Suggested rigging for dive flag float

[doctormike]

Sorry, Cave diver here. Multiple reels/spools is very common.

Shorter cavern reel (easy to carry) brings me back to main line (buoy line) and keeps me within legal distance of flag.

Right, I understand the use of lines and jumps in cave diving, but I don't get what that has to do with towing a dive float on a shore dive. What's the reason for two lines? If you are going to carry a reel one way or the other, why not just carry that one that's attached to the float?

I still don't understand what you are describing, but I'm always happy to learn!

 

[mbs]

Had not read this thread before. Love the use of the mooring pickup!

 

[Ballyhoo]

Love the idea of a break away. Very smart move going to do it today

 

[Tassi Devil Diver]

Stuff towing around a dive flag, place one in the vicinity of your entry exit point and be done with it.

 

[scubadada]

Usually the purpose of anchoring the 1st reel & position is because you have a calculated a known distance and bearing back to your entry point. The 2nd reel attached allows you to go "play' and look around without losing your known point on the 1st reel.

We all dive differently,,,,Don't even ask why I dive with 2 buoy's spread apart at the end of the same reel line (it just works for us)

I have about 1000 dives in Boynton Beach and carried the flag on the majority of those dives. I often hook into the reef when the current is brisk in order to dive around. I have never used a second reel but tend to stay relatively close to my primary. I may try @Johnoly technique in the future as I often worry that my primary reel may break from the reef and leave me without my flag. I have caught it a few times. A small spool would work for this; I already have one with me for other purposes. I am very often by myself.

@Johnoly have you caught your primary reel broken loose with your secondary line?

 

[Johnoly]

@Johnoly have you caught your primary reel broken loose with your secondary line?

My answer above was for a zero current, limited viz dive like in a lake.

I have found a solution to your 2nd question>ie the reef hook comes loose in current and gotta chase it down to re-capture it.

The problem happens when its 2-3 foot waves & 5-6 seconds interval topside and a very mild half or 1 knot current underwater and a bit more surface current. This scenario will “Pop” a reef hook loose as the topside wave peak will stretch & tighten the reel line and then the following trough suddenly loosens the reel line dropping the heavier steel reef hook just an inch or 2 down to release it's hold. Now you are chasing down a drifting hook and it's not fun. A reader might say add more weight or double the line scope or carry 2 hooks as a backup, or cleat wrap the line on some rock, or clip the reel to the diver, and on & on & on. But each of those introduces an additional complexity (& wasted time) which is a problem for moving around on a reef.

We needed to find an underwater tension absorber. 5 years ago we did a lot of testing with semi-trailer bungies, bicycle bungies, & luggage/walmart/tool bungies. We needed to find that careful balance of 2 to 1 stretch ratio but also just the right “ beginning” pull strength so it would always 'stretch' a tiny bit when hooked even in almost zero current but still plenty of 'reserve' stretch for various currents. Lastly it was figuring out the length and safety backup device when the bungie wore out. A Speargun bungie's safety device is to run a solid extra loose dyneema line inside the bungie which acts as a hard safety and that worked for me but was alittle wonky & messy.

The solution that eventually worked was a double side by side outdoor quality bungie at 20 inches long each. Tested with it for over a year and never once lost the flag from a“Popped' hook. I was averaging 4 popped hooks per year. The bungie system would stretch several inches and then relax, all while maintaining constant tension on the reef hook. In a strong 3 knot current with my double inline float system sinking under the surface current, I will put 40 – 50 lbs of line pressure on the reef hook & bungies and it handled it no problems. About a year later, West Marine came out with a boat dock – double bungie system incased inside of a webbing tube with stainless hooks on each end. Exactly what I was doing, but even more elegant. I'm now running that system on my reel and still have never popped a reef hook loose yet. Here is a picture of the bungie and my flag reel setup. With a 4 inch SS double ender connecting the reef hook directly to your reel(while still having the dbl bungie connected) it gives you the flexibility of a solid connection or unclip the dbl ender and you have a bungie constant tension connection depending on your weather & currents. It really works nicely for our drift dives.

 

[johndiver999]

Why not put the elasticity at the other end, i.e., right in front of the primary float?

 

[Johnoly]

Why not put the elasticity at the other end, i.e., right in front of the primary float?

With ~ 150ft of reel line deployed, that line acts as a SLOW stretchable tensioner that won't react fast enough to the wave action. If the bungies would be positioned at the float ball, it's quick retractions would be cancelled out by the slow reel line retractions. We want to put the 'reaction' properties nearest the fixed point we are trying to tension so it doesn't pop the hook. It's a similar concept as to why we put a car's brake pads on each wheel rather than a single pad located in the transmission which would be cheaper. The braking action is nearest the fixed point and same for the reef hook bungie.

For 95% of divers who carry a flag, they don't deal with drifts and popped reef hooks. Or they hook to a scooter, speargun, D-ring or other item. But for 'abandoning' the reef hook so you can freely move around 20 feet to check holes, crawl back up-current or take steady photos,,,the bungie system has my 100% confidence that it will still be hooked tight when I return to it.

 

[johndiver999]

Thanks for the detailed response. I have had the hook pop off many times, but I always figured it was from my error of not picking the best spot etc.

I have seen bungi's used on the surface between multiple, serial attached floats and this help a lot when there is large swell and you are just holding onto the line, but I understand why you put the elastic at the hook.