Get a coated weight and just put on the bottom side between the bladder and the outer shell. No need to glue anything. Or get an uncoated weight, smooth it over with a file, (you can paint it just for fun) and use that one.
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Inflatable Spearo floats like this... (Sporasub/Picasso/Merou/Plancetta)?
- Thread starterMr. X
- Start date
Thread Status: Hello
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Another ballast option: this guy also uses a plastic plumbing pipe flag pole, as already suggested above, but this one extends underneath his marker buoy and the bottom of the pole is filled with large spherical lead fishing weights of the same calibre (20mm diameter/"size 4") as the pipe to act as the counter weight: https://mdtv3.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/how_to_build_a_big_buoy_dive_flag.pdf
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Several more ballast ideas occurred to me (I need to get this sorted out soon):
1. Fasten dive torch underneath as ballast. Not great as it would then be susceptible to damage. And when you use the torch: no ballast!
2a. Fasten one or more water bottle(s) underneath - either drinking water or filled at beach with saltwater for ballast only.
2b. Refinement: find a flat, wide water bottle to reduce drag.
2c. Refinement: add a water bladder inside the cover, under the air-bladder. Perhaps something like one of those Camel hydration packs (could then feed its pipe out for easy drinking while at sea!
) or a tiny child/baby hot water bottle.
3. A sleeve or pouch to hold a flat lead weight underneath the float, either inside or out, and to prevent the metal damaging the cloth/bladder. Leather would last in the sea, so perhaps neoprene or canvas. Then I came across this image of the Cressi Spyder float on Amazon:
Looks like Cressi had the same idea: note the red pouch in the middle of the image above. I am thinking that is a protective pouch with a flat Cressi weight vest lead weight. Excellent, a more complete solution than other floats of this type. Also has 2 more desirable features that the Picasso/Dessault floats don't have: a 2 compartment bladder & a long, 2 part flag-pole. Pity it has the wrong flag though
And another image confirms the use of the lead weight:
Although one reviewer on Amazon said he lost the lead weight (& a torch!) in a 2m swell - so perhaps some extra attachments might be beneficial.
Personally I don't like the shiny red silky/satin material on top but it is probably tough, practical & easy to see. White material underneath (camo against the sky presumably) looks a bit flimsy and that's the bit that will get washed over rocks from time-to-time. This seems to be a better thought out & more complete design than the Picasso but, for some reason, I still prefer the Picasso/Dessault floats; I suppose I prefer their simple/strong: appearance/construction/materials. I would prefer an even tougher float.
Not sure about the pockets: insecure (see example above), hold water? fussy but kind of useful for: torch/whistle/camera/phone/compass/crab bag/water bottle/stringer even. More images @ Amazon.
Overall it looks like it has been developed further/better than its competitors, as it has solved some of their limitations & problems. (I still prefer the Dessault/Picasso float tho'!).
At £33.46 including free shipping & lead weight, weight pouch, longer 2-piece flag-pole, pockets, a clear, protective carrying sleeve, etc. (about the same same as it competitors) it looks like significantly better value, those lead weights can cost £3-£7 and the other floats don't include one (but they need it). Add in the cost of a replacement alpha-flag (£2-£4), unless you dive only in North America
1. Fasten dive torch underneath as ballast. Not great as it would then be susceptible to damage. And when you use the torch: no ballast!
2a. Fasten one or more water bottle(s) underneath - either drinking water or filled at beach with saltwater for ballast only.
2b. Refinement: find a flat, wide water bottle to reduce drag.
2c. Refinement: add a water bladder inside the cover, under the air-bladder. Perhaps something like one of those Camel hydration packs (could then feed its pipe out for easy drinking while at sea!
) or a tiny child/baby hot water bottle.3. A sleeve or pouch to hold a flat lead weight underneath the float, either inside or out, and to prevent the metal damaging the cloth/bladder. Leather would last in the sea, so perhaps neoprene or canvas. Then I came across this image of the Cressi Spyder float on Amazon:
Looks like Cressi had the same idea: note the red pouch in the middle of the image above. I am thinking that is a protective pouch with a flat Cressi weight vest lead weight. Excellent, a more complete solution than other floats of this type. Also has 2 more desirable features that the Picasso/Dessault floats don't have: a 2 compartment bladder & a long, 2 part flag-pole. Pity it has the wrong flag though
And another image confirms the use of the lead weight:
Although one reviewer on Amazon said he lost the lead weight (& a torch!) in a 2m swell - so perhaps some extra attachments might be beneficial.
