float line and gun

[alex_d]

Hi there,

so this is my first post, it took some time but after other hobbies and duties now back on track for diving vacation - Calabria:

- how to connect float line, dive float and spear-gun together ..?
I saw or heard about "Norwegian style' but can not find nothing on the Net.

Never done this and hate float line around my legs .. :-(
also would be going diving/fishing alone so have to take steps to make it safe.

Regards,

Alex

 

[nigelr]

Use a swivelclip to connect floatline to float. If you want to keep your gun in the rig, secure your floatline as far to the rear of your gun as possible. With my in-line guns, I like my floatline over my right shoulder, so I connect it to the rear right-hand corner. I use a simple lanyard tied around the butt, with a loop with a swivel enclosed. The more swivels the merrier, say I. Do a simple search, you will doubtless find some pics, from memory Miles put up a superb pictorial on this subject.
Cheers.
PS-ah there they are, sticky in the Beginner Hunting forum. Check them out, Miles is a master and then some.

 

[alex_d]

Hi Nige,

thanx for your reply,

I'm searching but I can find only info on rigging a gun alone.


Alex

 

[nigelr]

Hey Alex, what sort of float line you using?
Easiest to work with are those enclosed within a PVC type tube about 6-10mm diameter, or a 'foamcore' one.
Riffe Oceania
Foam Filled Floatline

This link is to a fantastic site that gives you several do-it-yourself tutorials, including one on making your own floatline. I recommend giving it a go, save yourself a lot of money and build yourself a great piece of kit. You will be very pleased with how easy it is!
http://ic_spearguns.tripod.com/

What gun are you using? Is there a hole at the rear for attaching a lanyard? If not you may want to drill one, or else tie a lanyard with a loop and swivel enclosed to the rear end of your gun.

 

[alex_d]

Hi,

float line is orange one, like this one "Foam Filled Floatline".

I figured out a good setup for me, just have to test it in the water.

http://ic_spearguns.tripod.com/ - I know that link, thanx!

I'm still on the low-profile with spearfishing, having a pause of 20 years and just coming slowly back. And the fact that that am diving alone during vacation I MUST behave without doing stupid things.

Gun is some Italo Style thing that I bought last year while having vacation in Sicily to see if 'I still have it' .. so I saw that I could/can reach around 10m deep (without any training) so I bought gara's 2k too, wetsuit 5mm and other small stuff that are going along ..
So I tuned my Italo-gun yesturday, what a crap thing is that !!! Squickey-bendy muzzle, whole gun have quite easy tordial bend, ring that guide spear-shaft does not 'sit' deep enough, no extra room for the knot (spearline) ... but OK, will keep it for shallow waters and rocks.


One question: which KNOT I should use to connect the ring around spear-shaft and line, the 'Constrictor' one?

Regards,

Alex

 

[nigelr]

Alex, if the knot you are describing is the one I think it is, I just use a bowline. Constrictor is mainly for making up bands, tying in the 'wishbones' etc.
Personally I use an open muzzle, tabbed spearshaft, breakaway to float set-up these days, although I used SeaHornet guns with a similar closed muzzle, line from gun to slide ring set-up similar to what you describe for many years. Nowadays I build my own wooden guns, so I can experiment and make what works best for my situation.
I've become a fan of the American style, a al Riffe, if you are familiar with 'Spearboard', you can see examples of what the pro (and extremely competent amatuer) custom gun builders design and produce, inspirational stuff indeed.
Good to see you 'getting back into it, I am 52 and there are plenty of expert spearos with 10, 15 even 20 years on me........
I also shore dive solo 75% of the time, so I like the simplest set-up possible for my rigs.
One good thing about diving solo is you have only yourself to be responsible for, also you 'spook' the fish less! But I must confess these days I do enjoy the luxury of diving with my son, when the rare circumstance allows. There is a certain feeling of security in numbers!
Cheers Alex and enjoy.

