Scuba Skills: How to make and deploy a diving shot line скачать в хорошем качестве

Scuba Skills: How to make and deploy a diving shot line

The shotline is a an integral part of UK diving. Because we dive in tidal waters and because the visibility isn't always that great, we need a temporary line to guide us to the wreck or dive site. There are many ways to make a shot - this is one common method. We use a 25kg market stall weight and put a lift bag on it to help with the recovery. Make sure the lift bag is well tucked in otherwise it acts as a parachute and the shot will not end up on the wreck (we've all had that). At the top are two buoys to help both visibility and spot the current/slack water. To deploy, carefully flake out the line and put the shot positioned on the side. On a small boat it's best to flake the line into a bucket to keep it clear of the divers feet (we had one on the boat, so no idea why we didn't use it). The boat calls 'go' slightly up-tide and perpendicular to the wreck so that the shot drifts into position and the line hangs over the wreck (or at least, that's the theory). When the shot is thrown overboard make sure everyone is well clear of the line, otherwise you might end up doing an impression of Holly Hunter in The Piano. The small bit of string we add on is called a 'waster'. We can tie the shot into the wreck with it, but break it free with the boat to after the dive is over. [Credit: Simon Gurney].