Education on Reels by Joe Telavara of 5th-d

Reels

What is it?

Unlike the finger spool, the reel is designed for the deployment of several hundred feet of line. It is used any time sure navigation is required; from a technical thirds dive in open water, to wreck and cave penetration, to exploration of either.

Why should I have one?

Anyone diving 1/3rds, where you HAVE to return to the boat, should consider investing in a reel, and the necessary training. Properly laying a guideline provides a "trail of bread crumbs" which allows easy navigation back to the start point. In overhead environments, a reel is an absolute necessity. With the risk of loss of visibility, either from silting or light failure, a guideline allows even a blind diver a chance to return via touch contact with the line and team.

What are the important characteristics?

When considering the reel, the biggest danger is quite obvious: entanglement. This is usually directly caused by improper technique. The secondary dangers deal with the reel itself, from jamming the reel, to causing too much slack (which increases risk of entanglement). Technique is the most common culprit, but choosing an intelligent design can reduce the frequency of problems.

Design

Over time, manufacturers have constantly attempted to update the design of the reel in favor of creating something easier and more comfortable to use. But as is often the case, the improvements often created additional problems of their own. Each reel has common parts, and each design should have the universal goal of reducing the risk of entanglement and jamming.

Handle

The handle should be ambidextrous by design, as you often times must switch hands while running line. The best handles are "closed" meaning they are a solid loop, eliminating any risk of "grabbing" the line.


Example of enclosed handle

Spool

Each reel has a "spool" which actually holds the line. It should be of simple design which reduces the risk of line spilling off the edges, while at the same time remaining accessible to allow the diver to assess the condition of the line and identify any potential problems. Of critical importance is how the spool is attached to the reel itself. Every effort should be made to prevent the line from slipping between the spool and the reel itself; this could cause a catastrophic jamming of the line on the axle.

Another critical feature is the proximity of the spool to the handle. When using the reel to lay line, the diver must maintain tension on the spool to prevent the line from simply paying out

Guide

Each reel has a "guide" which assists in the deployment of the line. First, it prevents the line from simply spilling off the side of the spool. Second, it provides a tension point for the reel. The guide should be as the handle: simple and enclosed, providing very little risk of entanglement. At the same time, it should not be so small as to make it difficult to "restring" the line should it slip through the guide


Example of enclosed guide

Locking mechanism

Every reel has a locking mechanism to prevent the spool from spinning accidentally and releasing all the line. However, it should also not interfere with the deployment of the line. A simple screw type mechanism is best; the smoother, the better to prevent entanglement. It should allow the reel to spin freely when loose, yet secure it tightly when closed. Whenever the reel is not being braked by the hand, the lock should be set. Auto-locking mechanisms are not recommended, as this would interfere with the deployment and retrieval of the line, causing unnecessary hand fatigue and complicating a simple device.

Length

The common sizes for reels are 400'/120m, 800'/240m, and 1200'/360m. The 400' primary reel is most common, used for both technical 1/3's diving, as well as short penetrations into wreck, or hooking to the mainline in cave diving. The 800' and 1200' versions are more for exploration, but may also serve the technical diver with extended bottom times.

Attachment

The common attachment is the double ender, hooked through a hole in the handle. Ideally, the attachment point is removable, allowing you to further reduce the risk on entanglement on the reel. Other folks prefer to tie a bolt snap to the handle, allowing them the ease of clipping off whenever they want. If you choose to do this method, ensure that the line tie is long enough to allow you to capture the bolt snap with the hand holding the handle, thus reducing risk of entangling with any line.

Additional accessories

Some divers choose to put a small ball or bead on the end of the line. This prevents the line from feeding back through the guide, and also serves as an identifying marker for your line.


Image of bead on the end of the line

Where do I put it?

As with spools, the biggest danger of the reel is the risk of entanglement due to accidental deployment of the line. Unlike spools, however, reels do not fit into the pocket, so they must be carried on the outside of our system.

If you are going to be using the reel upon immediately after descent, you can store the reel someplace handy and easy to get to, such as the chest or hip d-ring. Upon nearing the location for the primary tie off, you can easily detach and begin, reducing the down time for the team. This works for most situations, be they technical or overhead oriented.

If you are not going to be using the reel immediately (or using it as a backup for the team), storing it out of the way is a must. Some people choose either the hip d-ring or the sling bottles to hang the reel. Others prefer the butt d-ring (but only if it is easily accessible). Regardless of where you choose to place it, ensure that you maintain awareness of the risk of the line unspooling, and keep it off the bottom, away from further entanglements.

How do I maintain it?

Soaking in freshwater is the first line of defense. Check the line on the reel; if it is soft and mushy and loose, that's usually an indication that you didn't reel in with enough tension. You can also check to see if the line spins on the spool with the reel locked down. Taking care to re-reel the line back on properly will reduce the risk of a ball of line in your hand on the next dive. Also check to ensure that the locking mechanism is both secure, yet easy to loosen; don't be afraid to lubricate the screw, as it will facilitate you tightening your screw down, yet ensure you can deploy the line when needed.

Of course, replace the line as it wears.

Which one should I get?

For most applications, including technical and cave, the 400' reel provides enough line. It's enough to connect from open water to the mainline, and enough to penetrate a wreck a reasonable amount. For more intensive applications, longer reels are available, but you should be very realistic in terms of how much line you need. The more line you lay, the longer it takes to retrieve, and leaving line in the environment is not something you should be cavalier about.

Where do I learn to use it?

5thD-X offers instruction in line use in the Technical Diver, and Wreck courses.

Technical Diver offers instruction in laying line and retrieving line, with an introduction to no-viz line following.

Wreck 1 introduces the same information, and adds the component of no-viz line following, complete with introduction, skill development, and testing sessions.

For questions regarding any of the training, please contact training@5thd-x.com