ideal rope and weight for rig

[demasoni]

This may seem a bit obvious, but I'm putting together a new float / line rig and I'm wondering what type of rope i.e. - diameter, material, and weave - would be best for constant weight/free imersion.

Also, how much weight at the bottom where one person could lie on the float and pull it up by hand? This rig would not be attached to a fixed line on the sea bottom, but drifting on the surface.

Some things I thought about were -

1. Free imersion would require a thicker rope and more weight.
2. Not a poly rope as it floats and I don't want to add bouyancy, or do I?
3. I could use a weight plate like at the gym on the benchpress to serve as
both the plate and weight.

 

[jome]

We generally dive in lakes with no current, but at least in these conditions 5kg is plenty for a bottom weight (CW), and can be brought up very easily. For free immersion 15-20kg seems to work with a 5mm wetsuit. If you don't dive with a suit or have a considerably thinner one, less may do.

I find a rope in the magnitude of 10mm be the best. A little less is ok, a little more some find better for free immersion. But for me, the best compromise seemst to be 10mm.

A floating rope is easier to handle, especially if you have a long rope that you don't lay all out at once. If you don't have a boat available, that's what I would recommend.

A gym plate weight will work fine, just remember to have all the knots UNDER the plate and no pieces of rope/know coming through to the "clean" side, to avioid entaglement.

The float should be at least 20kg in buoyancy, preferrably 30 or more. For free immersion you need to have a float with that much and even if you dive cw, you will want to be able to pull your self up in case of leg cramps etc.