Spearguns...

[ifukuda]

I'm sorry if I sound like and idiot but...

Are there any precautions that divers can/should take around divers are are spear fishing?

During a shore dive a few weeks ago, our group encountered a pair of divers carrying spearguns. Our courses crossed only for a brief moment. The spearfishing pair went their way and we went ours.

I have to admit that I felt a little uncomfortable thinking of the possibility that someone could be pointing a speargun in our direction just out of vis range. Am I being paranoid? I must admit I know nothing of spearguns or spearfishing.

Is there a protocol that spearfishers follow, or saftey mechanisms built into spearguns, that make accidents such unlikely?

 

[Scubaroo]

Spears are tethered to the speargun by a long cord that stops the spear disappearing with or without fish into the big blue yonder, but they CAN break or become unknotted, and then you have a spear disappearing into the big blue yonder. Maybe with a diver in it's path. Water VERY quickly slows the spear down though, limiting it's range, and usually the spear is being fired towards the bottom (at least that's the type of spearfishing I used to do before I discovered scuba), so I wouldn't be to worried about errant spears finding their way into your buttocks.

 

[Scottri]

When I am spearfishing the gun is never cocked unless I'm in the water and ready to hunt. Also, most guns have a safety on them. I keep mine engaged until I'm ready to shoot. Also, I have a shock cord that limits the distance that the spear can travel. Most of the time I'm using a Hawaiian Sling which never leaves my had. It only travels about 3 or 4 feet. I've been spearfishing for years and have never had a problem spearing anything I didn't intend to or being speared.


Scott

 

[devjr]

Hi, what was the vis that day? Most guns have a range of 10-15 feet. Accidents must be pretty rare ; eg, I haven't heard anything from the special interest groups.

 

[Walter]

Actually, lots of hunters free shaft. In other words, some use a gun with no line attached to the shaft. I prefer to use a line gun, but some of my free shafting buddies far exceed my skill level. While there's always a possibility of encountering poorly trained hunters, everyone I dive with is usually very careful with their gun. A safety is not necessary on a band gun as it is impossible to shoot when it's not cocked. I removed the safety from one of my guns to stop the uninformed from playing with it on the boat ride out. My other gun has a safety that is not so obvious to the uninformed. When I cock my gun it's because I'm ready to shoot. I never point the gun at another diver (cocked or not) and I never hunt in visibility less than the range of my gun.

DSSW,

WWW™

 

[devjr]

Free shafts are pretty rare in So CA. The thing is no spearo is going to fire freeshafts in low vis water at the beach or in kelp. He'll lose the shaft and/or the fish. Our friend needn't be alarmed.

 

[ifukuda]

Thanks for the info everyone. Based on the info you have given me, I guess I do not need to be too paranoid about spearfishing.
Moreover, I've never heard a story about people getting shot with a speargun (in the water).

FYI: typical viz in So Cal is about 25ft with kelp and rocks.