Reels

[pawel]

Are there any specific requirements? Type? Size? Length? Material? Colour?

[digital_steve]

black is the only requirement

[colinicky]

Big & shiny ummmmmm nice only 6 weeks to the dive show

[Stesh]

Originally Posted by pawel

Are there any specific requirements? Type? Size? Length? Material? Colour?

Matters what your going to use it for, and what diving your doing (depth), if your left or right handed, are you going to take it aboard (weight)...........?

[GLOC]

As Stesh says, depends on what you are going to use it for and what depths.

Reasons:

SMB spool - Main reason for UK divers
Cave diving to 'jump'
General line laying for short distance

Depths:

What depth do you want to launch your SMB from? The gas switch or from the wreck when you leave the bottom.

I would say that most DIR inclined people launch their SMB from the 21m gas switch stop or from the first stop if they are not switching to a deco gas (around 15m). If you are always going to bag from 21m or shallower, then a 30m spool is fine but you might not always do this so I would err on the side of caution and go for a 45m spool as this allows you the flexbility to deploy as required. I personally carry a 45m spool built with SMB and a 30m spare spool in my pockets.

If you are going to deploy the SMB deeper than 30m I would seriously consider using a Pathfinder (if going down the DIR route) or a ratchel reel if you are not bothered. The advantage of using the pathfinder is that it will cover any line work you need to do on the bottom.

Materials wise I would go for Delrin which means that if you do drop it, it won't sink like a bugger. Type: There are plenty around but if you are using drygloves, make sure that you can hold the centre hole comfortably. Agir spools have offset holes so that you can always get the line tight when you clip it off although I can achieve the same with my spools, just have make sure the line is wound correctly. I have 2 spools from Knackers and they do me fine.

HTH

[Mal Bridgeman]

I am presuming since you've asked in the DIR forum, you were interested in a DIR answer.....

DIR guys use a combination of spools and reels for all their line laying activities.

In caves and wrecks when laying guide lines, they tend to use a Pathfinder reel or something similar.



The main requirement AFAIK is that the reel must not be capable of catching the line, has no ratchet, can be held in the same hand as the light head etc etc.

Spools, which come in 30m and 45m lengths, are used to "jump" off the mainline in caves but in the UK they are mostly used to deploy dSMBs from the 21M stop.



It is possible to use the Pathfinder reel to deploy a dSMB too but only if the skipper requires you to do it from the wreck, for example.

I'll have both with me at the DIR day at Stoney and will happily show you how to deploy a dSMB with a spool.

Rgrds
Mal

[Mark Chase]

If your new to Pathfinders wath out for the dreded bolt snap failure

Apart from that they are a very good reel. (for laying line ) DIR Zone and Nicnacks do a copy thats just as good and cheeper

Clip it this way and its fine



If you clip it like this it will fall off as the clip rotates and opens against the handle.





ATB

Mark

[pawel]

Yes, I want a DIR option. That's why I'm asking here. I already have a 30m finger spool and it's a nightmare in the dry gloves, a bit fiddly as well. Looking for a solid replacement for years to suit my future training and diving.

I'm thinking of getting Kent Tooling Wreck Reel:



I will use the real mainly for the SMB deployment, but also as a jump reel and for marking short routes in caves and wrecks.

Initially I was thinking of getting 50m which should be OK for most of the caves and wrecks I have in mind in the near future. It should also be enough for the SMB down to 30m (+50% current = ~45-50m).

But I also intend to do some deep trimix training and wreck diving up to 100m and I hear that I might want to send the SMB from this depth, so I would need about 150m of the line.

Do you think it is too much?

Does the colour of the line matter? I opt for hi-viz.

Lastly, what do you think of Kent Tooling?

[GLOC]

I used to have one of them and sold it to Helen up in Orkney!!

Depends on whether you want to go down the GUE training route. If so, you will find it very hard to lay line with that reel using a goodman handle. In addition, for Fundies you need a spool not a reel. The DIR option is a 30m and/or 45m spool and a pathfinder for Tech diving when you have to shoot from the bottom or lay line.

In addition, the times when you have to shoot a bag from 100m are very few. If you are diving to that depth you are likely have support team and deco bar so you are unlikely to need to.

I use Ro-Lock gloves for my spool deployments and don't have an issue. Yes, it took a few practices, but I can get it out my pocket, and up on the surface within a minute so it isn't that difficult.

If you can, I would take up the offer of Mal and play with the kit in person.

[Fiona]

Originally Posted by GLOC

I used to have one of them and sold it to Helen up in Orkney!!

I had two, sold one gave one away.


I have a couple of spools although I should really get a 45m one and I bought a Pathfinder.