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Non-Gun DIY Projects and Customizations This section is for your DIY spearfishing projects and customization other then spearguns.

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Old 01-21-2014, 01:33 PM   #16
sticknrelease
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Re: DIY Float Line Help

Kwtony has a point. Some of us have to build them without a partner (insert forever alone meme here) I just duct tape one end to the fence, and pull the tube straight from the other end and shop vac it myself. I have found that spiderwire or similar fishing line works great for getting the string through to pull your spectra core. Keep the tube straight, and make sure the resistance on the line you are sucking through is minimal.
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Old 01-21-2014, 03:37 PM   #17
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Re: DIY Float Line Help

If you only have spiderwire on your fishing rod, open the bail and vac it out one end, and tie the line to the end you just vac'd out and just reel it through, so you dont have to cut or waste your line. Thread works nice because it only costs a buck or so, and you can just toss it out when you are done. Ive made a few with thread and am still on the one roll i bought from the fabric store. A rod and reel will make it less messy and contain it all.
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Old 12-22-2016, 12:09 AM   #18
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Re: DIY Float Line Help

Old thread, but when I made my tubed floatlines I used PU tubing. It is way more abrasion resistant than the softer PVC. But not all PU tubing is created equal. Some of it is too stiff, while the softest is just about soft enough for floatline use.

To get the dyneema through, I went to a friend's highrise building, dropped the tubing over the balcony and inserted the dyneema into the tube with some small fishing lead balls clamped to it. I was alone, too so no one to pull on my tubing...
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Old 06-05-2017, 01:44 PM   #19
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Re: DIY Float Line Help

This is how i made my Float line, you can decide by your own on the materials but the PU Tube works very well!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RFAMAWmNGQ&t=206s
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Old 06-07-2017, 12:31 PM   #20
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Re: DIY Float Line Help

i have a few sets of the fancy plugs but i will tell you this- the cheap pvc tubing isnt nearly as nice as the relaxed rubber used on riffe float lines.
craigs float lines has the relaxed rubber and all the accessories i think.
do what gr said - you are wasting your time.
one fish spine into that rubber and it fills with water and sinks

you can make your own plugs out of starboard or ipe hardwood- start with a 3/8"diameter dowel of whatever material you want to use- plastic is nice - but ipe is harder and more durable- just hand carve and sand and drill etc.- make a groove to wrap the whipping twine around etc.- that is the only way to do it without getting the expensive metal plugs from neptonics (they are so nice though)
i just waited for someone to get their riffe float line bitten by sharks and i took them and took out the plugs- that happened 2 times - plus i bought 1 set from neptonics - so i have 3 sets sitting around in a tackle box

i have a white pvc/ combo bungee float line from neptonics that is so nice - but it aint cheap or durable - but it is definitely the smoothest thing in the water - with no drag at all to swim with but i use for wahoo only and i am anal about protecting it

if you insist on pursuing this pm me and i will send you the plugs i have for a discount- but rest assured - you will be far happier with a store bought one from riffe or one you make with craigsfloatlines.com - with similar quality.
the ones made with the clear pvc from home depot are too stiff but they are a bit more durable than the more rubbery variety sold by riffe or craigs
the clear stuff is more plasticy and the riffe ones are more rubbery- the rubbery ones are super smooth and high performance
the clear stuff is stiffer but a bit tougher but not as smooth or easy to swim with and it has a "memory"- so if you store it and it kinks or it is in loops - when you play it out - it is coily in the water- where as the riffe ones etc. have no memory

i made some cool float lines from bungee material from ebay - just straight bungee - 1/2"diameter- they have all colors available it floats - stretches - and costs like 60$ for 250'

a trick i use for the shop vac method (tony was at my house and and we were doing one ) was to tie the thread to a q tip- and suck that through
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Old 06-07-2017, 07:27 PM   #21
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Re: DIY Float Line Help

Quote:
Originally Posted by Impaler Spearguns View Post
i have a white pvc/ combo bungee float line from neptonics that is so nice - but it aint cheap or durable - but it is definitely the smoothest thing in the water - with no drag at all to swim with but i use for wahoo only and i am anal about protecting it
x2 on the ultra low drag factor of PVC floatline - spending couple of hours swimming into hard current with PVC is so much easier than rope [assuming low-drag float of course] and noticeably easier than heavy bungee. yes it is more fragile than HD bungee [but the heavy spectra inside survives doggies ripping it thru the coral] but cheap and easy to replace

PVC floatline connected to 3 metre 3X stretch bungee at gun end, with heatshrink over the floatline-bungee connection, super low drag and nothing to get hung up on when fish takes off

Last edited by kavachi; 06-07-2017 at 07:31 PM. Reason: typo
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Old 08-01-2017, 07:32 PM   #22
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Re: DIY Float Line Help

Looking for replacement floatline for tuna board.

