Safety Stop bar

[NetPro]

I am setting up my boat and would like to put a safety stop bar at 15ft. I was planning on using a piece of 1 1/2 inch schedule 40 PVC attached with 3/8 inch line at both ends. My questions for you experienced boaters are:

1. Should I paint the bar with a bright yellow or orange or will the white finish be OK?

2. Will I need to weight the bar? If so, what is the best way?

3. Since I can only dive a max of 4 in my boat, is it worth the effort for a bar or should I just drop a line? (or just get better at hovering)

Jeff

[detroit diver]

I think a line works just fine. If your hovering techniques are good, you don't even need that, but some of your fellow divers may.

I just use the anchor line when I need to.

[Uncle Pug]

Well Jeff... seems you have included the correct answer youself at the end.

[Walter]

1. White is OK

2. Yes. Tie on some lead.

3. It all depends on what conditions in which you find yourself. If there's no current, hovering is best, especially if your skills are up to par. If there's a strong current, either the bar, a weighted line or the anchor line are ok. When using either a weighted line or the anchor line it can get crowded (even with 4 divers). If there's current and seas, you need the bar or a jon line. Whith a jon line, you're hovering and don't need to worry about current.

[NetPro]

I think a bar is in order for us newbies since there will almost always be at least 3 of us and current can be a factor in Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence and even some of the large finger lakes in NY.

It will make a good visual reference while we are gaining experience and perfecting technique.

Isn't hovering for helicopters?:rolleyes:

Thanks
Jeff

[Stone]

NetPro,

Originally posted by NetPro
I think a bar is in order for us newbies . . . It will make a good visual reference while we are gaining experience and perfecting technique.

After you deploy, retrieve, rinse, and stow your bar, line, and weights a few times, the simplicity of a 15 ft stop on the anchor line might start to look pretty attractive.

You may have thought of this already, but if you will be diving in current, a "granny line" from stern to anchor line, and a "current assist line (tag line)" trailing from the stern may come in handy. My "anchor ball" doubles as a float for the current assist line.

[Walter]

OK, now I'm curious, why would you want to float the tag line?

[100days-a-year]

Tag line floats and is hpoefully bright to aid the tired diver seeing it.We also use an orange float ball 24".Also rigged as Stone desribed.In addition several weights are clipped off where the granny line slides down the anchor line and where it hangs off the stern.We often dive 2 boats with up to 3-4 divers decoing at one time on the granny.Bar is not a good idea in current unless it is stayed to the anchor line as well.You will blow in an arc back and up unless you dump lotsa air.

[Walter]

I put a float on the end of my current line behind the boat, but for the tag line running from the stern to the anchor/mooring line I prefer to weight it. Otherwise divers bump their heads on the bottom of the boat. Having reread Stone's post, I see I misunderstood which line he floats.

[Stone]

Originally posted by Walter
. . . for the tag line running from the stern to the anchor/mooring line I prefer to weight it. Otherwise divers bump their heads on the bottom of the boat.

I plan to weight the granny line as well; not so much for bumped heads (although that will be one outcome), but to keep from getting smeared with the blue ablative paint from the bottom of my hull (I can't wait for that stuff to ablate completely away).

[Diversauras]

I think a bar will make the hang rough. I say this after more than 1000 dives from a boat with a hang line system that really works, even in rough water.

The bar will move vertically with the boat, a line between the two down lines will "float" and be a much softer ride. Put the weights at the bottom of the down lines, 20' to 30' or so, and the hang line at 15'...

[NetPro]

So let me see if I understand this.

I'm probably beter off with a line instead of a bar. This line is called a tag line or granny line. It is tied off to the anchor line or a weighted down line at the bow and to a weighted down line at the stern.

I also need a brightly colored floating current assist line trailing the stern with a float at the end. 25 feet long??

I also have two gear assist lines with clips hanging from cleats on corners of the stern so we can remove BCs and attach them before climbing aboard. (I have a small platform / step that won't handle all the weight) The gear can then be hauled aboard.


Jeff

[Stone]

Originally posted by NetPro
So let me see if I understand this.

I'm probably better off with a line instead of a bar.
Probably better off just using your anchor line for a safety stop.

This line is called a tag line or granny line. It is tied off to the anchor line or a weighted down line at the bow and to a weighted down line at the stern.
No need for a weighted down line at the bow, just clip the forward end of the granny line to the anchor line (I use a suicide clip), and tie the trailing end to your platform or stern cleat (see attached picture). If you put a weight near (on) the suicide clip and a weight a few feet from the trailing end, you can pull yourself under the boat. If you don't weight the line, you just pull yourself along side the boat.

I also need a brightly colored floating current assist line trailing the stern with a float at the end. 25 feet long??
Color is a matter of preference. My current assist line is 65 feet long because that is what was left after I cut 35 feet for my granny line from a 100 foot line.