What's your preference?
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Finger spool vs. safety reel for towing dive flag?
What's your preference?
I don't tow one.
I use the big plastic wrapper thingie that comes with the dive float.
I've towed a flag with a reel, but that's only because that's what was available. I don't think it would matter much if I was using a reel or spool.
Rob Neto
Chipola Divers - Recreational, Technical, and Cave Diving Instruction & Mentorship
"Survival depends on being able to suppress anxiety and replace it with calm, clear, quick and correct reasoning..." -Sheck Exley
There are definately some sites up here where if you don't tow a bag the boat is unlikely to find you. In those rare circumstances I prefer a spool. Less line = less to turn into a total CF + they are jam proof. I would not tow one deeper than 90-100ft so that's about the biggest spool I'd use.
Richard
About the only time I tow a flag is during my AOW class mid-water nav dive. I use my Salvo reel. Works great, and the "goodman" handle gives me the ability to use that hand while holding the reel.
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
I am very pleased that I live in an area where those things are not really required. The only time we've used one is as a surface station for gear during classes, and then it's anchored in the area with simple poly rope, not towed.
Uh-oh... what happens if you chose both pills?!?
I had one of those ... didn't last long. The spring on the ratchet "sprung" and the ratchet stopped working.Originally Posted by przeor
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
I've got one of those. I'm afraid to use it for anything *serious*, 'less it break like Bob's did. I use mine for freshwater landmark mapping and determining horizontal viz. I am thinking of using it to shoot a SMB in Lake Travis, just to see how it performs.
The reel is relatively inexpensive and highly ergonomic. It's just that the quality and toughness seems to be lacking.
I use a spool, but I usually just tie it off somewhere, and don't tow it.
Didn't like the feel of it
I tried this one in the store and it felt cheesy... compared to this:
http://diveriteexpress.com/tools/img/re4100blg.jpg
Just having trouble rationalizing $50+ for a reel I would only use for a dive flag... because after that, I would only want a *dedicated* reel for wrecks. I like the handle and the smooth action/winding.
I bought one of those floats with a dive flag on it and spliced 100' of polypropeline line onto it. I keep that wrapped onto one of those plastic extention cord wraps. I pay out only as much line as I need as I decend and then tie it off. I have a snap hook on the bitter end of the line that I attach to my catch bag when collecting crabs. That way I just hold the bag, and if something goes wrong with the system, all I have to do is let it go. It has worked well for us so far, especially for an improvised set up.
Well... we got our little ratchet one for roughly $20 at our LDS sidewalk sale. I wouldn't use it for anything serious, but for towing our dive float around the lake it works just fine.
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