Needs to be approx 6mm to fit camcleat, and i’ve found that diam good balance between low drag in current but thick enough to hand haul, tough enough for the camcleat and hold up when a doggie wraps it up deep. Also needs to be hi-vis color on surface, bright yellow or orange. hopefully reasonably UV-resistant dye, as got years out of last rig.

Obviously needs to float, but not super floaty like the traplines. Low stretch as it needs to stop the fish dead once the shaft end bungee is maxed out [retrieving gear off the reef 30m+ in raging current with scuba gets boring very quickly]

The orange yellow fleck MFP braid I had on the board was great - nice hard stiff carrier and tight laid so doesnt bunch along core when cleating hard like some of the cheap dinghy sheetlines, but no idea what brand it was, and some prick knocked it off so cant ID. the Samson MFP floatline’s closest looking stuff

Thing thats hardest to gauge online is each line's stiffness and memory in water, propensity to tangle. most of the yacht braids are designed to be softer to grip winch drum and to tail nicely - looking for the opposite for use on tuna board, hence looking at hard MFP braid floatlines like Samson’s 6mm MFP, which also has good colour
http://www.samsonrope.com/Pages/Prod...?ProductID=461

Greatly appreciate any reccos, pointers
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Old 08-02-2017, 02:15 PM   #23
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Re: DIY Float Line Help

Quote:
Originally Posted by Impaler Spearguns View Post

i have a white pvc/ combo bungee float line from neptonics that is so nice - but it aint cheap or durable - but it is definitely the smoothest thing in the water - with no drag at all to swim with but i use for wahoo only and i am anal about protecting it
We've literally sold 1000's of floatlines over the past decade and have never heard of issues with durability. It's at the point where we feel like it's a bad business model as divers buy one and almost never replace it.

We'd love to hear more about your experience especially your feeling the need to protect it.
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Old 08-02-2017, 04:32 PM   #24
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Re: DIY Float Line Help

as mentioned in earlier post - PVC floatlines are fantastic, esp in honking current, but unfortunately not for going thru camcleats, or getting ripped thru the coral by doggies
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Old 10-28-2017, 02:21 AM   #25
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Re: DIY Float Line Help

Quote:
Originally Posted by kavachi View Post
Looking for replacement floatline for tuna board.

Needs to be approx 6mm to fit camcleat, and i’ve found that diam good balance between low drag in current but thick enough to hand haul, tough enough for the camcleat and hold up when a doggie wraps it up deep. Also needs to be hi-vis color on surface, bright yellow or orange. hopefully reasonably UV-resistant dye, as got years out of last rig.

Obviously needs to float, but not super floaty like the traplines. Low stretch as it needs to stop the fish dead once the shaft end bungee is maxed out [retrieving gear off the reef 30m+ in raging current with scuba gets boring very quickly]

The orange yellow fleck MFP braid I had on the board was great - nice hard stiff carrier and tight laid so doesnt bunch along core when cleating hard like some of the cheap dinghy sheetlines, but no idea what brand it was, and some prick knocked it off so cant ID. the Samson MFP floatline’s closest looking stuff

Thing thats hardest to gauge online is each line's stiffness and memory in water, propensity to tangle. most of the yacht braids are designed to be softer to grip winch drum and to tail nicely - looking for the opposite for use on tuna board, hence looking at hard MFP braid floatlines like Samson’s 6mm MFP, which also has good colour
http://www.samsonrope.com/Pages/Prod...?ProductID=461

Greatly appreciate any reccos, pointers
Still searching for the right line for tuna board - tried the 1/4" Samson linked above but still too supple, too much tendency to snake around and wrap up.
I could go up to 3/8" MFP which will have the stiffness, but a lot more drag, more freight $$, and will have to buy a bigger cam cleat.
Anyone out there found some nice stiff MFP or similar hard small-diameter floating line?
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Old 04-30-2018, 04:12 PM   #26
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Re: DIY Float Line Help

Please post link when you found it. Thanks.

Quote:
Originally Posted by dxb.night View Post
There is a version of automotive bungee line that floats. It doesn't tangle, and is stretchy. I've never been able to pin down the supplier, but there is US based one.

I believe it's polypropylene sheathed, and comes in 8mm and 10mm diameters.

If you go that way you won't regret it, as some old SA tuna boards used similar ones to good effect.

Just make sure it's the right one, then put tuna clips / swivels on the ends.

Simple polypropylene rope works too, but make sure it doesn't tangle much.
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Old 04-30-2018, 09:31 PM   #27
kavachi
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Re: DIY Float Line Help

Quote:
Originally Posted by rnln View Post
Please post link when you found it. Thanks.
yes - please post link
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