California Halibut Hunting

[BrianM]

That wasn't directed at you Ken, too bad you took it that way. I don't live in the dark ages and I am open to new technologies but I would hope that any diver would learn to use a compass reliably before buying a dive tracker... I have seen way too many people opt for the easy way and not bother to learn basic skills and then get into trouble when the gremlins cause problems with their gear. I have never used a dive tracker and I probably would if I dove with someone who had one and liked it and I could try it out. I don't enjoy long swims back to the boat, but I am glad I didn't have a magic gizmo when I started diving or I would have never bothered to learn to use a compass.

So now that I found someone who likes them and has one, what model is yours and do you have to buy the transmitter as well or only the receiver? I would probably use one on the opening day lobster trip so I could concentrate on bugs instead of navigating. Which one do you recommend?

EDIT - The reason I asked if you could buy only the receiver is that some of the Channel Island charters advertise that they have a transmitter onboard which is enable during each dive...as long as the receiver I buy is compatible.

well, is that so!!!! i tell you what, i dive monterey bay, the channel islands, the sonoma coast, the mendicino coast. evedently so do you. so you now how good the visabilitly usually isn't. i don't personally care for doing a long, or even short surface swim with a bunch of fish on a stringer. or not being able to see the bottom or what could be swimming around below me. i have owned my dive tracker for a couple of years now. during that time, not once has the dive tracker failed not to put me either directley back under the boat or right at the anchor line, depending on where the sending until was placed at. can your say that your brain and compass has that kind of accuracy? i know how to use my compass and my brain, but if you have a device that works better that something else, why not be drug kicking and screaming into the 21st century? i've seen a LOT of changes in equipment and gear since i was certified in 1979. i've made my share of stupid purchases of dive gear that didn't work. i do an incredible amount of research, on line before i buy any new product. i did it with the dive tracker as well. i use the product, i believe in the product, i trust the product and i highly recomend the product. come out of the dark ages, you just might learn something............. ken

 

[KOMPRESSOR]

Hmfr-hmfr! I'm sorry guys, I just can help posting this picture here in this thread. I didn't take the pic, neither is it me in it. But this is the current halibut uw-hunt record of Norway:

Weight: 120,8 lbs
Lenght: 70"
Caught at depth: 56 feet



Oh, and also, the guy was FREEDIVING! No scuba tanks....

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Holy crap!

 

[abman]

That wasn't directed at you Ken, too bad you took it that way. I don't live in the dark ages and I am open to new technologies but I would hope that any diver would learn to use a compass reliably before buying a dive tracker... I have seen way too many people opt for the easy way and not bother to learn basic skills and then get into trouble when the gremlins cause problems with their gear. I have never used a dive tracker and I probably would if I dove with someone who had one and liked it and I could try it out. I don't enjoy long swims back to the boat, but I am glad I didn't have a magic gizmo when I started diving or I would have never bothered to learn to use a compass.

So now that I found someone who likes them and has one, what model is yours and do you have to buy the transmitter as well or only the receiver? I would probably use one on the opening day lobster trip so I could concentrate on bugs instead of navigating. Which one do you recommend?

hi brian! no offence taken, the model that i use is the sport. it is accurate to get you within 6' of wherever you place the sender. the scout will get you within 20'. the sport is around $525.00 and the scout $325.00 . yes, you can by just the sender or the receiver seperatly. if you buy them together you get a pelican case. extra o-rings and they come with batteries. i bought mine mainly for hunting. that way i can concentrate on hunting and not on not comming up 4 miles from the boat, and having to make a surface swim trolling a stringer full of fish. there ARE tricks to using the tracker, just like anything else there are limitations and exceptions. but, it is a reliable piece of qualility gear. with lots of uses. another twist on it's usage is recovery. if you are searching for something, and find it you can leave the sender attched to the object and use the reciever to guide you back to it. if you and you buddy both have the units you can set a different pulse rate on each sender and locate each other under water if the vis is really bad and you get seperated. another use, if you are diving solo (or not) and you have the sender with you your surface support (with the reciever)can find your location in case of emergency. i just find way to many good reasons for using this device, verses not. but, you are correct about people taking the easy way out. as a diver you HAVE to be able to use a compass. even when i'm using the tracker, after i detect the direction of the boat i take a compass heading and follow that untill i get closer ,then i take out the tracker and check the direction again. i repeat this untill i'm either at the boat or the anchor line. either way, then i can hang off of the anchor rope and do my 5min saftey stop, instead of doing an open water,suspended stop. if any body has any questions about the dive tracker please pm me & i'll answer the questions that i can or i'll hook you up with desert starr industries ( the company that makes the units). thanks, ken