How to float a strobe?
- Thread starter stuartv
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
To be honest, I would use a Prusik Hitch on the shot.
Straight forward and simple, a loop, and a clip on the strobe. You can set it any height you like up the shot.
I do something similar if I want to attach a spare cylinder to the shot at a particular depth.
The prusik hitch works better with the more load applied, take the load off and the hitch can slide on the shot.
I have done the same for a trapeze, but normally for a trapeze, I just put a weight on the jump line next to the quick release. This is OK, unless there are really strong currents pulling the jump line up, then a Prusik Hitch allows you to fix the line to a specific depth.
Straight forward and simple, a loop, and a clip on the strobe. You can set it any height you like up the shot.
I do something similar if I want to attach a spare cylinder to the shot at a particular depth.
The prusik hitch works better with the more load applied, take the load off and the hitch can slide on the shot.
I have done the same for a trapeze, but normally for a trapeze, I just put a weight on the jump line next to the quick release. This is OK, unless there are really strong currents pulling the jump line up, then a Prusik Hitch allows you to fix the line to a specific depth.
Because you’ll still see it, at least my “Trojan” you will. Loop the strobe around the anchor rope 20 feet off the wreck and clip your wreck reel 5 feet below it. Even in the unlikely chance that it slides down the anchor rope it will only go as far as the wreck line.I think you are not really using much imagination here...
Why on earth would you risk the strobe falling to the bottom if it came undone and not be able to find your safe route to the surface?
OP
I don't mean to be rude, but did you even read my initial post?
The whole point was that the anchor line went slack (during the dive), so the part that was 20' up was then laying on the bottom. The strobe, laying on the bottom, could not be seen from any distance.
Even a Trojan that falls down into a crack on the bottom won't be seen from any distance.
Further, I've been on dives where the dive site was relatively shallow and the anchor line stretched out quite a ways into the distance before it got to the point of being 20 feet off the bottom. Too far for a strobe suspended at 20' (from the bottom) to be useful when actually on the dive site.
And, to repeat what I said in another post earlier, yes, I know that running a reel is the answer to a lot of situations. I'm not asking about those situations. I'm asking about situations where a strobe makes sense - as long as it can be at some height above the bottom, and at the actual exit point. Some dive sites I've been on involve following a line down from the surface and then following a line that runs along the bottom for some ways. I would want to mark the end of that line that runs along the bottom. Not some upline that I can't even see the strobe on because it's too far away. Even a Trojan is only visible at a limited distance in turbid water.
Take up the slack before heading off. I genuinely don’t understand what conditions you are talking about where you would need a strobe and not need a wreck reel. If you’re following a fixed guide line why not clip the strobe to that. If it’s no big deal that you don’t make it back to the strobe then fair enough you could play around with ways to deploy it.
I have no experience with situations using a strobe like this - a reel is the only good option in my region - but you guys are way overthinking this. It's a strobe. A little flashy thing. It doesn't need much to float up. Go to the nearest store with a boat/fishing section and buy yourself a foam floaty thing in about the right size. Depends entirely on your strobe. Tiny plastic flasher would just need a foam bobber. A big strobe would need a little rope float from the boating section. $5 later, tie it all together with cave line and a bolt snap, and problem solved. No fussing with inflatables, no spending a bunch of money on camera floats, just $5 and some cave line. Maybe a short finger spool to manage the cave line if you are using more than a few feet of it. Done.
I can visualize what @stuartv is talking about. A number of years ago, a night shore dive in Bonaire had us putting a strobe at a point (top of wall) to have a return point to the place to then head to our exit at the shore.... There was no rope/chain/etc., but placing a navigation marker there was a need..... didn't want/need to run lines...
Link?
Similar threads
