Wreck Reels?

[icebox]

I went diving last weekend off the coast of NC. We dove the Suloide, which is nothing more than a wreck field now. Visibility was about 10-15 feet max. There were 2 people with wreck reels that my buddy and I followed around so we would not get lost. I would rather not have to rely on others to navigate in the future, so I am looking for a good wreck reel. I am not into penetration and do not have that desire. I have looked at OMS and Dive Rite Reels and am wondering which you would suggest. I am leaning toward the OMS “Explorer” which is a kevlar line instead of the typical nylon. Does the kevlar line last longer to make it worth the extra cost? I like the fact that it is still on a small reel but has 600 feet of cord on the spool. That is nice. So lets hear those opinions.

Mike

 

[WreckWriter]

Mostly just for general quality.

Tom

 

[tchil01]

I have a 4" Enclosed Golden Reel Series from Reef Scuba and it works well for me. They have great products, their reels are solidly built and priced reasonably and they have great customer service. Check them out at http://www.reefscuba.com

Ty

 

[O-ring]

I will echo what Tom mentioned...I have a Halcyon reel and I am very happy with it. It has a pretty low form factor so it is easy to work with and doesn't seem too snag prone when clipped off. They are a little pricey, but I found mine for $85 used.

 

[MikeFerrara]

Off subject but...When I dove the Suloid the vis was great. When I decided it was time to head back to the line I was a little bothered that I couldn't see it. I looked up and could see the boat and line. Folowing the line with my eyes I was able to spot it near the bottom. The sea life on the wreck was fantastic. I have Halcyon reels and spools as well as some some generic reels from trident. All of mine work ok. The Kevlar line might be a good idea. I would think it would resist cutting better than diamond braided nylon.

 

[icebox]

Ok MikeFerrara Thanks for rubbing in the fact that you had great vis. You are right there is great marine life on the Suloide. I had a great time looking around at all the little critters. The starfish, Toadfish and even the Ray that we found were great; however, the wave action was a little extreme causing us to stay inshore for both dives that day. The nice part of the dives for the day was the extended bottom time. But let me tell you we did have a couple people hanging over each side of the boat.

Thanks for your input. I appreciate it all.

Mike

 

[SPEEDSTER]

I've thought about using kevlar as well on a reel, however I decided to stick with the nylon because it can be cut easily if you or someone else becomes entangled in it. I never tested the kevlar to see if in fact it was hard to cut, so I can't say for sure, but its something I would definately check on before using it. Let us know how it goes, I would be really interested in switching to kevlar if it is able to be cut with a knife.

Mike

 

[DocRCH]

If I were buying one today, I would buy the Halcyon. At present I have a Reef Scuba (or something like that) that "I'm gonna use it 'till I lose it."

Robert:doctor:

 

[divernva]

Never seen the stuff, but may be too thin if they can get 600' on a small spool. Could be hard to spot and mistakingly snipped. It may also be a little more difficult to cut in case of entanglement.

I have a reel made by Manta which I like (got it from LP). The spool is plastic, but the body of the reel is aluminum. There are notches on the spool which catch on the reel. Squeeze the handle and the spool is free to allowing line to be reeled in or let out.

The Halcyon spools are nice too... but they are huge. Probably has close to 600' of #24 line. I think they use a tension screw to lock them off.

Ken

 

[techdiver2us]

I've got a Reef too that's nice in that when necessary I've been able to rip it apart UW and get it back together. Also have 2 Aqua Explorers that work well, but some of their configurations are overkill. All used in poor vis and/or new wrecks. I don't use one for penetration though.