I'm no expert, but I take a spool when I'm not planning on having to deploy line (but it's still needed for my safety plan) and a reel when I think it's likely I'll need to. No way am I setting myself up to respool 200' of line on purpose.
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I'm no expert, but I take a spool when I'm not planning on having to deploy line (but it's still needed for my safety plan) and a reel when I think it's likely I'll need to. No way am I setting myself up to respool 200' of line on purpose.
I don't understand this.
Not sure what your guys' definition of "lugging around" is. A reel is only going to be left on the boat if you leave it on the boat, just like a spool or anything else. I carry a 400 foot reel and unless I reach for it, I can't tell that it's there, so I'm pretty sure that most divers can carry a 200 foot reel without any problem - it's not that much bigger than a spool.
You take the amount of line you need to shoot a bag from depth, accounting for scope. You said you were doing a 100 foot dive. With significant current, 150 feet would be about right, so 200 feet of line is hardly excessive. Especially for that day when you do a 120 foot dive, or want to run a line anywhere it would help with navigation.
I don’t think I would notice a 200’ reel. I didn’t notice my 160’ reel the few times I brought that on dives and didn’t need/use it, so I don’t think a reel for 40’ of additional line is going to be a deal breaker for me.
My comment was directed at the larger reels. Ex. 400’+.
For the kind of diving that I’m doing, a smaller reel (~200’) would be plenty for my typical dives.
Again. Not an expert. I do not penetrate, cave explore, tech dive, etc. So take the following clarification for what it is worth.I don't understand this. You either do or don't need 200 feet of line - whether it is to shoot a bag or to lay a penetration line. If you don't need to do that, you don't need to respool. If you DO need to do that, then you need it and not sure why you would not want to have the appropriate tool for the job.
Again. Not an expert. I do not penetrate, cave explore, tech dive, etc. So take the following clarification for what it is worth.
"Need" is subjective when weighed against an infinite number of possibilities. Safety dictates we prepare for a subset of the most likely problems we face. Say I am diving off a boat and recognize a meaningful risk of drifting away, I take a smb and the means to deploy it. Because this is unlikely I opt for the smallest equipment set that I consider to meet the requirement I have set. For instance, selecting a spool over a bulkier reel.
If I were intending to deploy an smb as part of my dive plan, the convenience of a reel would be worth the bulk. Or any other piece of equipment needed by the dive plan.
I don't think this clarification furthers the discussion topic, but seeing as two people were confused here you go.
It comes prerigged, (no need to take line off, etc.)
If you fail to pull ALL the line off your spool and VERIFY its tied off, you just might see your spool headed down and the untied end of your line headed the other way...