SWB Float

    (This might get a little long, sorry)
    SWB continues to be one of the largest causes of death for us freedivers:
    Much research, discussion and design have gone in to developing great new equipment like:
    1. Dr. Maas's FRV.
    2. Freedive classes that teach SWB prevention
    3. We continually warn each other to practice safe freediving techniques like one up and one down, dive your limits, etc, etc.


    All of these methods can be beneficial to prevent SWB and/or rescue freedivers. If one spearo is saved because of a FRV or a freedive class or freedive buddy system then I am all for it. What I would like to present is a method I thought about and started using a while ago. It seemed to simple to work, but so far it has worked great for me.
    Simply put, I hook my clear float line and float to my weight belt D ring with a big easy unsnap SS carabiner.
    My system has worked for me because now:
    1. The boat captain and my dive buddies can see my float and where I am.
    2. I can quickly unsnap the float line from my belt D ring and snap it onto my gun if a big fish starts to spool my gun reel
    3. The 50ft clear 600lb florocarbon float line does not scare fish. This is then attached to a 100ft float line with a float on the terminal end.
    4. If I do SWB, my buddy (or boat captain) can quickly/easily find me (in any viz) and can pull me up (from any depth) to the surface without leaving the surface himself. (Steve Barnett was hoisted to the surface and saved from a SWB years ago).
    hope this helps


    your positive and constructive thoughts about this please

    SPEARFISHING and RECREATIONAL FISHING NEEDS THE NRA
    Spearfishing Store

    Edited 11 times, last by hau ().

    Have thought about doing that same technique Hau. It's very smart and well thought out.

    A bad day at sea is better than a good day in the boatyard
    George Steele

    Thanks Dude george.
    My system might work out well for you also, as I see that you are spearing off a boat and probably using a float already. Just buy the RA Ghost Line or make your own 50ft clear (less likely to scare fish) fluorocarbon line, hook it to your float line, put a big easy unhook SS carabiner on the belt end of the fluorocarbon and a $5. SS D ring on your belt == DONE. :)

    SPEARFISHING and RECREATIONAL FISHING NEEDS THE NRA
    Spearfishing Store

    Edited 2 times, last by hau ().

    I like the concept but the weight belt may not be the best place to attach your float line. My belts are cheap home smelted lead that I will/have ditch in a heart beat.

    Quote from ladvr

    I like the concept but the weight belt may not be the best place to attach your float line. My belts are cheap home smelted lead that I will/have ditch in a heart beat.


    PERFECT---ditch your belt (for any reason) then later go back to your float and hoist your weight belt to the surface--:D

    I can't see this as having any advantage except to recover a dead body. If someone is not there spotting you, knowing where you are 5 minutes later is not going to make a difference. At worst being hooked up to something creates potential hazards. But you're a big boy and know what you're doing.


    I heard today there's been another spearfishing drowning death in Broward, about 2 weeks ago and diver's name is Daniel. Anyone heard about it?

    One of the advantages is that if you are in poor viz and cannot see your buddy on the bottom you know where is is by his float. Grab his float line and you can feel if he is still moving around or possibly SWB on the bottom where you cannot see him.
    Also, out in deeper water, many times a spearo can SWB and be at a deeper depth than the recovery buddy can safely get down to and back up with the victim.


    I agree that being hooked up to a float has potential hazards and that my system will NOT be good for all spearos, but to some spearos my system may be beneficial. I am sure that Steve Barnett is glad that he was hoisted to the surface when he SWB and was drifting down out of sight out in the blue years ago. Steve had one of THE best buddies spotting him, but even Cameron couldn't swim down deep enough to save Steve and had to shoot Steve to establish a holding line down to Steve so that the people on the boat could hoist Steve up with. If Steve had had a line attached to his belt;
    1. Cameron could have hoisted him up sooner
    2. Cameron would not have had to jeopardized his own SWB to save Steve
    hope this helps

    SPEARFISHING and RECREATIONAL FISHING NEEDS THE NRA
    Spearfishing Store

    Edited 3 times, last by hau ().

    Quote from hau

    One of the advantages is that if you are in poor viz and cannot see your buddy on the bottom you know where is is by his float. Grab his float line and you can feel if he is still moving around or possibly SWB on the bottom where you cannot see him.
    Also, out in deeper water, many times a spearo can SWB and be at a deeper depth than the recovery buddy can safely get down to and back up with the victim


    That's my concern more than any other Hau, I feel very little confidence that whoever is around could reach me.

    A bad day at sea is better than a good day in the boatyard
    George Steele

    I have seen videos of some European spearo's employing this system. They use a reel with their gun, but dive with a float line attached to themselves. They use a 'weight clip' attached to their belt, so they can drop it to let their float board stay positioned over a good dive spot. It looks something like this.



    Personally, I think Hau's method sounds pretty good. Of course, the diver would have to be quite aware so as to not get the line tangled under structure.

    I have a D ring on my belt to attach a short stringer and have attached a float line to it sometimes, the only negative to it is that when you are descending it gets tangled between your fins as you kick

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