Personally I don't like the shiny red silky/satin material on top but it is probably tough, practical & easy to see. White material underneath (camo against the sky presumably) looks a bit flimsy and that's the bit that will get washed over rocks from time-to-time
. This seems to be a better thought out & more complete design than the Picasso but, for some reason, I still prefer the Picasso/Dessault floats; I suppose I prefer their simple/strong: appearance/construction/materials. I would prefer an even tougher float.Not sure about the pockets: insecure (see example above), hold water? fussy but kind of useful for: torch/whistle/camera/phone/compass/crab bag/water bottle/stringer even. More images @ Amazon.
Overall it looks like it has been developed further/better than its competitors, as it has solved some of their limitations & problems. (I still prefer the Dessault/Picasso float tho'!).
At £33.46 including free shipping & lead weight, weight pouch, longer 2-piece flag-pole, pockets, a clear, protective carrying sleeve, etc. (about the same same as it competitors) it looks like significantly better value
, those lead weights can cost £3-£7 and the other floats don't include one (but they need it). Add in the cost of a replacement alpha-flag (£2-£4), unless you dive only in North America
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The Cressi Spyder looks good, I do a heath robinson version of the Spyder weight on my float, I have a 1Kg dumbbell weight tied flat and tightly to the webbing that runs under the float, it works fine, no marks for aesthetics but does the job. Mr X, the idea of putting a water bladder in the float is excellent Another idea is to hang a net from the bottom with a weight in, this can double as a keep net for fish/shellfish/seaweed etc and to keep spare lead for buoyancy tweeks. It does add drag but also increases stability and works like a dream.
Another idea is to hang a net from the bottom with a weight in, this can double as a keep net for fish/shellfish/seaweed etc and to keep spare lead for buoyancy tweeks. It does add drag but also increases stability and works like a dream.
Don't buy the £1.95 Picasso alpha-flag from Scubastore, it is rubbish IMHO. If you look at the above picture, the white half is a bit too big. However on my one, the white "half" is much too small, it looks like they made no allowance for the 1cm diameter flag pole & just took it out of the white section, making an already small flag smaller. It supposed to be 20cm x30cm (20cm is too small anyway IMHO) but measures only 20cm x 22.3cm (bunting?!). My wife took one look at it & said "you've been ripped off!"; she just made an accurate Union (Jack)-flag for her own project yesterday - I should have got her to make me one!I just received my replacement flags from ScubaStore.com/DiveInn - I had to laugh, when I saw them:
1. Replacement Picasso Alpha flag: Tiny! Much smaller than the original American-specific dive flag
http://www.scubastore.com/scuba-diving/picasso-alpha-flag/603045/p
...
The bigger Imersion alpha-flag is a better proposition @ £2.95.
[Better still, avoid this problem altogether & simply buy the H. Dessault version of this float instead of Picasso's, which is pictured with the correct flag at a similar price on Scubastore - but you might want to shop elsewhere e.g. Cressi Spyder on Amazon, see above.]
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Some more ballast ideas occurred to me while thinking of how to place the weight inside the buoy, to keep is streamline, beneath the bladder while avoiding damage to the shell/bladder:
1. Use a bag of lead shot. These are already available for SCUBA divers, actually I think my weight vest uses them too; they might be too heavy though.
2. Use a sand-bag. Perhaps one at each end? Or perhaps a multi-compartment "bag" in the middle to distribute the weight and allow some flexing. Sand is cheap, soft & readily available at beaches.
3. A couple of round, flat pebbles.
1. Use a bag of lead shot. These are already available for SCUBA divers, actually I think my weight vest uses them too; they might be too heavy though.
