What Would Macgyver Do?

[Kingsley Zissou]

We talk about diving a lot at work. Its a great way to pass the time when we can't dive. Here is a hypothetical that came up a while back.

A diver surfaces to find his boat is long gone. Faced with drifting away in the current he takes all his accessible weights (10-15 lbs) and fastens them to the end of a 100' line on a finger spool. He then pays out the line until it rest in the sand below and waits to be rescued.

Would this work? How much weight would it take to hold a diver in place?

Just curious.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

What kind of exposure suit? How much inherent buoyancy does it have? How much do you have? What is the current like? Anything in the sand to snag the weights? Many variables here.

 

[JDMerk]

I would advise doing so only if wearing pink jetfins and if there are no Jaguar Shark in the vicinity. Under any other circumstances it is pure suicide.

Seriously I haven't a clue if it would hold you, its essentially a mushroom anchor of equivalent weight. They are used to hold actual boats and I would have to assume that unless you are a whale you have less drag than a boat...so maybe.

 

[Cave Diver]

Strength of the current and depth of the dive site would be two important factors. If the site is too deep, then there wont be enough scope on the line to compensate for the currend and you'll drag your "anchor."

If there is enough scope, but the current is strong, the danger of popping the line becomes an issue.

It doesn't sound like a bad option to attempt to remain at the site, but another consideration would be whether they would start the search there, or in the most likely position for you to have drifted in a strong current.

This is of course addressing only your questions and not the other issues, such as where is your buddy, your surface marker, signal mirror, etc.

 

[Gary D.]

Take your dive knife handle and pound on the lead weights until you have the shape of a boat. Then make a sail out of your suit and just relax going home.

Gary D.

 

[Doc]

 

[Kingsley Zissou]

Take your dive knife handle and pound on the lead weights until you have the shape of a boat. Then make a sail out of your suit and just relax going home.

Gary D.

I think I saw that episode.

 

[rstofer]

What do you suppose the breaking strength of the line might be?

Richard

 

[highlandfarmwv]

Macguiver would also, activate his EPIRB; bring out the flask of cold drinking water and cookies; mirror a message to a passing plane with his shiny whistle. He has a couple of flares in his BC, as well as that stuff that dyes the water.

 

[Cave Diver]

What do you suppose the breaking strength of the line might be?

Richard

I'm not sure what the tensile strength is, and it will vary depending on what line is on the spool.

For an open water diver in moderate current, the breaking strength would probably be sufficient. When I suggested that might be an issue, I was thinking back to a couple of dives I've been on in ripping current with doubles and stages, but its unlikely that will fit the scenario.