Rick says hello - from UK South Wales

    Hello all


    I'm new to the forum though been spearfishing snorkelling and diving for some time (marine biologist by trade though mainly snorkel and spearfish at the moment for recreation rather than as part of job).


    I enjoy spearfishing with a pole and sling - in the relatively chilly waters of Wales. Recent bagged a nice juicy flatty with the pole off the Lleyn Peninsula in north Wales - which made a nice evening meal while wild camping! So trying to live the dream when I can!


    I also fish with a home made teak sling which I designed - lethal with a Tahitian spear and slip ring. Very satisfying to use your home made kit!


    Dived a fair bit over the years abroad so miss the warmer waters and dream of the larger fish you get in the tropics.


    Best wishes to you all


    Rick :)
    Abergavenny, South Wales UK

    Welcome Rick! I noticed that sling in your avatar. Would you mind starting a new thread posting up some pictures and give a run through of your build? I have never built a sling (or used one), but it is something on my list I've been wanting to do.

    Quote from Silentstoning

    Welcome Rick! I noticed that sling in your avatar. Would you mind starting a new thread posting up some pictures and give a run through of your build? I have never built a sling (or used one), but it is something on my list I've been wanting to do.




    No worries - will do! Nice to make contact
    Rick



    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

    Rick, for 5 years now I've been wanting to bring a sling to market as part of the Speardiver line. My main goal is to alleviate part of the effort required to hold/grip the sling when the band is pulled, I feel no sling currently available has addressed this issue to my satifiaction. In general the "sharkfin" design should achieve this, but I assure you the Headhunter sling does not alleviate the force needed to grip the sling by any significant amount. I don't know about the other features your sling has, but that contour made to fit in the area between the thumb and index finger, is exactly what I had in mind, it's like you took the image out of my brain and made it reality. The only thing I would've done differently is make the back part smaller in diameter and easier to grip. The line attached to the spear is a standard modification for any sling I use. It looks like you have a line retention system, I can't tell if it's an actual line release design. If it is, kudos for both design elements.


    So I have to ask, does it in fact allow for a somewhat relaxed grip when the band is pulled?

    Quote from Dan

    Rick, for 5 years now I've been wanting to bring a sling to market as part of the Speardiver line. My main goal is to alleviate part of the effort required to hold/grip the sling when the band is pulled, I feel no sling currently available has addressed this issue to my satifiaction. In general the "sharkfin" design should achieve this, but I assure you the Headhunter sling does not alleviate the force needed to grip the sling by any significant amount. I don't know about the other features your sling has, but that contour made to fit in the area between the thumb and index finger, is exactly what I had in mind, it's like you took the image out of my brain and made it reality. The only thing I would've done differently is make the back part smaller in diameter and easier to grip. The line attached to the spear is a standard modification for any sling I use. It looks like you have a line retention system, I can't tell if it's an actual line release design. If it is, kudos for both design elements.


    So I have to ask, does it in fact allow for a somewhat relaxed grip when the band is pulled?




    Thanks for your post matey - I"be put a great deal of effort into designing this sling from a few years of spearfishing and am hoping to sell custom builds to help keep my head above water if you know what I mean. I'm attempting to sell on eBay at the mo.


    To answer your question the sling is lethal but there is a limit to the pull. My max is a combination of a 3/8 band and a smaller 5mm band which is a hard but achievable pull with a good result with a long slim shaft (6.5mm Tahitian spear modified for a slip ring.


    I love using this sling but it's quite a bit of work to engineer. So I'm not planning on giving them away - my main interest is enjoying it and the sport.
    Best wishes


    Rick



    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

    Not to critique your design, but simply out of curiosity. Keep in mind I have no experience with slings so my thoughts are coming from a gun perspective and may be completely off base. You mention the pull is limited. It looks like you have some real estate at the front of the sling (wood furthest away from you when cocked). If you were to move the bands up a little wouldn't that give you a few extra inches of pull giving you more power?