2. Use a sand-bag. Perhaps one at each end? Or perhaps a multi-compartment "bag" in the middle to distribute the weight and allow some flexing. Sand is cheap, soft & readily available at beaches.
3. A couple of round, flat pebbles.
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Well, I was hoping my wife would make me a couple of sandbags for ballast but she's busy, so I opted to make a ballast weight from sheet lead instead, as I had some spare lead flashing in the shed.
I flattened the lead with an old cobblers hammer, as shown below. The lead is about 9.5"/24cm wide and I decided to cut a 6" wide strip for my ballast weight, which will allow it to sit 3" either side of my float's webbing centre line. To cut the lead, I just used the normal household scissors (albeit with a strong bolt replacing the scissors' original weak rivet) shown below, which worked surprising well:
[photo="large"]12875[/photo] 1#
To reduce the chance of cutting the float I removed the corners:
[photo="large"]12876[/photo]2#
And then rounded the corners and flattened & smooth the sides & edges with the hammer:
[photo="large"]12877[/photo]3#
It weighs 700g (or 1 lb 8.8oz "in old money"), which seems a bit high. However, having wrapped it in an old cotton tea-towel which has a bit of texture & thickness, it sits inside the float beautifully, barely noticeable and it left me wondering if I might even need more lead! On balance (ha!), I think it is probably just about the right size & weight - but I will try it out for real, soon.
Now that it is done, my wife says she might make a soft pouch for the lead out of an old synthetic fleece blanket.
I flattened the lead with an old cobblers hammer, as shown below. The lead is about 9.5"/24cm wide and I decided to cut a 6" wide strip for my ballast weight, which will allow it to sit 3" either side of my float's webbing centre line. To cut the lead, I just used the normal household scissors (albeit with a strong bolt replacing the scissors' original weak rivet) shown below, which worked surprising well:
[photo="large"]12875[/photo] 1#
To reduce the chance of cutting the float I removed the corners:
[photo="large"]12876[/photo]2#
And then rounded the corners and flattened & smooth the sides & edges with the hammer:
[photo="large"]12877[/photo]3#
It weighs 700g (or 1 lb 8.8oz "in old money"), which seems a bit high. However, having wrapped it in an old cotton tea-towel which has a bit of texture & thickness, it sits inside the float beautifully, barely noticeable and it left me wondering if I might even need more lead! On balance (ha!), I think it is probably just about the right size & weight - but I will try it out for real, soon.
Now that it is done, my wife says she might make a soft pouch for the lead out of an old synthetic fleece blanket.
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Hi Mr. X,
It did occur to me that I can add a balast, but having to travel to spearfish I prefer to not have to carry/find/rent extra lead for this. Also, a friend has one and without considerable amounts of weight it still flips over when he has something in the storage pocket on top. I think they need to be wider to counter this.
Also, not sure I mentioned this in the blog post, but you mentioned at some point using a bungee instead of a float line, I would recomment not doing this. As soon as there are some waves/wind/current then the elasticity works against you (you play tug-of-war). Even when the water is calm it absorbs some of the energy you put in. It is a bit like using a bicycle with shock absorbers in a city.
Interesting. I originally wanted a wider float but the only one I found (also by Picasso, see start of thread) has been discontinue - apparently they can become kites in windy conditions
I think this thinner ones will likely suit my modest needs better, as I won't ride atop it & I prefer not to carry too much gear and I am used to using a similar sized torpedo float,
If you travel a lot, perhaps my sandbag or flat pebbles idea (above) is the one for you! I like the sandbag idea, as it will be even softer than lead and you just take an empty cloth bag (or plastic bags?) on your travels and fill up when you get to the beach. Tip it out when its time to travel home!
BTW I now have the flat lead weight sewn into a blanket-material pouch
I think this thinner ones will likely suit my modest needs better, as I won't ride atop it & I prefer not to carry too much gear and I am used to using a similar sized torpedo float,
If you travel a lot, perhaps my sandbag or flat pebbles idea (above) is the one for you! I like the sandbag idea, as it will be even softer than lead and you just take an empty cloth bag (or plastic bags?) on your travels and fill up when you get to the beach. Tip it out when its time to travel home!
