dive ladder

[jyasaki]

Originally Posted by Stoo

Incidently, for those of you in California, I have no idea what a Great White would think of this setup. "Trolling" comes to mind!

Don't think it matters. We don't really get the vis you'd need to keep from killing yourself running into boulders. Sea star food might be a better analogy.

jky

[Stoo]

Originally Posted by jyasaki

Don't think it matters. We don't really get the vis you'd need to keep from killing yourself running into boulders. Sea star food might be a better analogy.

Years ago, I got slammed up against a wall while I was diving a pretty quick ebb in northern BC. I got pretty badly "perforated" by the urchins. I recall scrounging every patch I could find for my Viking... I think there was about 14 little holes!

[jwalker]

Originally Posted by Stoo

....I got pretty badly "perforated" by the urchins....

That's a good image, Stoo.

[Stoo]

Originally Posted by jwalker

That's a good image, Stoo.

Glad you find humour in my misfortune... It was pretty funny. Fortunately, the spines didn't make it through my undies, or I might have started leaking more than air...!

[Donnie144]

Stoo i dig the "stoo super scuba sled" thanks. I'm going to have to make a couple of these up and see if my dive budy and i can keep from killing eachother down there and from running into big ass rocks. Pour vis, two sleds tied to a transom that's only 4' wide should make for some fun times.

[Stoo]

Donnie, I can't attest to how dragging two sleds at one time works... Worst case is that you braid yourselves together I suppose. A buddy is supposed to be within touching distance anyway. I see the birth of a new California trend... Full Contact Sledding! Alternatively, you could simply build a "double-wide"... one tow point, a big slab of wood and "Bob's yer uncle"! I have no idea how you'ld steer it though...

To be serious for a moment, you do need to be careful with this stuff. In these parts, the biggest risk (apart from the usual diving stuff...) comes from fish nets. Around here, there is still some commercial fishing using monofilament nets. Many years ago, we "found" a lost one when we towed a friend right into it. He released the board (via the spiffy quick-disconnect!) which wasn't uncommon, but neither he nor the board surfaced anytime soon. After a period of time, I started to suit up to go see what he had found, when he popped up after spending "some time" cutting himself free. This guy was a very capable diver and I think in hindsight that a "lesser" one might have become one with the salmon! Make certain that you have at least two cutting tools. I generally always carry a knife, shears, and a "zip" knife...

Incidently, all of that hardware (track, sliders, quick-release) is standard sailing stuff, available from your local chandler!

[603doug]

Sled races between boats first one to cross a finish line or survives buy the bandages. The ocean here has sandy bottom and nice rock outcrop, one could feel like a top gun pilot buzzing around. I think the world of my close dive buddies but they all are mentally unbalanced and no way am i going to hold onto a sled and have one of them drive the rib,I would look like a hook marlin

[Stoo]

Originally Posted by 603doug

...no way am i going to hold onto a sled and have one of them drive the rib,I would look like a hook marlin

When I used to dive commercially, the rule of thumb was that you always wanted to use a tender to whom you owed money. That was, he was motivated to make sure you came back alive. I think that's probably a good habit to follow with your choice of driver as well.

It does take a while to get the speed right. In an earlier post I mentioned that we sled at about 4 mph. SO/BT corrected me... she said she often gets up to close to 8 or 9 mph (GPS). That probably explains why my arms are about an inch longer when I get out of the water. It's also the reason you need a seat on these babies....!