DSMB snagged at surface

[Bantam]

Originally Posted by nickb

Get yourself one of these:

At less that £20 on eBay, you won't worry about having to ditch it.

Eurgh. I used one of those for a couple of years and it jammed on a regular basis, even if I rewound it regularly it would snag, the metal hoop drops out when you least expect it, and more than once I was deploying and had to let it go cos it stuffed up.

Hazel had to motor down the flow to pick up my SMB cos it went off on it's own journey when it jammed on deployment. (I still owe you a beer for that one, Hazel.)

Now I use a spool which is much nicer. Although I may succumb to the power of John's KT reels and get a nice long one with pink line on it.

[tom]

Originally Posted by Woz

See that little stainless line guide? That drops out too.

that's the one that doesn't even have a line guide, just a big loop of wire. the little line guide that drops out is on the smaller shit reel. And it rusts.

[dave archer]

I knew this would turn straight into a "which reel" and "reel vs spool" thread, and right from reply numero uno so it goes...

Bit beside the point though really - any method could have resulted in the same scenario (and no-one likes to ditch kit even if it is cheap) so my learnings remain regardless I reckon.

Gareth - you're right I love my torch more (and would rather drown than dump it ) but you have to allow the author a little poetic licence here and there

Dave.

[Mal Bridgeman]

Originally Posted by dave archer

[2] If your reel keeps spinning and does not slow/stop, it's caught on something, it's not going to stop so cut the line (or drop the reel).

[3] Even when time is pressing THINK BEFORE you ACT. It was only later I realised cutting the line off the reel would have allowed me to keep the reel (and spool!).

[4] It is hard to ditch expensive gear, but it's a far better option then getting bent trying to keep it. Happily I did the right thing, but it was hard to let go of that reel (or maybe this is just the tight northerner in me )

Some really key lessons Dave.... One of the "rules" by which I dive is "Nothing underwater is worth dying for" but I am aware that reluctance to let go seems too strong in some. This is most true of weight belts, sadly.

As to cutting the line that only works if you have a knife that you can deploy really quickly and proficiently .... the "let go" option would be favoured under pressure, I think....waving knives around underwater is not something I'd want to be doing under pressure.

At least you have made John a happy man
Mal

[dave archer]

Agree with all that Mal.

Originally Posted by Mal Bridgeman

As to cutting the line that only works if you have a knife that you can deploy really quickly and proficiently .... the "let go" option would be favoured under pressure, I think....waving knives around underwater is not something I'd want to be doing under pressure.

Snagged reel I'd agree, no time to cut the line, let it go ASAP or you'll be dragged. This was quite different though I actually had plenty of time, maybe 4 mins, to watch the line spinning off my reel and think WTF!? Could have cut it no problem with my shears, but wasn't thinking clearly about the root cause so went for the adding a spool option thinking the root cause would stop soon....

...shame the root cause was the tide! another 5 hours and several miles of line on my spool and it would have worked!

Dave

[meathead_dave]

what a major p!sser, my dive buddy has just bought a new Kent tooling Reel and an SMB with a crack bottle. I am so impressed with how easy it is possible to deploy the blob now they are on my next to buy list. The kent tooling reel is the closest you can come to porn in the shape of a reel!!

You have my deepest sympathies........

[MidnightCowboy]

Thought i'd bring this one back to life after it happened to me the weekend, and also a massive thanks to Dave for posting originally, as due to reading his post I realised that my SMB and I had taken different routes around the shot line and hence drop the damn thing and send up my backup.

Thanks Dave.

[The Duck]

Sorry to hear that you lost the reel - KT reels are lovely bits of kit.

I hope it eventually finds its way back to you - did you have your name on it?