Strobe dropping?

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

Personally I would never bet my life on a piece of string. It might be OK in a cave but not in a wreck.

All commercial divers seem to have that mindset. I guess the line has to go up the stairs, under the fallen table which going into the kitchen and yada yada. The wreck layout may not lend itself to the string as well as the cave?

 

[Steve_C]

Wasn't there some fatalities on the Spiegel within the last couple years where they used strobes going in and then got into problems.

 

[cerich]

There is a great video of John Chatterton entering Andria Doria without running the line and then leaving his strobes to find his way out. On his way back the strobe fails to light up. Anyone else in his position may have been dead but not JC cuz he is DA man!

Anyway, how many of advanced wreck divers use strobes instead of line? My understanding is that most agencies strictly enforce running a line. Is it common practice in wreck diving community to enter without lines and just drop flashing strobes to find the way back?

here is a good thread on how that works out
3 Divers lost on the Spiegel Grove

If I recall I said in that thread that they died of terminal stupidity, because using strobes instead of a line is terminally stupid. I really don't care how famous proponents are of the practice, it's a very poor one.

 

[Akimbo]

All commercial divers seem to have that mindset...

Probably because we see a lot of failed line due to abrasion as well as exceeding loads.

 

[cerich]

All commercial divers seem to have that mindset. I guess the line has to go up the stairs, under the fallen table which going into the kitchen and yada yada. The wreck layout may not lend itself to the string as well as the cave?

Oh bull, you can lay a line in a wreck, it just takes practice to get good at it and then it isn't a big deal at all, nor, done correctly is it really likely to break if you know how to lay line and also to come out in the dark on a line. The argument that the line would break leaving you screwed is silly logic, if you are screwed without a line because it broke, that means you are screwed without a line, so not laying one is double stupid. Strobes in the likely event of a silt out are horrid and wont be seen at even a few feet. Progressive penetration without a line may work(and has not for many very experienced divers) for the very, very experienced and patient who really learn the wreck like the back of their hand, but that is far and few between. To me the no line in wrecks use strobes is up there with the folks that think a 40 is enough bail out on ccr at 300 fsw+ or 3000+ ft back in a cave as far as coming up with a really horrible idea to justify really stupid risk management "plans" that sound good to the ignorant, are unlikely to actually work (and often haven't) that are really routed in being lazy combined with complacency or not having really thought it thru

 

[Akimbo]

If I recall I said in that thread that they died of terminal stupidity, because using strobes instead of a line is terminally stupid. I really don't care how famous proponents are of the practice, it's a very poor one.

Hmmm, what's less reliable than string running over sharp rusted metal? Oh oh I know, anything battery-powered in salt water!

This isn't that complicated. Cave divers progressively penetrate miles into dirt holes. Wreck divers should never need to penetrate farther than they can carry a roll of 1/2" double-braided line. Make a hole to shorten the path when it is too far or convoluted.

 

[cerich]

Hmmm, what's less reliable than string running over sharp rusted metal? Oh oh I know, anything battery-powered in salt water!

This isn't that complicated. Cave divers progressively penetrate miles into dirt holes. Wreck divers should never need to penetrate farther than they can carry a roll of 1/2" double-braided line. Make a hole to shorten the path when it is too far or convoluted.

you're thinking like a commercial diver regards the hole.

Again, you can do line placements on a wreck, no issue. It takes learning how and practice.

 

[Akimbo]

you're thinking like a commercial diver regards the hole.

Maybe, but it always worked for me. It isn't hard to carry 200' of double-braid in a canvas bag (mesh game bags suck since they catch on everything). I have never been on a wreck that didn't have an access closer than about 100' to where I needed to go, including the Doria and WWII subs. Sometimes it took some effort to open a hatch but the hole was already there.

 

[cerich]

Sometimes it took some effort to open a hatch but the hole was already there.

bottle jacks and pry bars...just saying LOL

 

[Akimbo]

bottle jacks and pry bars...just saying LOL

Don't all wreck divers carry come-alongs? You really want the chain style though.