So I’ve come to the decision that I am going to incorporate the belt reel into my diving set up.
The reasoning behind it is not for a back up to my gun but rather one for my camera.
When I’m diving more than about 50 feet with the Camera and gun it is really difficult to keep track of both especially when you shoot a big fish and can’t fight him because you have the camera in your opposite. Case in point: 100lb Cubera Snapper Video
This video i had someone elses video camera and did not want to drop it.
With big fish like this Cubera Snapper though you need both hands free to operate the reel on the gun and also to put pressure on the fish or you are going to lose them, as I did this one. Without both hands free, despite having a good shot just behind the head I wasn’t able to get him stopped before he managed to wind his way under through in out over and back in to the wreck. (knowing I couldn’t put pressure on him I freespooled as soon as I could thinking I had a great shot on him but I think one of the 500lb Jewfish had something to do with his disappearance…)
So my question is this, what is the best way to set up the belt reel so that I can clip it off to my camera and put it on freespool if need be when I have to drop it?
For safety reasons, I want to be able to quickly release the whole reel set up if need be as well but I guess I can drop my weight belt if it gets to that.
I will be using a Riffe horizontal reel which has an easy preset drag.
Let me know what you all use for a belt reel set up. I think this will be a good solution for me to avoid having to either lose fish or my camera on dives where I am doing both.
And don’t say get a Go Pro. They are good but I want the highest quality video I can get and a steady hand to shoot it! Not a Head or Gun mount!
7 Responses to “Belt Reel: I need your help!”
Is this reel setup to just have a way to retrieve the camera if you need to drop it? If so and your gonna use the riffe reel I can set up a one handed release clip that will allow you to clear it from your belt if it gets tangled up. Or there is always the use of military fire ARM bungies. We would have them clipped to us so if we dropped our weapons or they came un-holstered we could retrieve them. All depends on if this is what your speaking about! Jordan
I already have a design set up for it one hand release and can hold the reel. You can place it anywhere on your belt and interchange it between different belts if need be!! Jordan
Get a retractable clip that alot of scuba divers use for their guages it allows you to keep it slacked but in the event that you have to drop it you can flip the switch on the side and it will pull the camera next to your body
Cam,
Mount the reel on your belt with a clip. Then from the belt to your gun have about 3-4ft of bungee with line inside that will clip to the butt of your gun, or your breakaway.
hi cam
i use a body boarding leash that goes around my bicep that i clip my camera to..it stays out the way and you forget its even there(right arm)
i then attach my gun(left hand) to my belt reel
ive lost one gun already to a big cubera…my reel jammed and hands were full…and it wasnt clipped onto my belt reel
not making that mistake again
i see in the med here..the guys dive with their belt reels on a differant belt to their weight belt…its a quick release and goes below their weight belt…obviously so if something happens they can just ditch the belt reel and not everything…still try dive out your equipment…pretty clever
cheers gerhard
Hi,
I use the belt reel which Rob Allen produces and works very fine. Go have a look at it on http://www.roballen.co.za. It can also clip off from your weight belt and be attached to a bouy if needs be.
Hey Cam on the matter of Video cameras which camera do you prefer or use? Looking at getting a video camera and want something with good quality but also not to bulky so you can spear at the same time
Cheers