    Regarding the line, ever consider a reel? Or was this perhaps a cheaper/easier solution? Or maybe even the reel would add too much weight? Again, ignorant to slings so looking for some education.


    Last question (for now, and this will truly display my ignorance), how do you control trajectory? I presume there is no track, but does the shaft pass through a hole or something? I guess I don't really understand how one maintains a straight shot.

    Quote from Silentstoning

    Not to critique your design, but simply out of curiosity. Keep in mind I have no experience with slings so my thoughts are coming from a gun perspective and may be completely off base. You mention the pull is limited. It looks like you have some real estate at the front of the sling (wood furthest away from you when cocked). If you were to move the bands up a little wouldn't that give you a few extra inches of pull giving you more power?


    Regarding the line, ever consider a reel? Or was this perhaps a cheaper/easier solution? Or maybe even the reel would add too much weight? Again, ignorant to slings so looking for some education.


    Last question (for now, and this will truly display my ignorance), how do you control trajectory? I presume there is no track, but does the shaft pass through a hole or something? I guess I don't really understand how one maintains a straight shot.




    If you keep the point of contact for the power bands close to hand it minimises the tuning moment (I thin they call it) so this is the optimum position I think.


    I've left plenty of room for a real and it can cope with the added weight and keep its buoyancy. In the uk I recon you can manage without a real so I like the simplicity of the rig. The beat thing is the use of a cable tie bent as hook - which provides an excellent line release with no mo moving parts.


    A beat bore proved the secure trajectory - aiming down the length of a long spear - very accurate indeed!


    Rick




    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

    Rick, I'm not sure what you mean by "there's a limit to the pull". Every person has a set draw length depending on the length of their arms and upper body width. The band diameter/power should be adjusted so that the diver has the strength to draw/pull the band fully. Unless you mean that the more secure grip should allow pulling a heavier band? There's always going to be a limit to how thick a band you can pull. In my opinion this design is more for comfort/ease of use, both physically and psychologically ie. you know the sling is not going to fly back at your face if you loosen your grip ever so slightly.

    Quote from Dan

    Rick, I'm not sure what you mean by "there's a limit to the pull". Every person has a set draw length depending on the length of their arms and upper body width. The band diameter/power should be adjusted so that the diver has the strength to draw/pull the band fully. Unless you mean that the more secure grip should allow pulling a heavier band? There's always going to be a limit to how thick a band you can pull. In my opinion it's more of comfort/ease of use factor, both physically and psychologically ie. you know the sling is not going to fly back at your face if you loosen your grip ever so slightly.




    Good point - I think you have touched on a truth there! I have chosen to build a sling with a wide option of power configurations but adjust this to suit me - and have made a cup with a grove so the spear is secured during the pull - which makes a massive difference.



    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

    Thank you for the explanation. Makes more sense now.


    Simplicity is the name of the game. I feel the simplest setup is the easiest, safest, most productive (I can go on, but I'll leave it there) way to go. So when you feed your line out after shooting a fish do you need to rotate the sling head over tail to feed the line?


    If you don't mind, could you post a picture focused in on the beat bore you are referring to?


    Be careful engaging me in a conversation, I'll pull you in. And I'll have plenty of questions and requests. Especially in this instance of slings where I really have no knowledge.








    Here we go a picture is best way explaining - the bore font and back also the stainless power band coupling


    Lanyard - a neat hole at the rear



    This the Salerno firing cup - with room for a few power and configurations



    You can see the top hear - open with a cut so you can hold the spear in place while hunting but not cocked - with your thumb. The open design also helps it dry out and I like the look.


    It's all pretty neat to use but my favourite bit is the line release which is firmly held but a nice easy slip of the line when fired! Made from a heavy duty cable tie in a removable capsule. Heat bent to a hook. Very durable and simple





    Cheers for now
    Rick




    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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