Wreck Reels?

[guerosd]

I'm taking a wreck diving course later this month and need to purchase a reel. Anyone have good recommendations on a brand/model?

I've been seeing alot on this board about reels jamming up... obviously I'd like to avoid purchasing one that has that 'feature'.

[TexasMike]

All Reels will jam somehow someway. And it should be part of your training on how to manage that when it happens. If your instructor doesn't cover it during the class, be sure to ask the question. And when it happens, it will make the next of the hamster cage look neat and orderly.

Also ask your instructor what he/she things are good reels. Dive-rite, OMS, and a few others make some good reels.

[Arduous]

Hi guerosd:

There are a lot of dive reels out on the market today and many will serve well in numerous dive situations. I personally like the SEAL REEL from Reef Scuba Accessories. This is a well made product. It can be purchased with a variety of line sizes and lengths. It has an anti free spooling function that works well. If it jams up on you it can be unjamed in about a minute, under water, while wearing thick gloves. When purchased it comes with your name printed on it (nice touch). Check out the following link to find out more. http://www.reefscuba.com/seal.htm

Dive Safe ……………….Arduous

[Iguana Don]

Check out the line of reels from Extreme Exposure/ Halcyon before laying out your hard earned money for an accident waiting to happen.

My instructor and I talked about this and he had a brand new Dive Rite, during a training session the spool came apart and WHAMO 1000' of birds nest. Guess who was there with his trusty Halcyon/EE. They may cost a little more, but when your butt depends on it, they are well worth the money.



ID

[algulfdiver]

http://www.reefscuba.com/enclosed.htm
Check out this one enclosed. I'v never had trouble with mine. Nice REEL:tree: :sunny:

[roakey]

Extreme Exposure reels and spools:

http://www.extreme-exposure.com/spools.shtml

And while you're at it pick up a safety spool too.

Roak

[guerosd]

Hmmmm I'm seeing the inevitable battle between DIR and non-DIR :D Would anyone be willing to share stories of why I should pick the DIR version vs. the Reef?? Keep in mind I'm wreck oriented (unfortunately no caves in Calif.... that I know of).

The extreme exposure is simplicity at its best while the reef versions have tension control which I can see being useful. How do you pick between two 'goods'???

[padiscubapro]

i have used many reels, I like the reels by Manta industries, they are anti fouling and quite easy to use especially when wearing heavy gloves
http://www.mantaind.com/
I also use the reels from aqua explorers, they are simple, and durable
http://www.aquaexplorers.com/dive_reels.htm

[roakey]

Originally posted by guerosd
The extreme exposure is simplicity at its best while the reef versions have tension control which I can see being useful. How do you pick between two 'goods'???
Why add the complexity of a tensioner that requires a second hand to adjust when your fingers are right there to supply the tension and are instantaneously adjustable while leaving the other hand free?

Knobs, buttons and gadgets are great until you come to realize that they’re all spelled T-R-O-U-B-L-E.

Roak

Ps. If you're a wrecker you will have to replace the cave line with wreck line, unless you can order from EE with wreck line.

[Tekdiver]

guerosd,

I don't chime in much here but I'm afraid you may be getting information from folks, not too experienced in the use of dive reels.

IN MY OPINION, Texas Mike probably gave you the single best statement "All Reels will jam somehow someway". In my experience that is very true. There is not a reel made that you cannot jam... one way or another. Problem is that it generally happens at the worst possible time.

'Arduous' mentions the SEAL REEL from Reef Scuba. I like Reef Scuba stuff a lot but not the SEAL REEL. That "Black Box" technology they talk about is a little chamber with moving parts that can get silt/sand inside and jam. Not a good thing.

'Iguana Don' obviously doesn't use a reel in his diving for three reasons. 1) "No, all reels don't jamb." THAT is absolutly NOT true. They ALL CAN jam (ask Texas Mike), just some are more likely than others. 2) Dive Rite doesn't currently make a reel that will hold 1000' of anything but thread. You can barely get 900' of #22 and that's about as thin as anyone uses in the most advanced cave exploration. 3) He champions Halcyon/EE (a tech list lurker). I'm a DIR fan, dive DIR and did before it was fashionable. In the hands of anybody proficient in using a dive reel, the EE that Jarrod desigend is no better for general diving than any other reel (works great behind a scooter though!). And in the hands of a novice will jam like anything else. Other than the hand grip being to the side, the stop, spool and frame are made from 15yr old concepts. Don't get me wrong, the EE reel is a very good one, just not anything really new, can be expensive, and is only as good as the person who uses it!!! (which is true of all)

'algulfdiver' mentions the Reef Scuba enclosed reel. Reef Scuba is unique among most mfg. in that you can remove the spool underwater to free a spindle jam. It won't allow you to un-tie a knot but can get you out a back-lash. I've only used the R/S enclosed once but personally see potential problems. MY OPINION, they are trying to solve the wrong problem. Enclose the reel so someone who is not proficient in reel use will not be as likely to get in a back-lash situation RATHER than making sure that person can use a reel. But, I don't have enough experience with this one to give any more than my opinion.

