Got Rope? DIVING

I need someone to show me some rope on spear fishing/diving, What do I need for a beginner like me? Please be kind to show this newbie, I used to dive back home no gears required in the rivers catching some freshwater lobster/prawn..Thanks

I will throw you in the water tommarow in front of MBK! How long could I hold your head under water?

Andy, I clearly stated D I V I N G not DYING  seriously what do I need? as beginner

Spear?
Wetsuit?
Weights?
Rope?
License?
Certificate?
ETC..

Whatever..

Thanks!

probably best to rent your gear for your first outing.  If you don't want to rent the entire gear set, you could probably rent the wetsuit, and maybe your diving partners will have extra gear for you to use.

If you want to borrow my gear, I have extra belt/weights;ab gauge; iron; and boogie board.

You will still need fins, snorkel & goggles.

probably best to rent your gear for your first outing.  If you don't want to rent the entire gear set, you could probably rent the wetsuit, and maybe your diving partners will have extra gear for you to use.

If you want to borrow my gear, I have extra belt/weights;ab gauge; iron; and boogie board.

You will still need fins, snorkel & goggles.

Thanks John I need direction where to rent how much to rent?

probably best to rent your gear for your first outing.  If you don't want to rent the entire gear set, you could probably rent the wetsuit, and maybe your diving partners will have extra gear for you to use.

If you want to borrow my gear, I have extra belt/weights;ab gauge; iron; and boogie board.

You will still need fins, snorkel & goggles.

Thanks John I need direction where to rent how much to rent?

Renting is one option, but you also can often find a wetsuit on craigslist for about the same price as a rental.  Costco has a set of US Diver snorkel, mask, and fins for $40 or $50.  YMMV on the quality, but for a beginner it may get you by and the price is right.

Gear:
-7mm wetsuit w/hood (If it's an open-cell freedive suit, you can get away with a 5mm if you don't mind cold much. You should start off with a 7mm closed cell suit though, as it's much less expensive and you don't want to spend a lot in case you don't like diving.)

-Gloves (I use 3 mm for dexterity. I paint mine in neoprene cement to toughen them up.)

-Booties/socks (I use 2mm, but most prefer 4 to 6mm. There are two main types, boots and socks. Depends on what fins you use. Boots have a rubber sole and can be used for walking on rocks, but generally don't fit in closed-heel fins. Dive socks lack the rubber sole and are much more flexible and fit in close-heel fins, but are less durable.)

-Fins (Two main types, scuba and free diving. You can use either to start with, but as you get better and more into the sport, you'll want freediving fins, which are the more expensive of the two. Freedive fins are longer and designed to allow you to conserve motion by propelling you further with less kicks. Scuba fins are short and require more rapid movement, which is ok for shallower diving. Freedive fins have closed heels/foot pockets while scuba fins generally have open heels.

-Mask (Doesn't really matter too much as you start out, but make sure it fits you well and seals. It helps your vision underwater if the skirt is black, as it blocks peripheral light/glare from entering the mask.)

-Snorkel (Specifics don't really matter all that much. Some people use one's with purges, but most just use a regular J one which works fine. I recommend one with orange or red tape on the tip so your buddy can spot you in wind/swell.)

-Weight belt (Two types, rubber and nylon. Nylon is cheaper, adjustable, and commonly used in scuba. The rubber belts are more expensive, have to be pre-adjusted, but are much more comfortable and stay in place better. There's also soft belts, commonly used in scuba, but I don't know much about those. The weights themselves generally come in squares or bullets. Bullets allow the belt to be more flexible, but require a larger quantity. Squares are larger but not as flexible. For weighting, you'll want to go to a pool first to adjust your belt. General rule of thumb for a 7mm is 10% of body weight, + a few more pounds. Also, you're more buoyant in saltwater, so take that into account. You don't want to be fighting your way down, but you definitely don't want to be fighting your way back to the surface. Never hesitate to drop your belt when things start to go south. It's a good idea to carry a spare and have a buddy to help retrieve it if you should have to drop.)

-Ab gauge (Always be sure to have a 7")

-Ab report card

- Ab iron (I use stainless steel because it holds bottom better)

-Floatline (Not necessary, but certainly comes in handy. It's used to mark big abs/fish holes you find when you need to go up for air. Also helps you not lose your ab iron/gun should you drop it. Bright colors are best. You don't need an expensive one with a spectra core, as you won't be fighting any fish with it up here. Eric, EWB makes nice ones for a good price.)

