Rope - floating or sinking? Polypropylene or Polyester?

[Alasdair Hatfield]

Hello,
I'm planning on buying a buoy and am puzzling the merits of a rope that floats against one that sinks.
One that floats is cheaper but the difference is negligible against any possible comfort or safety criteria.
Any input is welcome.
Alasdair

 

[laminar]

Floating rope is a pain in the ass because it tangles easily. Also, the yellow poly rope is difficult to coil as it retains the shape its been stretched to. Better to get some sailing rope. It's heavier but more reliable and predictable. I have no idea what they are called, though.

 

[hteas]

Alasdair, what are you using the float and rope for? If spearfishing, you want floating rope. It's safer. If you are using it for a descent liner for training, I'd go with sinking.

 

[laminar]

Good point, I was talking about a training line. Nice catch hteas!

 

[Alasdair Hatfield]

Hi,
Yes, a good question. In this case it is to be used as a descent line.
I am guessing but assume you'd use a floating line in spearfishing as it isn't tight and so it won't snag on the bottom. Please correct me.
As a descent line, when being set up or packed in, I find a floating line easier as I don't have to keep pulling it back up to the surface. That said a sinking line will not get in the way on the surface. Are there any negative sides to a sinking line as a descent line?
Alasdair

 

[hteas]

Actually the floating line for spearfishing is so you don't tangle with during a dive; an event that that could get quite ugly.
In retrospect I have used floating line for both descent and spearfishing.

 

[mati]

You might want to google "Passat Polyester Rope – Double Braid". I have seen a lot of freedivers using this or very similar ropes usually between 8mm - 12mm (depending on your preference). It's a pretty standard marine rope so you can find it in most sailing shops. Not the cheapest but very durable.
It doesn't float and seems to sink really slowly so I guess buoyancy is close to neutral.

 

[Alasdair Hatfield]

Thanks for the tips. The vote seems to go out (just) to a sinking line for a descent line. I will look up the Passat rope.