Scootering with a reel and a compass

[rjack]

I have a short body Gavin and I'm using it to explore some sites from shore. I'd like to run a line but can't seem to run line and follow a compass heading at the same time - not enough hands.

I've asked this question elsewhere and not gotten very many responses. What are some options to juggle the compass, lighthead, reel, scooter with only two hands? Tips and tricks gratefully accepted :cool:

Thanks
Richard

[Retardboy]

Hmm, I think some x-men here in Norway have mounted the compass on the scooter-handle. Apparently it isn`t disturbed by the scooter.

[Tobias Carlsson]

How about sharing the tasks among the team? One guy with reel following the other guy with compass

best

[rjack]

How about sharing the tasks among the team? One guy with reel following the other guy with compass

best

Sure but its damned hard to run a compass heading for 700-1,000 meters to hit a relatively tiny target (wreck). Having 2 people monitoring the compass has the effect of cancelling their little individual errors out and you get a much straighter line. I suppose we can look for a 3rd teammate and have one dedicated to the line and the other 2 running the heading. Seems like there should be a better way, I may try out the seakayak compasses I've seen some people bungie on the nose.

http://www.suunto.com.edgesuite.net/media/suunto/images/products/marine/orca_medium_1102d.jpg

[coops]

Hello rjack,

To expand on Retardboys comments, to assist you. In the military it is common practice, whilst being the lead scout element on patrol in close jungle; to affix a compass to the weapon (Metal). It works sufficiently well enough to be a sound navigational aid. I would put it on the scooter myself, having used the aforementioned technique throughout my career.

Hope this helps you with your decisions.

All the best

Coops

PS. We used to araldite the compass to the weapon!

[Ali Fikree]

Hello rjack,

To expand on Retardboys comments, to assist you. In the military it is common practice, whilst being the lead scout element on patrol in close jungle; to affix a compass to the weapon (Metal). It works sufficiently well enough to be a sound navigational aid. I would put it on the scooter myself, having used the aforementioned technique throughout my career.

Hope this helps you with your decisions.

All the best

Coops

PS. We used to araldite the compass to the weapon!

And then the compass goes insane when you hit the trigger. I have it on my forearm.

[coops]

Can you expand on your comment Ali,

[Ali Fikree]

When I did mount a compass ( UWATEC) on my scooter ( Gavin), and hit the trigger, the compass went insane.

[rjack]

A kayak compass up forward on the hull seems to work without interference from induced magnetism. Its a long way away from my eye though and not very helpful. I now have an X scooter in addition to the Gavin and its built in compass works much better than the kludgy kayak compass.

[coops]

Roger that Ali,
I have always used and seen used (on a tank), a normal Suunto map reading compass; used to good effect. The electro magnetic impact upon the Suunto I have no knowledge of. Hope you are enjoying your new toy (with its compass built in). If nothing else this thread may illuminate the issue for others.

All the best

Coops

[Ali Fikree]

Roger that Ali,
I have always used and seen used (on a tank), a normal Suunto map reading compass; used to good effect. The electro magnetic impact upon the Suunto I have no knowledge of. Hope you are enjoying your new toy (with its compass built in). If nothing else this thread may illuminate the issue for others.

All the best

Coops

Hi Coops-toy is not new. I bought it in 2004 :) I have nearly 500 hours on it.

Hope to meet up for some diving soon.