Line marking - any ideas how?

[Mdemon]

Came across 50m of 180Kg, negatively buoyant cord, and thought it'd make a great line for caves, wrecks etc.

I'd like to mark the line at sensible intervals so that I can work out which direction (in/out) the cable is laying, and how far along it I am.

I don't want to use large tags on this line, so thought knots, markings or colour-coded cable ties might be useful.

Anybody got any ideas?

[Lawrence Debono]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (Mdemon @ April 12 2003,08:52)]Came across 50m of 180Kg, negatively buoyant cord, and thought it'd make a great line for caves, wrecks etc.

I'd like to mark the line at sensible intervals so that I can work out which direction (in/out) the cable is laying, and how far along it I am.

I don't want to use large tags on this line, so thought knots, markings or colour-coded cable ties might be useful.

Anybody got any ideas?

You can do this in two ways - either permanent or temporary. The permanent one would be with something like cable ties. There are also ties that incorporate tags right on the buckle part. These can be bought from an electronic supply store or a communications supplier. We use these and mark them with a permanent marker to identify cables, or signatures on seal of sensitive communications enclosures. http://www.buycableties.com/y7550idc.html

http://www.buycableties.com/y7550idc.html

If the line is intended to stay for a long time I have even seen slates in our wrecks tie wrapped permanently as well as tape measures along the line. The maritime archeology department usually lays these out. A good number of wrecks have to go through that department here in Ontario.

The temporary way, is the arrows like so
http://www.omsdive.com/reels.html

These can be set up as you go and taken out when you're done.

Take care

Lawrence

[Mark Chase]

<font color='#000F22'>Colour coading is not a good idea as you should be able to touch identifie the direction of the arrow even with gloves on in a total black out.

Considering how dangerous cave diving is an investment in some marker pointers seems a damed good idea.

Caves still scare me

Or have I missed the point in that the roap is too thick for that or somthing??

It is getting late &nbsp;

Mark Chase

[Mdemon]

I like the ID tags Lawrence, but would they snag when unreeling?

Good point about the colour coding, so it needs to be tactile too.

Do cable ties slip, or are they quite secure?

[nitrox]

the problem is with tagging is that the tag's are likely to snag and tangle on the reel. might i suggest a different aproach that i gleaned from my time in the brigade.

rather than use a reel try using what is basicly a throw bag with a hole in the end and the other end of the line is secured inside the bag end, the &nbsp;marker's are made from the same rope and are positioned in two's every metre, one marker being a single knot with a tail end of an inch or so and the second marker being an inch away from the first and consisting of a double knot with two tails of two inch's or whatever is good for you. this can be adapted for a reel if the cord used is pliable enough, you just need to take care when reeling in and out, and it basicly work's on longest way in shortest way out theory.

hth

mark

[Mdemon]

Interesting idea. &nbsp;Might be tricky re-stuffing the bag though?

I found an old combat antenna at the Army Surplus. &nbsp;This has 30m antenna wire wrapped like the old crab lines you used as a kid, in other words you wind it round a rectangular frame, not a reel. &nbsp;Three extra things interested me about this; 1) it was colour-coded with a number of different coloured cable ties (1 green = 1m, 2 yellow = 5, 3 blue = 30m etc)
2) it has a second smaller spool with 20m nylon braid built in
3) it was only £1!

I don't like the idea of large tags as they might snag and make unreeling tricky. &nbsp;The beauty of the extra nylon braid is if the line snags, the braid will pay out from the second spool rather than dragging me skywards! &nbsp;(If that snags too, then it wasn't my day anyway...). &nbsp;

So either I have to find a local supplier of multicoloured, multisized tags, or hope for better suggestions than I can dream up!

[Lawrence Debono]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (Mdemon @ April 13 2003,13:51)]Interesting idea.  Might be tricky re-stuffing the bag though?

I found an old combat antenna at the Army Surplus.  This has 30m antenna wire wrapped like the old crab lines you used as a kid, in other words you wind it round a rectangular frame, not a reel.  Three extra things interested me about this; 1) it was colour-coded with a number of different coloured cable ties (1 green = 1m, 2 yellow = 5, 3 blue = 30m etc)
2) it has a second smaller spool with 20m nylon braid built in
3) it was only £1!

I don't like the idea of large tags as they might snag and make unreeling tricky.  The beauty of the extra nylon braid is if the line snags, the braid will pay out from the second spool rather than dragging me skywards!  (If that snags too, then it wasn't my day anyway...).  

So either I have to find a local supplier of multicoloured, multisized tags, or hope for better suggestions than I can dream up!

Oh yes, those ties will be the biggest pain in the A55 if you intend to rewind the rope on a reel. I taught that you are going to secure it permanently. If you ever want to leave the rope there I would recommend that you would pas the tie wraps in the braids of the rope so they would not move. Some one at the club wanted to permanently mark a route and they got some nice big arrows cut off some empty plastic pales. They secured them with cable ties.

For Temporary I could only find the OMS and Diverite arrows. Some one also got cookies for junctions. These have to be followed by an arrow marker. &nbsp;
http://www.diverite.com/products/tools/arrows.htm

Dive safely

Lawrence