 

[Mr. X]

Assuming you are not using a reel (in which case the float is not normally attached to the gun)?

I use inexpensive Rob Allen olive green polypropylene float line. Simple, cheap and strong. The rope used is sometimes generically referred to as Thai curry green rope. I've turn my 20m RA line into two line - an 8m one for shallow water and a 12m line for deeper water. I also made some "RA Ghost leader"-style extensions from thick mono of upto 5m but have yet to use them (probably never will).

Thin, clear aquarium air-line tubing is also popular here. You could thread mono, etc. through it but most don't bother in the UK as our fish just aren't big enough to warrant it.

This week I found some very promising looking new 20m polypropolyene washing lines (I've tried several platic coasted types before, all rather disappointing) at the local indoor market. It is very similar to the inexpensive, stiff, olive/drab Rob Allen float lines (also referred to generically as Thai curry green rope on some forums). It is not quite as stiff or as thick as the RA lines but iis otherwise very similar and it is available in several colours (including red - which is said to appear grey to most fish - and dull green). Tt claims to be made in made in Britain and it only costs £1 for 20m. I've splice hand-size loops in each end and plan to give it a try. As I don't expect to encounter any marlin/tuna in the UK, I think the thinner line might offer some advantage (less drag, harder for fish to see). It has product no 2220 but unfortunately no manufacturer's name .

 

[azapa]

I use white polypropolyene rope too.Cheap, very visable, doesn't knot up, and lasts at least a year (50 or more dive days). It floats too. I think I use 6mm.

BTW top tips on polypro rope:
- its stiff and hard to tie knots in that hold, they tend to "fall" loose = tie and wrap with electrical tape
- place a ring of black tape (assuming you use white rope) every 5m to rough guide depth (i tape once over a year ago and has not moved)

 

[Mr. X]

I like the tape marker idea. "lasts at least a year" -- I fully expect my RA line to last a lifetime, it will probably be passed down for generations. I'm only half kidding.

Re. polypropylene being stiff & knots coming loose. Splicing is cheap, neat and relatively easy: loosen the three main threads for a couple of inches (5cm) and melt the ends to stop further fraying, then use a pencil/spike (as a "fid") to help open up gaps in the main length of rope (bight?) and then just weave the three ends back into the main length to make the loop. I tidy the result up by melting off any stray fibres and the 3 ends again, flatting them to make it harder to them to pull back through. The RA floatlines come prepared with a spliced loop at each end, so I expect this method to be very strong.

[ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eye_splice]Eye splice - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame]

Alternatively, you could bend each end over and whip loops in the ends with whipping cord, which again would give smooth, finished result. I would also super-glue over the whipped length. This might not be strong enough for large fish*. The length of the whipping, the type & size of cord used and the quality/tightness of the whipping would likely be factors affecting strength. I would whip about 1-2", perhaps more for bigger fish, and melt the ends to stop them fraying and make it harder for them to pull through

[ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whipping_knot]Whipping knot - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame]​

*Note whipped loops are used in flyfishing and this articles suggests, in that context at least (e.g. thin, mono lines), they might not be suitable for larger fish:

"Whipped Loop
...However, even though many anglers swear by this connection, it is not nearly as secure as the monofilament nail knots, and I have seen a number of these loops pull free. I do not recommend this system for large saltwater species."​

​

Alternatively, you could even crimp loops like in spearline - good luck finding the right size crimps though.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crimp_(joining)​

 

[azapa]

Nice idea on the splicing! May give it a try, seems a little daunting to start out but I'm sure its not that hard.

a 30M pack of the white rope costs about 6 US$ here, so swapping yearly is fine. Also using white does have its disadvantages (like red blood stains for example..) and it goes a little "limp" after a while and becomes more prone to tangling.

I will try to take a picy of my float and line to show, it's really very simple and has been polished in quite a few dives.

Bad ocean this weekend, so taking pics of the gear is probably about as close as i'll get to spearing