What do you use for a float?

cdavis · Feb 3, 2006

Great idea, Jon. D ring behind the back it is. I figure on using arms and legs to get out to the wall. The ring thing should work well. How far back do you tow the float?

Connor

Jon · Feb 4, 2006

My normal float line is about 30' long so that's how far back I tow it. If I have a reel on it I let out about 20' of line and use that much- just enough so it doesn't bump my fins but not so far away that boats can't tell who it belongs to.

Jon

Mr. X · Feb 4, 2006

I use an 11 litre Rob Allen spearo float with dive flag (before I lost the flag crossing rocks ). It is a pretty good choice for a large male spearing but probably not the best bet for a regular size woman free diving as it is quite large & heavy, although robust (also relatively expensive). It sits high in the water though and produces very little drag.

Those inexpensive little round ones off ebay (from a dozen different stores) look quite neat & effective. I have seen scuba divers using them. Making one from a boogie board seems a good idea if you have an old one.

I had nice XL single bladder inflatible spearo torpedo float -- never used it though -- so sold it to another forum member. I think it came from Portugal originally. Really nice design. You'd probably need a pump to fill it quickly though.

Checkout the Omer site -- they make an excellent selection of floats.
Spearo Dave offers one, Portland Oceaneering have a few types in stock, apnea.co.uk have a fair selection including several of the Omer line.

flyboy748 · Feb 7, 2006

Hi Connor,
I never tow mine anymore actually. I used to, but the line continually seemed to get caught in my fins and around my legs. Now I just push it in front of me while I swim out to the dive site, just like you see in pic 1 above. It actually makes me faster in the water than the other divers swimming along with me for some reason, maybe arm position.

My torpedo float I do tow sometimes, but only if I'm diving while touring along somewhere, and anchoring it isn't practical. Then I hook it to my belt with a carabiner, and I tow it with 50 feet of line so I can dive (up to 50 feet anyway) relatively unhindered. I like the D ring idea though Jon... I might try that out.

Cheers,
Aaron

Mr. X · Feb 7, 2006

flyboy748 said:
Then I hook it to my belt with a carabiner, and I tow it with 50 feet of line so I can dive (up to 50 feet anyway) relatively unhindered. I like the D ring idea though Jon... I might try that out.

I have been toying with the idea of attaching my float-line to my belt rather than speargun (or perhaps to both even -- does anybody do that currently?). As the belt is quick-release, I guess it should not be any more dangerous (& the belt can be retrieved if nes.). There are quick release knots that could, perhaps, be used instead of a krab. (e.g. highwayman's hitch) but I doubt they'd stand up to rigors of freediving.

Jon · Feb 7, 2006

Aaron,

I use a floating line so it doesn't get caught up in my fins, too much, when I tow it. I can't push it because I always have a camera, or a speargun, in my hands.

I don't use knots on anything I might need to ditch underwater. I also don't use any type of 'swing gate' clips on my gear- a carry over from tech diving where we call then "suicide clips' because of their nature to tie you to the bottom. I only use bolt snap clips on my gear and you can get them in any size to accomodate thick gloves.

Jon

Mr. X · Feb 7, 2006

Terminology clarification:

Is "swing clip" the same as "screw-gate karabiner" (i.e. a climbing krab where you manually or auto screw a locking sleeve over the gate so it cannot accidently open - used for belaying)?

"bolt snap clips" same a regular karabiner with spring closure gate (i.e. the krabs you use to clip bolts, on bolted climbs)?

Jon · Feb 7, 2006

Here's a couple of pictures to show the difference.

I use locking carabiners on my diver lanyards for ice diving and my counter balance retreival system, but I wouldn't use them to clip stuff onto my body in normal freediving or spreafishing. Even when I use them for ice diving I still have a quick release shackel on the wrist side of my lanyard in case it gets stuck on something- I never want to be tied to anything on the bottom.

Swing gates have a nasty reputation in wreck diving circles from snagging on discarded fishing line and wires- that's why they call them suicide clips since more than one diver has died while wearing them.

