strobe,beacon or light to help get back to

[TechBlue]

I have never seen anything that even remotely resembles a strobe other than the tank light led's,to tell you the truth I haven't looked real hard.now that I know that other people use them and they work I will start looking,thats what this board is for among other things, correct??

We carry a strobe on our site, here in the NE we use them so you can find the anchor line or at points of entry into wrecks and or spaces inside the wreck. Reliability is key under theses circumstances and we opted for a bullet proof solution. You will find cheaper strobes but none that throw as much light and won't get switched off by bouncing on a line.

 

[Groundhog246]

If you can't find them at your local dive shops, try your local chandlery. Waterproof strobes are commonly attached to pfd's, MOB poles, etc.

 

[matt_unique]

The vis is so bad around here the strobe is not that annoying (ha ha). We tie off a strobe to the top of our tank (with it on) for deep (>80') night dives. I also leave one on the mooring or anchor line as a safety signal for which line to ascend to return to the boat. It's not a bad idea to wear one so your buddy can spot you more easily. I am usually facing my buddies at the safety stop so the strobe is not in our eyes.

My favorite night dive spot around here is a wreck called the Chester Poling. There are two mooring lines on each side of the wreck. You would have to be pretty disoriented to loose which line is the right one but I like the strobe as an additional safety measure.

--Matt

 

[Groundhog246]

I hate themunderwater. While they may not be so bad for your buddy, they're not so great for the other buddy pair behind you. We use the battery powered glowsticks. A lot better for your night vision and less annoying to others. The only problem I've had is being in the water with 10 divers (5 pairs) and all but a couple have the same tank light.
The group we often dive with do commonly use a strobe on the bottom of the dive flag.

 

[SubMariner]

your boat,just thinking that a strobe underwater or something would maybe help with finding it for the navigationally challenged.Of course its not for me,its for uhhh, my friend. does anyone make one or is it a lame idea.

Several good makes have already been discussed (eg.: Princeton Tek Aquastrobe).

However, the key is to attach them to a fixed object like a line, entry/exit point, etc., not wear them. They are far too bright to use as a Personal Locator Light underwater.

Heck, we even leant one of ours to the boat crew when we did a liveaboard in the Red Sea.

 

[donclaypool]

Uh, lets just remember that these devices, especially the electric types, FAIL!

I, by no means, am trying to sieze some higher ground here, but no one's mentioned the importance of curing "your friend's" problem with navigation. I picture myself night diving in a current relying solely on a strobe flashing in the murk to get me back to my boat. If the light goes out and I miss the anchor line on the way back downcurrent...

I'm just throwing it out here but in the above situation I've used a reel line tied to the anchor line or dived perpendicular to my anchor line to help insure my survival.

And I've rescued people hopelessly downcurrent from their anchored boat.

don

 

[saintsfan]

I'm not really that bad on navigation,I took the padi advanced class just for that reason.off of a beach i dont worry about finding my way back but if i end up far from my boat,well thats not good.And by no means would i only rely on a strobe to get me back,I would still rely on my trusty compass to get back.its just another safety feature.

Uh, lets just remember that these devices, especially the electric types, FAIL!

I, by no means, am trying to sieze some higher ground here, but no one's mentioned the importance of curing "your friend's" problem with navigation. I picture myself night diving in a current relying solely on a strobe flashing in the murk to get me back to my boat. If the light goes out and I miss the anchor line on the way back downcurrent...

I'm just throwing it out here but in the above situation I've used a reel line tied to the anchor line or dived perpendicular to my anchor line to help insure my survival.

And I've rescued people hopelessly downcurrent from their anchored boat.

don

 

[hantzu701]

DON'T WEAR A STROBE UNDERWATER. The strobes will blow your night vision. If u wear a strobe, it's just as bad as shining your flashlight into someone's eyes. You can usually track divers simply by their flashlights. Those tank lights/glow sticks are useless.

It doesn't make sense to wear a strobe AND put a strobe on the anchor line. I don't buy the argument that u should wear it to help your buddy see you. If your buddy needs a strobe to see you, then you're too far away. You're solo diving. In addition, with multiple divers in the water, how do you know which strobe is the anchor line and which strobe is a diver?

If u use a personal strobe, then it should be on the surface to signal for help.

In most conditions, I would think even this would be a bit overkill. Your flashlight should provide enough light to signal for help. If weather conditions are so rough or bad that you think you need the strobe, then you might want to re-evaluate whether to make the dive. Rough conditions can mean low vis and heavy current. A lot of the critters that you'd like to see may have bunkered down, so u won't see very much and have a rough dive to boot.