were stupid and didn't know better.