# What do you use to decend on?



## DreamWeaver21 (Oct 3, 2007)

If anything? I have had my boat for almost a decade now and been certifed to dive forever, but I haven't dove off my own boat until this year. I have a general question wondering what other people use to decend on. I have tried 3 methods and they have all worked ok, but I am curious what others do.

Option 1: Throw the achor in the wreck and use the anchor line to decend and accend on. The upside of this is it is easy to do. Pull up till the bottom machine lights up good and drop anchor. The downside is if the divers get lost and come up far from the boat then they either have a long swim or the person on the boat has to do something with the anchor before going to pick them up.

Option 2: Throw the anchor upcurrent of the wreck so the boat lays up on the wreck and then drop a line straight down. The problem with this method is it is hard to anchor that precisely. Depending on visability, missing by a boat length may mean you can't see the wreck when you go down.

Option 3: Throw a marker bouyon the spot and don't anchor the boat at all, just have someonekeep the boat nearby.

I've done all 3 and favor the 3rd optionsofar but it means the bubble watcher can't fish while they are waiting.

What do you guys do?


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## Turtlebait (Dec 3, 2008)

Been diving since 1975 and have used all three scenerios depending on type of boat, water conditions, proficiency of "bubble watchers", etc.....

Since my 14 yr old nephew, Jeremy, has been certified this year, we have found the "anchor off, drift back to wreck, drop descent line" works best for us divers and the fishermen. I use a 1/2" nylon line (200 ft.) with a 10 lb. weight on the end, deploy all the rope, then drag the weight to the wreck. We are constantly "in touch" with the boat this way, and if an equipment malfunction happens or the bottom conditions are not to our liking, we us the rope as a controlled ascent/deco line to get back. The line can be quickly coupled to a spare anchor and chain for a stern anchor if needed.

The only draw back is the fishermen might get entangled in the line and lose a fish. My nephew and my well being is more important than any "little ol' fish" they might lose. - Ric


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## Telum Pisces (Sep 27, 2007)

95% of the time, I am diving on a wreck or small spot. So I toss the anchor into the wreck and use the anchor line to go down. If the anchor is in the wreck, I move it to where it will pull up. Diving on a wreck, it's easy to get back to the anchor line. When you are diving natural bottom, it's easier to simply drop over and go down a buoy line and do a free ascent. That way you are free to search around and not worry about coming back to the anchor that you have lost by now.


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## Orion45 (Jun 26, 2008)

I prefer your Option Three.


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## Native Diver (Aug 8, 2009)

Option one for me. If we need to go to a diver we just hook on a bouy / anchor ball to the coiled anchor line, go pick up the diver and return to the bouy.


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## hsiF deR (Oct 4, 2009)

I like 1. It gives me less to worry about the rest of the folks diving with me. If anything goes bad we have a strong stable fixed line to hold onto. It can be limiting when you can't hang into the wreck.


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## Pierce07 (Nov 13, 2007)

If you are going to live boat (option 3) you can do what I do. I got the biggest jug of gatorade i could find. (a couple gallons) and went to home depot for some carpenters string. The bright pink on is the easiest to see underwater (not joking). Then I took a 2 pound weight and tied the string to it. Great for divers who don't need something to hold onto during ascents. The boat can just drift away and cruise back whenever they get to far. It's the quickest and easiest form for me. 



If you're unsure of your buoyancy control anchor line will be the best bet. Gives you something to hold onto.


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## flappininthebreeze (Jul 13, 2009)

Two additional options come to mind, especially if you have the site to yourself. 

Option A: Drop the anchor just slightly upcurrent of the site. Not so far that your scope brings you over the site, as that is real precision anchoring, but just far enough to be in clear sand, up current and angling over the site, so divers see the site as they descend the anchor line and can come back upto it with minimal searching. This allows you to pick up without hanging the wreck, but leaves any divers in the water without something to hang on to if you pull chocks and go after somebody. 

Option B: (preferred) Use a reef hook to snag the site and lay off on a short scope. Since you are hard hooked, scope is less important.Set your rig up so that you have enough overall line length to serve the site, with a buoy attached, or a quick attach buoy, so you can toss the whole thing if you need to cut and run. Leaves divers in the water with something to hang on to and you don't have the whole anchor line from the boat (can be over 600 feet) to deal with. This also is preferrable if you are on-site with other boats and need to hook into a corner or end, without a lot of room for lots of scope. 

Just a couple ot thoughts. Any others?

Dr Dive

www.drdive.com


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## FelixH (Sep 28, 2007)

Marker bouy. And, yes, we sometimes fish while divers are down.

Felix


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