What Reel?

smcmullan

Didn't see much about this in past postings so here goes:

I've been using Lumb Brothers MGE Ratchet Reel for deploying dSMBs for deco stops during training



and a Buddy Pocket Reel as a backup (don't worry I promise not to use the wrist loop during deployment )



Any opinions on these or others before I buy?

Cheers, Stephen

Mick F

The Buddy Pocket Reel is one of the few really crap products I've seen to come from Water-ma-Trout!! Stay well away.

My (ir)regular dive buddy uses a Lumb Brothers Reel & swears by it. I've never used it, but I've never seen him have a problem with it in probably 50+ deployments.

Personally I use a Custom Divers Reel which I find good (even better if I wasn't muppet enough to let it wrap the line around the reel every now and again!! 50M to 30M in 5 sec anyone? Lesson learned? Let the f**ker go, do not try to untangle it!!)

If you've tried both, then you probably have a good idea as to what will suit you - me, Lumb Bros if those two are your only choice.

NordicDiver

Stephen

Get an open-face reel they are the most commen and allow divers to get at line on the spool, hopefully correcting any entanglements. While the closed-face are marginally effective at reducing line snarls, they must be dismantled when entanglements occur. With some practice, the entanglement issue becomes moot, and the inability to reach the spool of line becomes a clear disadvantage.

Get the inexpensive Beaver Heron tech wreck reel (45m) and/or the Beaver Swan tech wreck reel (85m). They have what you want, free-run and locked settings. I bring both on deeper dives.

Great reel and when you loose it, you will sometime, it does not cost a fortune like the £100 Halcyon reels for example.

You can get Beaver equipment from all diveshops in Ire.

www.beaversports.co.uk

Best
Jan

smcmullan

Thanks for the advice guys. It makes sense. I've only used a reel on 4 deco procedures training dives so I haven't tried out a wide variety of devices just the ones mentioned above.

One really DUMB question if I may: is there any difference between a reel for deploying DSMBs and a "Wreck" reel? I've seen several sites and products where the naming implies a difference. Beaver is a good example.

An uneducated guess is that the "wreck" reek usually has quite a large carry handle and usually the line is paid out at the rate the diver moves, whereas DSMB deployment the line obviously pays out in a much more rapid fashion and the carry handle is not as prominent???

In that case would I not be better off with a DSMB reel like the Beaver Kingfisher instead of the Heron:



and get the Swan specifically for wreck routemarking and as a backup DSMB deployer:



???

Cheers, Stephen

Peace

Any beaver product i've ever bought has turned out to be sheeeite.

I have the halcyon pathfinder. An excellent reel. I can be used to hammer nails of repairs were required on the dive boat.

Path finder

Also the agir brokk reel looks good but i've never held one in my hand so i can't make comment.

bigfeller

Peace wrote:

I have the halcyon pathfinder. An excellent reel. I can be used to hammer nails of repairs were required on the dive boat.

And

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=2946694&postcount=9

Can you let me know which boats you use so I can avoid them like the plague? The boat you dive from seems to need a carpenter, not a mechanic!!

dublinbay

Stay away from ratchet reels period. You need a reel with enough line to cover the depth you dive to. No point bringing a 30m line reel on a 45m dive if you need to signal for help from the deck. Lost my FAV Halcyon reel, which are imho, excellent reels. Replacing it with an Agir.

smcmullan wrote:

Thanks for the advice guys. It makes sense. I've only used a reel on 4 deco procedures training dives so I haven't tried out a wide variety of devices just the ones mentioned above.

One really DUMB question if I may: is there any difference between a reel for deploying DSMBs and a "Wreck" reel? I've seen several sites and products where the naming implies a difference. Beaver is a good example.

An uneducated guess is that the "wreck" reek usually has quite a large carry handle and usually the line is paid out at the rate the diver moves, whereas DSMB deployment the line obviously pays out in a much more rapid fashion and the carry handle is not as prominent???

In that case would I not be better off with a DSMB reel like the Beaver Kingfisher instead of the Heron:



and get the Swan specifically for wreck routemarking and as a backup DSMB deployer:



???

Cheers, Stephen

Peace

bigfeller wrote:

And

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=2946694&postcount=9

Can you let me know which boats you use so I can avoid them like the plague? The boat you dive from seems to need a carpenter, not a mechanic!!

You've seen Jaws right, when they guy says "We're gonna need a bigger boat"... well if you were there with the VR3 and i was there with my reel... we'd just start collecting the flotsam and jetsam and build a bigger boat there and then.
No tools needed. :cool:

bigfeller

Peace wrote:

You've seen Jaws right, when they guy says "We're gonna need a bigger boat"... well if you were there with the VR3 and i was there with my reel... we'd just start collecting the flotsam and jetsam and build a bigger boat there and then.
No tools needed. :cool:

And with any luck by the end of next week I'll have my Kowalski torch (thanks to an amazingly understanding better half and me being born on this day!) so if the baby jaws came along we could blind the fooker! And then continue hammering.

smcmullan

Is there any particular reason why some reels offer white line and some reels offer coloured line or is it just a way to colour id your primary and backup reel?

DublinBay - you said to stay away from Ratchet reels. Any particular reason? Most ratchet reels have a free-run setting too????

Voodoo2

Dont think the colour line makes any difference what ive done with mine is 3mtrs of black and the rest is white for my 3mtr DECO stops, kinda handy as a roungh estimate, as for ratchet, you need a decent real for ratchet, alot of them come with a weak ratchet and usually fall off or break, but its personal preference on reals and budget!

dublinbay

smcmullan wrote:

Is there any particular reason why some reels offer white line and some reels offer coloured line or is it just a way to colour id your primary and backup reel?

DublinBay - you said to stay away from Ratchet reels. Any particular reason? Most ratchet reels have a free-run setting too????

Ratchet reels are prone to locking. When deploying DSMB its the last thing you need, you will either lose reel and dsmb or be pulled to surface. Most or all ratchet reels have "free" running mode but most or all ratchet reels can slip into ratchet mode in a heart beat. Also the reel you buy should have enough line for your max depth diving in case you need to signal from, i.e. wreck @ 40m and again, you dont want a reel that can lock when your life depends on it.
Jack

Voodoo2

I Have a beaver SMB real, its cheap and cheerfull, used it many a time, And i do agree with the prone to locking bit, but i found it can be avoided i noticed if my real is not realed in level it will lock so after i finish my dive and washing my gear i pull out all the line i used and level it, or another problem i had was too much line! it used to jam