U/W dive plane video in the Abacos

[Travis McGee]

Originally Posted by FSMike

I remember trimaran designer Arthur Piver writing about doing that in his book about sailing the original Lodestar tri from California to Australia back in the 50's IIRC. Looks like you've definitely refined the concept.
Good fun.

Mike, you have made my night by associating in my mind Arthur Pivar and myself both dive planing in clear blue mid-ocean water, across the decades. Thanks for that gem.

[Travis McGee]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

Great job Travis documenting the mechanics and joy of using a diving plane.

In the early 80's we used them a lot to survey new dive sites when running a 180ft liveaboard dive boat in Micronesia, exploring all that atolls between Ponphei and Palau.

Not to sensationalize but a caution on using them in high density shark locations.

Of course our interests were the reefs and finding lots of animals.

The sharks do react to the free diving signals of fluttering near the surface and we did get a number of close, aggressive passes that left us shaken.

We then switched to a scuba solution to be able to have more control.

Using a separate small signal line for giving (stop-start) speed , depth and course directions ...... We lashed compensating weights to the poly line near the plane's bridal to lower tow angle and it balanced out quite well.

Also because of added resistance from SCUBA gear we hooked on to the plane via crotch strap hooks to carry the load while steering with hands.

Once balanced and practiced... It worked well and we covered a lot of territory at about 50ft, without exciting the sharks.

Unfortunately, these days finding sharks in such numbers has become a rarity..... But this was how I found my first Silvertip at Orluk atoll in 1981.

Wow, amazing story, thanks for sharing and putting in the context. I loved the description of switching to scuba, hooking in, it all makes perfect sense. They must have been some wild days and nights, sounds like a movie with DiCaprio or Pitt or Depp, only it really happened. Wish I'd been there, sounds like you pegged the fun meter, exploded it, and tossed it overboard and carried on. Color me jealous.

[Travis McGee]

Originally Posted by Flem.S.Coyle

Looks like a lot of fun, Matt. I was hoping your exile to the Abacos was a working vacation, bent on the production of Dan Kilmer episode #2.

I'll have to order a couple of those dive boards, while waiting patiently for new dystopian fiction.

-Jeff

Yeah, I wish I'd made more progress on the next book, but we had a blast, that's for sure, bouncing around the Sea of Abaco. Spanish, Green Turtle, Treasure, Marsh, ManoWar, Hopetown etc. Wish I were still there.

[Travis McGee]

Seriously, every sailboat going to the Bahamas or Carib needs a dive plane.

It's as much fun as sailing or snorkeling, filling it's own still unknown sporting niche.

[Flem.S.Coyle]

Matt, do you think it'd be possible to match up dive-planing and Hawaiian sling fishing? Or, would you suspect that the distressed/speared victim might draw too many other predators?

Or, do you think this might somehow violate some fishing statute regarding special diving equipment?

[noelex 77]

Great video Matt.

It just needs some anchor footage to make it perfect