Snap bolts are what you find on most dog leashes. The lock, but they can be released easily enough. I usually will tie my snap bolts off to whatever they are attached to- cameras, lights, tools, ect. This is just another carry over from tec diving (DIR to be more exact) in that you always want to be able to cut yourself free from anything- including a snap bolt that's been jammed shut by sand or ice.

Jon

Mr. X · Feb 7, 2006

I see. The built in swivel is a good idea. I was thinking of climbing carabiners, as I sometimes use a couple of old, lightweight, Clogg Wales anodized ones (designed to resist saltwater corrosion, for climbing sea cliffs). Here are images of what I was thinking of (& which I will probably use, unless somebody can think of a good reason not to). They are much larger than most (but not all) brass clips that I have seen but they are very easy to open one handed (esp. after years of practice) -- although you can buy cheap, small, rated & unrated ones for keyrings, etc.:

http://www.mtntools.com/cat/rclimb/cams/dmm_4cams.htm

http://gearx.com/product_info.php?products_id=244&osCsid=1d5db62d50d47d774eb4fbe219cac82b

..but not this:

http://www.mtntools.com/cat/rclimb/biners/dmmbelaymaster.html

Mr. X · Feb 7, 2006

Jon said:
...
Swing gates have a nasty reputation in wreck diving circles from snagging on discarded fishing line and wires- that's why they call them suicide clips since more than one diver has died while wearing them.

Snap bolts are what you find on most dog leashes. The lock, but they can be released easily enough.

Re-reading your posting, I see you use the clips on the right -- initially I thought you meant the opposite (as I think I might have problems opening the dog lead clips with gloves on & cold, wet hands -- never tried it though). So the primary danger is accidently clipping line/net/etc. rather than the clip being difficult to unclip if jammed? In that case, simple clip carabiners would be contraindicated (bad!) -- especially modern wire gate & bent gate designs,with streamline snouts, which are designed for easy clipping. [Although, hopefully, there is always the fallback of releasing your weight belt (which, being attached to the float, can be retrieved).]

In that case, the old American-style oval carabiners, which are rubbish for climbing, might be a better design. The features that make them so bad for climbing (v. difficult to clip & orient) would be an asset for diving! [While ovals are bad, Black Diamond gear is excellent]:
http://www.bdel.com/

Think I will try one of those dog clips!

fcallagy · Feb 10, 2006

Th efloat I used last year was basic to say the least. the rope was the most expensive item. An inflated truck tube with fishing net over it and tied off. Then had a wooden spool fom an electrical shop with the line round it the line droped throgh the middle of the net and then had weights on it. These would then be looped back to the middle of the tube. Seperate towing line but ended up pushing it mostly. When we got to our spot just drop the weights and use it for breathing up etcand hung our snorkels off it.
May not be the best but probably the cheapest.

flyflicker · Feb 10, 2006

I'm just about to try my Tribord torpedo float which I have filled with expandable foam. It looks pretty weird because it didn't expand evenly, but I'm sure it will float.

It worked really well and I got 6 scallops

View attachment 7871

Mr. X · Mar 15, 2006

Island_Sands, for freediving, how about this one? [ame]http://cgi.ebay.com/SCUBA-Inflatable-Float-and-Flag_W0QQitemZ7212100084QQcategoryZ1300QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem[/ame]

island_sands · Mar 17, 2006

Mr. X said:
Island_Sands, for freediving, how about this one? http://cgi.ebay.com/SCUBA-Inflatabl...100084QQcategoryZ1300QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem

rofl looks a bit impractical though.. i still am fixed on jimdoe's rig

Mr. X · Mar 18, 2006

island_sands said:
rofl looks a bit impractical though.. i still am fixed on jimdoe's rig

I thought freedivers just went up & down -- I didn't realise they can operate horizontally too. I bet the clincher was Jim's comment that it could be used as a floating lounger. It does look neat. I haven't found the need to carry much stuff but it would be handy if you need to carry things (water,2nd gun,cellphone,crabs,lobster,...:hmm)... and the thought that it is made near Spaghetti's Mum's home town I find somehow reassuring.

Mr. X · Mar 21, 2006

It has been pointed out to me that the above post is rather suggestive - in light of the quote included. It was not intended (I guess it could have been Freudian?).
[Rep. for the first person to correctly guess who pointed this out to me.].

What do you use for a float?