Banks Board - New Shore diving Board

    So I received my new dive board from John and I am blown away. The design, the attention to detail, the build quality. all without equal


    It is a brilliant design that is basically a SOT kayak / and Ab board hybrid.





    the center storage area is a self bailing "tow truck bed" that can easily hold a lot of gear or some nice sized fish





    there is also a dry storage area in the front which includes the entire interior.


    The hatch is gasketed and sealed w marine sealant and there is no chance of leak..the design even includes recessed anchoring points for additional screws(included) to be use to add an additional net to the bottom.



    all of the items you see currently attached were included and came installed..the board features threaded inserts rotomolded into the board for complete leak prevention..a much appreciated feature






    The board is designed to accept two guns along the sides using bungees to secure them..John told me that he has sourced some "alpine clips" the are going to be used in this application..for now it is two hooks..( I will update this thread once I get the new clips)







    {More to come}
    Flag pole mount
    backpack straps
    videos of board
    in pool bouyancy tests
    fin holder rig

    i like to spear fish

    What is John's last name and contact information, so the rest of us may track his development of this product?

    His name is John banks.
    This is the second board he has developed, there is a third that he and I have been discussing which would be more of a plat, NZ style but about 40" long and possibly able to hold ice. A south Florida board:)


    I will link up to other threads for you 100. After the football game

    i like to spear fish

    Here is the first board in it's development
    http://www.spearfishingplanet.…-dive-assist-board-13406/


    And here is a thread on another forum that has a lot of info
    http://spearboard.com/showthread.php?t=110821&highlight=Dive+board


    I believe that they can come in just about any color. This thread has blue, red, orange and green. And Dan a spool of sone kind would be a cinch to add, the plastic is THICK.

    i like to spear fish

    :thumbsup2:


    They were originally designed as a Nor Cal abalone/spearfishing dive platform, but I'm stoked to see divers utilizing these things all over the U.S., and even worldwide!!


    My review (nearly word for word from the other place ;)):


    Up here in Nor Cal we usually have to hike (sometimes for miles), and climb down steep, sketchy cliffs and hang off ropes to get to the good coves where we hunt the tasty snails and rockfish. Most of us use a float-tube or a modified Boogie Board as a floatation device, a backpack for all our gear, and a way to keep the bloody fish out of the water in Great White territory. John factored all these considerations into his designs and came up with what you see here.


    I got mine about a month ago and I've only had it in the water once, but since then, I'm giving up my old Morey sponger. The side rails 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 limit of abs, and a bunch of dead rockfish.


    This 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 for dry-storage of the things you don't want to get wet. So far I've stashed spare ab 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 shit if need be.....


    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.

    The dimensions were also chosen with shipping in mind - to be able to ship individual boxed units under the oversize limits. So many people want so many different things... he's a bit swamped in trying to figure out what revisions could/should be made.


    They come in several colors, but ironically I chose the same yum-yum yellow one as Lunker. I figure the extra vis is only an advantage up here. :)

    Quote from fuzz

    The dimensions were also chosen with shipping in mind - to be able to ship individual boxed units under the oversize limits. So many people want so many different things... he's a bit swamped in trying to figure out what revisions could/should be made.


    They come in several colors, but ironically I chose the same yum-yum yellow one as Lunker. I figure the extra vis is only an advantage up here. :)


    Fuzz raises a great point that I wanted to make sure came across, John put a ton of thought into these with respect to the end consumer's budget...As fuzz mentioned, the dimensions were tweaked to be able to maximize the size but still ship under the USPS total package limits, thus avoiding any freight charges.


    John also made allowances to keep the end cost below 200. When designing a new product it is really easy to add the bill up, but he kept that bottom line in mind to make this something that even a casual diver could afford.


    if I added up the 25+ ft of high test bungee, the SS hardware, and the plastic terminals. then add this to the military spec backpackstraps, the total cost is up there without even considering the board!!


    I cannot wait to dive with it...I have a few vids of it in the pool (bouyancy test, tracking, my fat ass using it as a boogie board )I will post them tonight

    i like to spear fish


    Rich,


    Does that green bottle contain your abalone regulation documentation? If yes, it is good to meet a diver of similar ideas. Most of my dive mates use Tupperware. I had a number of these bottles lying around and felt like Tom Hanks when he was marooned on his island. He would stare at one of the objects while his mind would engineer a solution to one of his requirements. The bottle keeps out the water as well as it was intended to provide a leak proof drink container.

    Quote from Xp100

    Rich,


    Does that green bottle contain your abalone regulation documentation? If yes, it is good to meet a diver of similar ideas. Most of my dive mates use Tupperware. I had a number of these bottles lying around and felt like Tom Hanks when he was marooned on his island. He would stare at one of the objects while his mind would engineer a solution to one of his requirements. The bottle keeps out the water as well as it was intended to provide a leak proof drink container.


    I think those Nalgene-style bottles are a staple. I use one as well. :)


    With the new board, going to switch to a small dry bag since I can store it in the hatch easily. :)

    Quote from rich vandusen

    Nice work!!
    What kind of snails are those?


    Those are bathroom night lights..... after you eat the meat from a coat hanger and a camp fire:D:D;)


    Really LunkerBuster nice fish and board, He should offer a optimal faux fur kit for the guys in Northern Cal.
    No big scary gray thing would go for the diver first with that pointed profile close behind.


    That is a lot of hi quality float at a affordable price point.:thumbsup2:


    Cheers, Don

    "Great mother ocean brought forth all life, it is my eternal home'' Don Berry from Blue Water Hunters.


    Spearfishing Store the freediving and spearfishing equipment specialists.

    Quote from LunkerBuster

    So I received my new dive board from John and I am blown away. The design, the attention to detail, the build quality. all without equal


    It is a brilliant design that is basically a SOT kayak / and Ab board hybrid.


    LunkerBuster,
    Does the hole in the center of the board allow the weeping of fish blood into the water below?

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