Marker Bouy

[Pav]

The ball out of the toilet system... anyone?!
Watched a friend use one as a marker yesterday. Very compact. Works really well for marking your position when spearing with a buddy. I picked up mine today from the recycling tip when dumping some rubbish of my own.

Ideal if you like to know where your buddy is. BUT probably too small for marking for boat trafic.

 

[Mr. X]

Re: Marker Buoy

roflCould use it as a lobster pot marker too perhaps -- looks v. similar. Pretty cheap too, between 60p & 1.50 (bought one a few months ago). How do you attach securely though...screw in ring? (That'd cost more than the ball cock!).

Boat fenders look like a good bet.

 

[davidbugeja]

Would be too small as you said for boats. The ball from a toliet system is as big as the palm of your hand.

To attach securely i might suggest heating up a piece of metal (using cooker or zippo). That should melt a small hole from both sides and pass right trough, after which a very small ammount of Glue or better water sealer will do the trick to avoid water coming int. The piece of metal can then be adjusted in form of a ring.

However even for letting your buddy know where you are, in small wavey conditions it might be a little hard to spot! A 5-Litre water bottle painted orange can do a better trick i think. It is bigger and better.

 

[billythefish]

i've just cut up an old body board someone was throwing away fitted some straps etc and used a length of 15mm plastic plumbing pipe for a mast, need to make a better flag but cost me 30 mins in time.

 

[Sarnian]

Hi
Have just seen this - I've also got an old belly board but I thought it would get snagged in weed , so have bought one of those little swim floats which has ready made hand holes and is also orange! thinking of getting/ making a proper " diver down" international standard flag. Someone elsewhere also thought something like plastic washing line would make a better line to attach - at least for the top 10 ft - as less likely again to snag, and to tangle. How did you attach the little 'mast' ? I thought tight hole through and then a piece across the bottom somehow to stop it coming out.

Will send finished pics.

Colin

 

[billythefish]

Hi colin, i like your idea of washing line, i think that would be great to prevent it wrapping around and looping it's self together. strong and durable too, may seal the ends with a lighter to stop it getting soggy<prob overkill but not hard so why not!!!!!! ??

with the mast i used a short length of 15mm push fit type plastic plumbing pipe, (look in skips!) i drilled a hole in the body board small enough to ensure a good tight fit, i only drilled in two third's of the thickness and it's a snugg fit and well enough supported. The foam has a harder surface layer to prevent the hole opening up. i was thinking your foam probably same type throughout, so you could try heating a smaller metal pipe or metal rod (with blow lamp) and burning in to form the hole which may seal a harder edge to support the pipe better ???? not sure how well epoxy would last or fix to the foam thats why i didn't drill all the way through. the mast also pulls out and stays attached in it's fold flat position thanks to a lenght of elastic at the bottom, threded through a drill hole.

be great to see a picture of your's once it's done ( mines now flurecent orange!!!!!!!!!!) and white underside (like omer attol bouy)

Happy hunting (hope you great summer over there)

Willrofl

 

[ajwaverider]

There are quite a few threads on bodyboard floats .Try bodyboard floats in the search function and you'll find more.

http://forums.deeperblue.net/showthread.php?t=54004&highlight=bodyboard+float

 

[Sarnian]

Thought I would also post this here.
The sh1t weather this weekend gave me the opportunity to sort out weight belt and float etc., following my dive with Foxfish. Went to see his brother Dave to give him a break from wallpapering and he kindly sorted me out with some 4lb weights to go on my existing webbing belt, although I'll probably switch to a home made neoprene belt plus " Dave special" weights. Again learnt more in 1 hour than I have in a year's spearing on my own.

Also visited Squeaker at the Dive Shop for some bits and pieces, and asked if he had any flags to go on my float - as it happened he had a proper "Diver Down" flag which came from a broken proper float, which he knidly gave me. Attached is the equipment I have assembled. Any other suggestions welcome!

More soon - will also post this on the Home Made section.
Attached Thumbnails

 

[Sarnian]

Hi colin, i like your idea of washing line, i think that would be great to prevent it wrapping around and looping it's self together. strong and durable too, may seal the ends with a lighter to stop it getting soggy<prob overkill but not hard so why not!!!!!! ??

with the mast i used a short length of 15mm push fit type plastic plumbing pipe, (look in skips!) i drilled a hole in the body board small enough to ensure a good tight fit, i only drilled in two third's of the thickness and it's a snugg fit and well enough supported. The foam has a harder surface layer to prevent the hole opening up. i was thinking your foam probably same type throughout, so you could try heating a smaller metal pipe or metal rod (with blow lamp) and burning in to form the hole which may seal a harder edge to support the pipe better ???? not sure how well epoxy would last or fix to the foam thats why i didn't drill all the way through. the mast also pulls out and stays attached in it's fold flat position thanks to a lenght of elastic at the bottom, threded through a drill hole.

be great to see a picture of your's once it's done ( mines now flurecent orange!!!!!!!!!!) and white underside (like omer attol bouy)

Happy hunting (hope you great summer over there)

Willrofl

Cheers Will and thanks for the tips - good point about selaing the ends of the line. In the end, as the flag I acquired had a ready made "expansion" fitting at the end ( difficult to describe but basically 4 prongs which push against a pipe when you push them in) couldn't find any pipe the right size and used a length of stiff hosepipe - better photo attached. Hopefully this will also flex better in case of getting caught in weed etc. Will let you know how it works.

As for our weather, too rough and autumnal to go in this weekend but hopefully calming down for low springs next weekend.

More soon!
Colin

 

[foxfish]

I like the idea of washing line, aquarium air line has also been suggested.

 

[Mr. X]

The Guernsey flag is a nice touch Foxfish, ditto the "knife holder".
BTW Warning: not all clothes lines float.