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We typically throw a marker buoy on our divesites, because the divesites are relatively small....then traverse back and forth around the buoy while watching the bottomfinder to ensure we are on the divesite before deploying divers or dropping anchor. We've tried numerous methods of making marker buoys but the simplest has been a chlorox jug with an adequate amount of cord wound around the jug, and of course a weight on the end of the cord. This is a pain, when pulling in the cord and re-winding the cord on the jug, so I'm looking for a better way. I've found online a vendor (American Bandit)http://www.americanbandit.com/ that makes a marker buoy that has 200' of line on an internal spool. It looks to good to be true, do any of you have any experience with this buoy...or do you have a better way?
Thanks
A dive weight tied off to the end of a line flaked into a bucket, pay it out then tie off the bouy. Most of the pre loaded drop and run markers tend to keep paying out line in current and swell.
For fresh water lakes, less waves, I use the H shaped fishing markers sold by BassPro. Take off the thin line they use and replace it with heavier cord. While the line is off, drill small holes into the thicker chambers of the H and use spray foam that expands to fill the void with hardened foam. They don't seem to last too long, when I'm out, one of my dive buddies loan me theirs, they always have plenty, just like I make. For rougher water, I use a dive flag with a dive weight with the line wrapped around the weight. . . during the dive I'll turn a couple of half hitches around the weight so I can pull it up quickly at the end of the dive. Every 8 or 10 years I'll forget to untie the half hitches then throw out the marker into deep water and there goes the flag. . . under.