-Polespear (Highly recommend using one to start off with. Often erroneously referred to as a "Hawaiian Sling". It puts you at a slight disadvantage, as you need to get closer to the fish and keep it loaded with your own strength, but it makes you a very effective hunter and improves your stalking skills. A good size for norcal is 6 feet. There are cheap fiberglass ones for ~25-30 bucks, and then there are better aluminum and carbon ones for more. Make sure the tip can come off so you can replace it with whatever is suitable to the fish your hunting. 3-prong paralyzers are pretty common, but you need to get a solid shot to retain the fish, and it's not as effective on larger fish. Make sure it's barbed. 5-prong rake tips work better, but the grip is often too good and it can be a struggle to get the fish off. My favorite is a single-flopper tip as it works well on larger fish and it's easy to remove. As for what type of polespear you want is up to you and your price range. A fiberglass one w/paralyzer works well on mid sized fish, but just be sure to to twist it as you load so it doesn't flex when you shoot. JBL makes a pretty nice collapsible aluminum one for relatively cheap. Ray Odor does as well, for a great price and a solid punch, very good for larger fish. Crist polespears are very powerful but are expensive. Gat-Ku makes a really fast aluminum/carbon one, but is expensive as well.)

-Gun (Fuzz is probably the best guy to ask about this. A lot of guys around here use ABBiller guns which are a good gun for a good price. I use a Hammerhead Evolution. Pneumatics work well, especially for hole hunting, but are not as reliable as band guns. I recommend using a gun with two 16mm bands; easy to load, and you have a band left if the other breaks. With my gun, I only load one band because it has all the power I need to penetrate, and if you load two, you could damage your shaft shooting into rocks. A lot of hunting in Nor Cal is done in low vis and in holes, so a shorter gun is best, anywhere from 60cm for really low vis, to 80 for more open hunting. It also depends on your reach. Extending one arm foreward, and one arm with the gun back, the tip of the gun shouldn't extend too far past your arm outstretched foreward. If it does, it will be somewhat cumbersome and difficult to maneuver around rocks, into holes, and in bad vis. I use a 75cm gun, and I've been very pleased by it.

-Float (You can use a kayak as your float, but you'll probably want a board or float tube to haul around in addition and for shore dives. A floattube will hold your fish/gear/abs, but can be hard to pull through kelp and is subject to wind/swell. A body board tricked out with a mesh game bag or bungies works better and will hold abs/gear/fish and is easier to tote around. Make sure it's durable material and can keep you afloat when you need to rest. John Banks makes a real nice setup, the "Banks Board" for around $200. Like a kayak /board combo.)

-Flashlight (Not necessary but VERY effective for looking into holes for fish/abs. A must if you're hole hunting.)

-Stringer (A game clip that sits on your float works well. I use a stringer on my belt for ease, but it provides a risk for entanglement. You can also slide fish up the shooting line of your gun for an effective stringer. I recommend stringing fish through the eyes and it pretty much dispatches them, it's more secure, and it allows you to have more space on the stringer.

Definitely look for used gear before you go spending a lot on new equipment, as you don't know if diving is your thing or not. Swap meets are always good.

Be sure to hook up with an experienced buddy before you head out. Don't do anything past your comfort level, as diving can be a very dangerous sport.

Also, ease your way into it. There's no need to be trying to hit 20-30 feet your first few times out. There's plenty of fish/abs in 10 feet of water. Just focus on things like technique and equalizing until you're more comfortable.

Dive safe and hope to see you out on the water!

What Rick said!

 

Nice write up bro!!

 

Sincerely,

Jim

Damn Rick..Thank bro I appreciate it!

That is a GREAT write-up, bookmarked that one

I think we found an heir to the Diving Forum after fuzz doesnt want to be moderator anymore.  Like big jim said" What rick said"

+1 on what Rick said...  jumping on the bandwagon

+1 on what Rick said...  jumping on the bandwagon

dang... I had to read that 2x's because it was so well written.

Rick, thanks so much for taking the time to write this! Real cool to help us all 

The force is strong in that one!