What size of safety spool: 60',80',120'

[Spoon]

Well, to be frank, what is more important, getting the best tools for the job, or buying everything from one place at the cheapest possible price? Halcyon makes a 150' spool as does Oxycheq (though they appear way overpriced). I know that with 150' spool, I have enough line to do almost any recreational level dive. 120' is only really useful to 80-90'.

cool! so would a 150' reel be a pain to deploy in 30' 40' 50'??? im asking bec i deploy my smb during the safety stop most of the time.

also was looking at the stainless steel spools from deep sea supply. they look sweet! think they are worth it?
http://deepseasupply.com/page20.html

 

[Ben_ca]

IMHO: no

 

[Spoon]

IMHO: no

no to being a a pain to deploy a long line at shallow depth or no, the stainless spools are not worth it?

 

[Doc Harry]

Knots become the weak link.

Knots will weaken the line by 20% to 55% of its original tensile strength, depending on the knot utilized. A Figure-8 knot weakens the line the least, assuming both sections of line are equal in composition and diameter.

EXAMPLES
Knot and approx residual tensile strength:

Figure-Eight Knot - 80% of original tensile strength remains
Bowline Knot - 60%
Clove Hitch Knot - 60-75%
Double Fisherman's Knot - 65-70%
Overhand Knot - 45-60%
Square Knot Knot - 45%

BTW - Cavers know a lot more about knots than climbers
.
.

 

[Soggy]

also was looking at the stainless steel spools from deep sea supply. they look sweet! think they are worth it?
http://deepseasupply.com/page20.html

Tobin sent me a tester ss spool back when he originally manufacturered them and I did a number of experiments with it. I am thinking of getting one of his 200' spools for bottom deployment on deep dives. However, for a safety spool, especially one that is frequently deployed mid-water, they are just too heavy. A delrin spool, if dropped, will sink slowly. If dropped during bag shooting, they will dance in the water column. The SS spools sink real fast in either case.

Tobin has some excellent products (and is a stand-up guy, too), responds to his customer base, and the manufacturing on the SS spools is outstanding, but I don't think they are ideal for spools used for bag deployment.

 

[Spoon]

Tobin sent me a tester ss spool back when he originally manufacturered them and I did a number of experiments with it. I am thinking of getting one of his 200' spools for bottom deployment on deep dives. However, for a safety spool, especially one that is frequently deployed mid-water, they are just too heavy. A delrin spool, if dropped, will sink slowly. If dropped during bag shooting, they will dance in the water column. The SS spools sink real fast in either case.

Tobin has some excellent products (and is a stand-up guy, too), responds to his customer base, and the manufacturing on the SS spools is outstanding, but I don't think they are ideal for spools used for bag deployment.

thanks soggy, i needed to hear that, wanted to get em for aesthetics alone

 

[Ben_ca]

See Soggy's reply....

 

[Spoon]

See Soggy's reply....

done

 

[double80s]

I usually carry 2 spools. I have a smaller spool with approx 40' which I keep in my pocket. The 2nd is a 150' spool clipped off on my BC, which is slightly wider than a typical 100'.

The 150' spool is no more difficult to store or deploy than my small spool and gives me enough line to shoot a sausage or marker from depth if needed.

Will

 

[miketsp]

Knots become the weak link.

Knots will weaken the line by 20% to 55% of its original tensile strength, depending on the knot utilized. A Figure-8 knot weakens the line the least, assuming both sections of line are equal in composition and diameter.

EXAMPLES
Knot and approx residual tensile strength:

Figure-Eight Knot - 80% of original tensile strength remains
Bowline Knot - 60%
Clove Hitch Knot - 60-75%
Double Fisherman's Knot - 65-70%
Overhand Knot - 45-60%
Square Knot Knot - 45%

BTW - Cavers know a lot more about knots than climbers
.
.

The type of line will affect the above figures.

If you want to go into this subject more seriously start here
http://www.iop.org/EJ/article/1367-2630/3/1/310/nj1110.html