Hey Gitano,
Sorry if I got the idea wrong before, mate...
About the backpain - it went away when I strated using the harness, so I guess it wasn't the ankle weights... And no, I am sure I am not among the strongest kickers around - those anckle weights were 500 grams when I got them, but I removed 100 out of each cause 400 was enough to keep my legs on the bottom even in tha shallows. So not too much weightlifting! Those anckle weights do not have a buckle but velcro strap (?). I can take them off with one light kick of the other fin... Not to mention that the total added weight is less than one standard 1kg diving weight - I still go up as fast as a cork cap even if I don't take those off. Maby I'm getting fat, huh?
Man, about that crotch strap... I am already having the beaver tail of the suit between me legs. Adding a crotch strap like a scuba diver would be a bit too much for me! But it may well be a great solution for someone else...
Shaneshac,
All the harnesses made so far were designed for shallow hunting, since the fixed weight on them was 6-7 kilos, which is way too much if you constantly dive under 10 meters even with a 7 mm suit. (Read one of Gitano's previous posts). And the general idea behind them is to distribute the heavy weight better on the diver's body. Even though my harness is an old Beuchat model, I made all fixed weights on it removable in order to be able tu use it in the deep too. The Omer harness uses pockets and standard diving weights - finally someone made our lifes easier! But even if Marco Bardi (my deepest respect to this great champion) names it 20cmfondo my humble opinion is that this harness would still be a dangerous one with the three buckles. And mind you - those are not even one-touch release buckles but standard buckles for backpack straps - takes two hands to unbuckle...
On the competitions issue, Gitano, you're way too right.
I know in Italy you guys are predominantly hunting on territorial species like the Sparidae (saraghi (?)), but it's like that in the whole Med. Organizing a comp in such a small area would be pure idiotism! However, I think the info you have on the competitions is rather old. The competition zones are quite wide - even the tiniest competition where I live has a zone of at least 15km coastline. I can't really tell how much that is in square Km since it depends on the terrain of the sea bed, but that's a lot! The given aquatory can be reduced only in case of very bad weather, and even then the reserve zone should be at least 4-5 km wide. So such "wipe wash attack" on the poor local saraghi is rather impossible.
I guess the perfect world you are describing is finally coming true! Without a boat, or with a boat used only for the initial dislocation, the spearos won't be able to cover as much acquatory as they used to in the past. It's way too much swimming man! What they gonna do is divide the whole huge aquatory in smaller zones with a boat anchored in the middle of each zone. The spreading of the spearos between the boats would come naturally, cause noone would like to enter a zone already packed with other competitors, right?
Plus - there is a maximum species of a single family limit already in force. Which means you can catch only ten Sparidae (breams) - not only the common Diplodus vulgaris, but all the other seabreams! There is also a per species limit (5) on one of the most territorial species out there - the brown meagre (sciaena umbra). Now usually there are more than 5 meagres in one cave, which means you won't be able to empty even one of the many caves. Those restrictions are something I am voting for with two hands! This is the only way to force the athletes to become skilled in every hunting technique possible and not sticking to their favorite species.
Now in France they're trying to introduce a TOTAL catch limit of 15 fishes, which is a bit too much already if you ask me.
Anderson, what apples!? The apples are red, mate! All I can see are those blue balls of karma! (Now who said that!?) :mute
Ivan