Good point. Hadn't thought of that. I made it around the float-end of my main float-line, so if it becomes a problem I can simply cut the securing cinch cord & remove it, in the sea if necessary. It was just something to try, don't really need it.
BTW I now have the flat lead weight sewn into a blanket-material pouch
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Interesting. I originally wanted a wider float but the only one I found (also by Picasso, see start of thread) has been discontinue - apparently they can become kites in windy conditions
Hmm, didn't think of the "kite issues", that must be why Best Hunter no longer makes theirs:
If you travel a lot, perhaps my sandbag or flat pebbles idea (above) is the one for you! I like the sandbag idea, as it will be even softer than lead and you just take an empty cloth bag (or plastic bags?) on your travels and fill up when you get to the beach. Tip it out when its time to travel home!
Good idea but I am not sure sand is heavy enough. I have a Pocket Buoy that has a bag for a weight with which I use big stones. Sometimes I have trouble finding stones small enough to fit but big enough to be heavy enough so Iwould think you may need lots of sand, I need to try next time.
Stability and the amount of weight on the float is a trade off, one method that adds a lot of stability is to hang the weight in a net from the bottom of the float, you are amplifying the weights effectiveness. Sure it adds drag but depending on wind over tide conditions etc, this can act in your favour.
Tried the new float and ballast today. Worked great but no wind to challenge it. No significant drag
Only carried stringer and crab bag. Next time +torch + water bottle maybe?
Test in bath suggests it maybe bistable rather than self-righting, I.e. will float upside down as happily as right way up but perhaps that's OK?
Only carried stringer and crab bag. Next time +torch + water bottle maybe?
Test in bath suggests it maybe bistable rather than self-righting, I.e. will float upside down as happily as right way up but perhaps that's OK?
Glad it worked well I liked your idea of a water bladder in the float as opposed to a water bottle, in theory the bladder could be extra ballast when you head out, fish being the extra ballast when you head back in................. ideally
With regard the float turning over, I have in the past considered adding a keel to a float, something like a longboard surf fin, but the idea has remained just that, an idea! I think that it could be really effective though................... in theory!
I liked your idea of a water bladder in the float as opposed to a water bottle, in theory the bladder could be extra ballast when you head out, fish being the extra ballast when you head back in................. ideally With regard the float turning over, I have in the past considered adding a keel to a float, something like a longboard surf fin, but the idea has remained just that, an idea!
I think that it could be really effective though................... in theory!
As mentioned above, I have my ballast weight sewn into a homemade pouch made of blanket fleece material, to protect the float cover & bladder. I just noticed a simple alternative for those not inclined to sew their own: a "Lakeland Brolley Bag" @£3.97 , just about the right size, with a smooth polyester outer and a soft synthetic flannel inner providing a little padding.
Can also be used as a bag for your (short) umbrella http://www.lakeland.co.uk/24669/Brolly-Bag-Ruby-Red
Or on Amazon (with substantial shipping charge ): http://amzn.to/21fros2
Can also be used as a bag for your (short) umbrella
http://www.lakeland.co.uk/24669/Brolly-Bag-Ruby-RedOr on Amazon (with substantial shipping charge
): http://amzn.to/21fros2
Gannet floats are in the news on DeeperBlue.com today: https://www.deeperblue.com/gannett-dive-company-keeps-innovating/Just came across a couple of really nice floats of this type on a USA website - SpearAmerica.com - by a company called Gannet:
http://www.spearamerica.com/catalogsearch/result/index/?mode=list&p=1&q=float
http://gannetdive.com/collections/floats
Very expensive though
I like the (glued on?) net pouch/folder storage, very tidy & professional looking. Salt can really lock-up zips though (trashed one rod bag because of that & just fixed another one).
Surprisingly, the one below is inflatable:
Nice big size but it is an expensive bluewater float, intended to be inflated to 29psi):
And a more realistic option at U$56 from XDive:
Yellow with red-stripe - what the heck is that all about?! Wrong flag!
Excellent quality by the looks of it, it will be interesting to see what their spearguns are like when they come out, I will be looking out for them