Looks like somebody beat me to it:
Spearfishing Float
"Ain't nuthin' new under the sun and the moon."
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Spearfishing Float/Board
- Thread starterSpear0Joe
- Start date
Thread Status: Hello
, There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
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It can take a long time to get an up-to-date response or contact with relevant users.
Spearfishing Float
"Ain't nuthin' new under the sun and the moon."
Since John (ekinoderminator) hasn't posted an update on his newest design, I'll go ahead and bump this thread.
I got my Banks Board ( Banks Board ) near the end of last year, and I've only had it in the water a few times, but all I can say is WOW! Primarily designed for Northern California divers who hunt fish and collect abalone, urchin, and other delectible seafood, this board does everything we need it to do. He's also sold a bunch of units to our friends down in Southern California, as well as internationally to Australia, South Africa, South America, etc.
This thing is literally like a mini kayak for those of us who don't have the budget for a Scupper Pro, or those of us who prefer to rappel down sketchy cliffs into uncharted coves to catch our prey with no boat launch for miles North or South
.
The side rails will firmly hold 2 guns, and the drawstring bag holds just about everything else you'd need to take into the water and don't mind getting wet (floatline, ab bar, ab gauges, flashlights, etc.). The bag is also roomy enough for a legal limit of abs, and a bunch of dead rockfish.
The Military-Spec backpack straps are a must-have for those long hikes down deer trails to get to the cliffs you want to drop in on, and they really help out on the way back up to the car with a limit of dead marine animals on your back. The incorporated eye bold for the backpack strap also doubles as a handy point to anchor your kelp-clip for when you're diving away from your board.
The best part of this design is the waterproof hatch that allows storage of the things you DON'T want to get wet. So far I've stashed spare abalone gauges & bars, my fishing license bottle with zip-ties, pens, ab tags, etc., a full sized bath towel for drying off before filling out those damn tags, a 1/2 liter bottle of fresh water (for sipping on those long hours in the ocean), and my digital camera, plus room for a bit more $hit if one so desires.....
I've been considering foaming the bottom portion of the board for a bit more flotation, but so far the board floats and trims nicely in the water with what I kill on any given day, and still has ample buoyancy to give me a place to climb onto and take a breather for a few minutes between drops.
Two thumbs up for this thing!!
I got my Banks Board ( Banks Board ) near the end of last year, and I've only had it in the water a few times, but all I can say is WOW! Primarily designed for Northern California divers who hunt fish and collect abalone, urchin, and other delectible seafood, this board does everything we need it to do. He's also sold a bunch of units to our friends down in Southern California, as well as internationally to Australia, South Africa, South America, etc.
This thing is literally like a mini kayak for those of us who don't have the budget for a Scupper Pro, or those of us who prefer to rappel down sketchy cliffs into uncharted coves to catch our prey with no boat launch for miles North or South
The side rails will firmly hold 2 guns, and the drawstring bag holds just about everything else you'd need to take into the water and don't mind getting wet (floatline, ab bar, ab gauges, flashlights, etc.). The bag is also roomy enough for a legal limit of abs, and a bunch of dead rockfish.
The Military-Spec backpack straps are a must-have for those long hikes down deer trails to get to the cliffs you want to drop in on, and they really help out on the way back up to the car with a limit of dead marine animals on your back. The incorporated eye bold for the backpack strap also doubles as a handy point to anchor your kelp-clip for when you're diving away from your board.
The best part of this design is the waterproof hatch that allows storage of the things you DON'T want to get wet. So far I've stashed spare abalone gauges & bars, my fishing license bottle with zip-ties, pens, ab tags, etc., a full sized bath towel for drying off before filling out those damn tags, a 1/2 liter bottle of fresh water (for sipping on those long hours in the ocean), and my digital camera, plus room for a bit more $hit if one so desires.....
I've been considering foaming the bottom portion of the board for a bit more flotation, but so far the board floats and trims nicely in the water with what I kill on any given day, and still has ample buoyancy to give me a place to climb onto and take a breather for a few minutes between drops.
Two thumbs up for this thing!!
Attachments
Hepp,
i just got to follow up to what thereefgeek says about the banks board.
Got mine 5-6 weeks ago and finally had a chance to dive with it yesterday, and here is what i mailed john:
Finally had my first testdive with it, and what a an upgrade from my
torpedobuoy that was.
I'm very suprised by how easy it follows, i had to check several times
to see it was still there.
The alpine clips is a very good idea. On this trip i was stupid enough
to jump into 2C (35.6F i think) water with gloves and not mittens, and
after some 40min i could no longer keep my fingers warm by movement
alone and they froze stiff. But it was still no problem to operate the
clips and attaching my gun to the "gun rack", i remember i was smiling
while doing that, it was so easy despite my fingers not working
properly.
The carryhandles work good, in fact everything works so well i wasn't
even thinking about it, which from a usability point is a pretty neat
achievement. Just get out of the car, strap everything (quickly) on
the board, dress up and then carry the board without any fuzz down to
the waterline. And then reverse when leaving the water, so easy,
especially when very tired and cold, just strap everything on the
board and go.
And it is so easy to use those straps, i really like the "layers", no
problem just shoving things in there while in the water and those
things stay put.
