Swivel between smb and reel

[Hcklo]

Hi,

I see year after years many people with the line of their reel being twisted: as the smb turns on itself it creates twist in the line of the reel. This produces a large amount of tension in the reel dive after dive. I am, also in this situation.

I was wondering if anyone tried to put a fisherman swivel so the smb is free to turn without making turn the reel. And of course if someone knows what would be the cons of this solution - I suppose that one is to create a 2nd possible failure point in each side of the swivel.

Thanks for your advices and points of view

Sorry for my broken english

 

[tomfcrist]

Reels don’t get excess tension due to line twisting, they get excess tension because folks hang on them while reeling up.

 

[scubadada]

Hi @Hcklo

I use a reel to run a flag and float above me for drift diving in SE FL. I do not use a swivel between the line and the float. I would imagine this is more challenging than launching a DSMB. In fact, I use a finger spool rather than a reel with my DSMB

 

[Hcklo]

Hi @Hcklo

I use a reel to run a flag and float above me for drift diving in SE FL. I do not use a swivel between the line and the float. I would imagine this is more challenging than launching a DSMB. In fact, I use a finger spool rather than a reel with my DSMB

Sorry I expressed myself wrongly. I use a finger spool with a dsmb. I didn't notice myself this issue since I have a finger reel apecks. But before I had a first Price finger reel and indeed the line was quite twisted after 300 dives.

Reels don’t get excess tension due to line twisting, they get excess tension because folks hang on them while reeling up.

So following your statement if people would "kick up" to rise slowly and then start gently rolling the reel the line wouldn't be twisted ? I always thought that rolling the reel with a snapbold was a good way to avoid pulling too much on the line. But maybe I am wrong ) I see this issue in a lot of professional divers, specifically with cheap reels/lines.

 

[UofMI_Divegeek]

If need to swivel is truly an issue, try a "snap shackle." The image below (from my river diving slide set) shows the device. I like the snap shackle because, unlike most connectors, this device will open under full load.

 

[tomfcrist]

So following your statement if people would "kick up" to rise slowly and then start gently rolling the reel the line wouldn't be twisted ?

Not necessarily kicking up, but ascending slowly and controlled…don’t “hang on the SMB”.

The line will still twist…not a lot can be done to stop that, although a swivel will limit it. Personally, if I was worried about “twisted” line, I would just fix it at the end of the dive day…run the spool in the parking lot, and re spool it while eliminating any twist. It’s really not that big of a deal though.

 

[Johnoly]

..as the smb turns on itself it creates twist in the line

You mentioned you run a spool (not a reel). I also run just a short 30ft line to my SMB from an eyebolt (same twists as a spool) I run a Stainless swivel at the SMB and then also a tiny swivel halfway up the line. This helps untwist the line, but a SINGLE swivel at the top won't help that much on 100ft of line. Like @tomfcrist said, The 100ft line will still twist because almost every wrap you put on the spool is a twist in the line depending how much pressure you put on it. In summary, even with a top swivel, you'll still have twists with a spool type holder. There are very small hand reels being sold, that can replace the spool (& the twists)

 

[tomfcrist]

There are very small hand reels being sold, that can replace the spool (& the twists)

Exhibit A:

Slide Lock Safety 140' Reel - Dive Rite

Locking and unlocking the Slide Lock Safety 140' Reel requires one hand and a simple thumb flick. It couldn’t be any easier. Evolving over the years from one of Dive Rite’s original products, a basic dive reel, the Slide Lock (SL) line of reels is in no way basic. Its’ evolutionary roots stem...

www.diverite.com

 

[inquis]

You can flip the spool every 5-10 revs to eliminate that twisting. It's the wind/wave spinning the DSMB that may still be an issue, but I've never found it to be a problem. Incidentally, I found that a swivel did NOT sufficiently compensate for the spool induced twisting (if I didn't flip it).

 

[lermontov]

i think its an issue that is easily resolved and not worth putting in extra bits for - assuming youve shot an smb then your at the end of your dive - you can wind it up and and simply fix it up after the dive or you can get neutrally buoyant and let the smb untwist by letting go (unless you have significant current that is )- personally i do neither. if theres tensional twist in the line its likely going to untwist next time you shoot it