'padiscubapro' mentions Manta and Aqua Explorers. Manta's G2 is nice but can be expensive, but I don't like their "spring stop" mechanisim. Just something else to break at the wrong time . A/E are very well made basic reels which I think are best.

OK... now that I've addressed everyone else. Let me teel you what I look for.

I don't like the Dive Rite reels or anyone that have similar features (Trident, et. al.) The spool with the ribbed sides is a bad idea. The locking nut that they use can vibrate to lock or unlock at the worst time. Manta, Reef Scuba or any other company that uses any mechanical device to lock OTHER than friction. If you want to lock it off... tie it! The EE is great if you're a lefty because it's ambedexterious unlike most. I like Reef Scuba's basic reels in all sizes because you CAN get out of a basic jam underwater (and live in some cases) and I like Aqua Explorer's reels because they are basic and simple.

All the companies mentioned make some very good products so this is not to slam them.

My experience with reels is that the KISS (keep it simple stupid) method really applies here. Running line out of a reel is easy... gettin' it back can be rough. The point being, gettin' back is when you're life depends on it.

Bottom line. The simpler the reel the better the operator the better the result. The more complex the reel the less proficient the operator.... it's that simple.

I hope I've been of some help.


My best regards,

Marc Thompson
SCUBADILLO DIVE CLUB
Vice President 98-02
www.scubadillo.org

PS. There is no malace intended to anyone or any company mentioned in this article. These are only my opinions and I represent no one but myself.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
...some of us get into diving in water and some of us get into diving into our computer....REAL DIVERS GET WET

[Green_Manelishi]

I find myself agreeing with the "simpler is best" philosophy.

Although I do not own one (yet?) I rather like the idea of
a reel that can be dis-assembled to some degree under-
water: that perhaps makes it easier to clear a jam.

Otherwise, I'd say that any mechanism designed to *prevent*
a jam will soooner or later fail and then what are you going to
do?

FWIW: I currently own two reels, an OMS (simple) and a
ReefSCUBA (simple, no anti-jam, not a "seal reel"). I bought
the reefscuba on special. It was explained to me that the
reels were being sold out at a special price because most
folks want "anti-jam" and tensioning mechanisms.

I think you will find (at least I found) that if the line is too thick
to pass between the spool and the body of the reel it is less
likely to jam. I am therefore replacing the #36 on my OMS
with #48 (like that on my reefscuba)

[Rick Murchison]

Originally posted by Iguana Don
My instructor and I talked about this and he had a brand new Dive Rite, during a training session the spool came apart and WHAMO 1000' of birds nest.ID
Interesting - I've never seen a Dive-Rite reel come apart. Perhaps it did because he crammed 1000' of line onto it, as there is no reel sold by Dive-Rite designed to carry 1000' of line. The max for wreck purposes on their largest (explorer) reel is 550'.
Rick

[padiscubapro]

Originally posted by roakey

Why add the complexity of a tensioner that requires a second hand to adjust when your fingers are right there to supply the tension and are instantaneously adjustable while leaving the other hand free?

Knobs, buttons and gadgets are great until you come to realize that they’re all spelled T-R-O-U-B-L-E.

Roak

Ps. If you're a wrecker you will have to replace the cave line with wreck line, unless you can order from EE with wreck line.
Personally I usually use the simpler reel from aquaexplorers. The manta reel I used when I am trying to video and lay a line(mostly on broken up wrecks or debris fields) at the same time. I can run the camera with one hand and the reel with another, and if i decide I want to put the reel down (and its not a mud bottom) I can just drop it and I know it will not unspool.

[Lost Yooper]

I use the OMS wreck reel. I don't have much of an opinion on it really. It works if you do your part (like any peice of equipment, I guess). I wouldn't get an enclosed reel, and if I were going out to buy one tomorrow, I'd try the EE reel.

Mike

[100days-a-year]

Don't like reels,but I have Dive-Rites.They are old,they won't jam unless I'm careless(or over task-loaded).They are hard to break.That being said I'm experimenting with handmade,cobbled together spools.They offer simplicity ,ease of operation and low cost .They are however moere difficult to rewind underwater.

[Se7en]

100 days

Been making different spools myself over the last couple of weeks, after a couple of friends did the 'can I have one' after seeing me use a really crap one I made.

Discovered that perspex looks really good, but will break and have sharp edges - esp if cold. Nylon and other symilar plastics doesn't look as good, but is damm near unbreakable.

The easiest design for a simple bombproof spool is a 20mm nylon bar epoxied and screwed into round 3mm nylon endplates (cut out with jigsaw, then ground into shape - 100mm diameter is a nice size for 20m or 3mm line) Three or four holes 5mm in from the edge of the endplates gives plenty of clip off points for a doubleender.

The best looking one is in clear perspex with Brass threaded rod, brass tube, nylocs, and washers holding the perspex enplates in place. My GF has that one...

BTW - Winding line back onto a spool is a pain, but it does keep your ascent rate low...

Mike

[bradymsu]

I use Dive-Rite reels though I can understand how the ribbed sides and the screw coming loose could be a problem though it's not one I've ever had. One thing I can say about Dive-Rite reels is that they are well made. Mine have been very abused by their owner and they've held up very well.