I'll have to do a longer walk on my next trip to get to the waterline, but that should be just as easy as this last time due to the shoulderstraps.
Big thumbs up from this norwegian :friday
i just got to follow up to what thereefgeek says about the banks board.
Got mine 5-6 weeks ago and finally had a chance to dive with it yesterday, and here is what i mailed john:
Finally had my first testdive with it, and what a an upgrade from my
torpedobuoy that was.
I'm very suprised by how easy it follows, i had to check several times
to see it was still there.
The alpine clips is a very good idea. On this trip i was stupid enough
to jump into 2C (35.6F i think) water with gloves and not mittens, and
after some 40min i could no longer keep my fingers warm by movement
alone and they froze stiff. But it was still no problem to operate the
clips and attaching my gun to the "gun rack", i remember i was smiling
while doing that, it was so easy despite my fingers not working
properly.
The carryhandles work good, in fact everything works so well i wasn't
even thinking about it, which from a usability point is a pretty neat
achievement. Just get out of the car, strap everything (quickly) on
the board, dress up and then carry the board without any fuzz down to
the waterline. And then reverse when leaving the water, so easy,
especially when very tired and cold, just strap everything on the
board and go.
And it is so easy to use those straps, i really like the "layers", no
problem just shoving things in there while in the water and those
things stay put.
I'll have to do a longer walk on my next trip to get to the waterline, but that should be just as easy as this last time due to the shoulderstraps.
Big thumbs up from this norwegian :friday
Attachments
Superb! Funny I was thinking sometime ago that maybe what I need for a float is something like a bigger version of the old Action Man (G.I. Joe) solid plastic dinghy/RIB I had as a child. You've some up with something along those lines but evolved and refined further for spearing. Love it
[Are you still making the original planche-box one, with the solid lid, too? Reckon that would be good for sharky waters]
[Are you still making the original planche-box one, with the solid lid, too? Reckon that would be good for sharky waters]
It struck me last season that colouring the bottom of the float white/grey/pale blue to camoflage it against the sky might not be such a great idea. I found myself tentatively starting to target what might be a large fish near the surface, which turned out to my float
. Also, I do like to keep track of my float when I am on the bottom, for various reasons. Especially if I have fish on my float's stringer, as they tend to draw other curious fish towards the float.So much for the bass-shaped float idea!
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Great feedback guys. Nice pics too. Can you use it as a Boogie-board too?!
Thereefgreek, I am intrigued by your small mid-handle wooden speargun - what is that?n Looks like it might be good for UK conditions.
Looks like a riffe to me, give me a shout if you want to know more...
I just built something, the dimensions of which were dictated by the size of my wheeled duffel bag. It holds my pole spear on one side, my airbalette on the other, and whatever else in the middle, with bungies. There is a handle at the back where the fish stringer will attach. It's 4" thick styrofoam. The top has some 1/4 inch marine plywood underneath the 6oz fiberglass. I know I did an awful job if the fiberglassing, but I was in a hurry, and the weather was getting cold. It will get its' first use in Costa Rica on Christmas Day. I'm going to try to attach pics...
good job marcus; i use a body-board float and have adapted it by adding a plastic waterproof box on the top for my vhf, or other 'dry' things. You could just screw/bolt one on. also how about rucksack style carry straps? thats the best part of this type of board imo.
How is the flag attached? can it flex at the bottom, otherwise if you get it flipped coming in then it might break? [i'be broken 3 flag sticks so far!].
thats a nice BIG flag, which i like!!!
How is the flag attached? can it flex at the bottom, otherwise if you get it flipped coming in then it might break? [i'be broken 3 flag sticks so far!].
thats a nice BIG flag, which i like!!!
It's a fairly rigid mount; just a piece of PVC pipe glassed in, with the base of the fg flag stick in a piece of rubber tubing. I was trying to find some kind of spring that I could force fit into the deck, and then force fit the flag mast so that it would have complete flexibility and return to upright.... but I ran out of time. I'll have to dismast before returning through the surf, I guess. No biggie.
I know this is an old thread but:
It seems like the Best Hunter Okipa 2 is a good price for what you getting
Best Hunter Okipa 2 Double Bladder Board. Accessories Buoys, Scubastore.com, buy, offers, dive
Providing the outer PVC is touch enough not to get snagged i could well be tempted. That said my inflatable yellow Cressi float has lasted over 10 years of abuse and will be hard to part with having stopped me being mowed down already.
It seems like the Best Hunter Okipa 2 is a good price for what you getting
Best Hunter Okipa 2 Double Bladder Board. Accessories Buoys, Scubastore.com, buy, offers, dive
Providing the outer PVC is touch enough not to get snagged i could well be tempted. That said my inflatable yellow Cressi float has lasted over 10 years of abuse and will be hard to part with having stopped me being mowed down already.
here one that i made, ive also since added a 1msquared flage on a broken fishing rod.... its fully sick dude but can cause a bit or drag, i think ill make it into a catamaran style bottom to fix that
Here is a new addition to the board - mesh with zipper cover. Lots of capacity easily accessed.
Does any one knows, where can i buy a Banks Board in UK?
Is there a reseller?
I love that board, and for years its being in my mind, but here in Portugal theres no place to buy it. From UK its more easy to sent to Portugal, than from USA.
Thanks in advace