Hauling Tanks for Sidemount Shore Dives

[bradymsu]

Sounds like you found a viable plan.

It’s a plan. Now to see if it’s viable. I’m surprised there aren’t more sidemount shore divers with longer hikes out.

 

[J-Vo]

I typically float an SMB in about 5' water with weights and carry one tank out at a time leaving them clipped to it. I leave the SMB throughout the dive to let the authorities know someone is in the water and I submerge and ascend next to it. I don't drag a Bouie as I think it's dangerous. If the rangers ever confront me about it I'll play dumb and show them my DSMB.

 

[MAKO Spearguns]

Maybe @MAKO Spearguns will chime on capacity of their
Inflatable Dive Board: https://www.makospearguns.com/Inflatable-Dive-Board-p/midb.htm
View attachment 650328
I do see rings in either side that you might be able to clip into for in-water towing of the tanks if there is not enough size/buoyancy for on top.

Thanks very much for making that suggestion. Although I have never used it for that application, I think the idea of clipping off a tank to the external D-rings on each side of the float would be a very workable solution.

I bet it would be easy to unclip one tank at a time from the outside of the float and then clip to the harness and then do the other side.

Hopefully the OP will consider the MAKO float for this use.

thanks
dano

 

[SlugLife]

My first idea is grab one of my inner-tubes, the kind meant for floating down a river with a bottom on it (they're usually about $25), a rope, and something to anchor it at the destination. Then throw the tanks in the tube, and drag it behind me to the location, anchor, attach the side-mounts, and go for a swim. You could even put a dive-flag on the inner-tube, and put some drinks in it for when you surface.

Since I already have all those supplies, it wouldn't cost me anything.

 

[Searcaigh]

Inflatable Dive Board: https://www.makospearguns.com/Inflatable-Dive-Board-p/midb.htm

When I lived in Jeddah 20 years ago, most of our diving was shore based with some really long walk outs to the edge of the reef, some up to 2Km.

A few of us used truck inner tubes with a circular wooden base with holes drilled in it and lashed with rope to the inner tube. This made hauling gear more practical and allowed us to add an extra AL80, cooler box (for the SI) as well as camera gear. It worked very well for us but we also had an advantage of being able to anchor the flotation device to the reef while we were diving.

I do have some photos of this set up, which if I can find I'll post.

 

[happy-diver]

I’m surprised there aren’t more sidemount shore divers with longer hikes out.

That's because divers match the gear to the site

 

[Searcaigh]

I do have some photos of this set up, which if I can find I'll post.