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Old 12-07-2014, 10:18 PM   #1
Smesh
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Lobster Gauge Attached To Primary Light or Not?

I'm getting rigged for night diving for Lobster. Never done it once. Ever. Been trying to figure out the light situation.

I ended up picking some lights up today. I got a UK Mini Q4 LED



A UK SL4eLED that is 400 Lumens.



A Princeton Tec Amp 1L marker light.



I got the SL4 eLED as the primary because one of my dive partners suggested a handheld would be better as a primary than a pistol grip because the pistol grips have a tendency to get hung up when sticking them in holes. The UK SL4 eLED is 400 lumens and takes 4x C batteries just like the larger UK c4 or the PT Miniwave LED pistol grips. Disadvantage is you can't attach a gauge to it. Earlier today I didn't understand how that worked or what that meant because I'm a lobster diving super-noob.

Originally I planned to get the Princeton Tec Reef Pak. Now I'm thinking that the pistol grip with the gauge mounted on the Miniwave LED is a good idea.

Here are the options as I see them:

A) Using a pistol grip light with gauge attached: Have the lobster in one hand and light in the other, measure and release or stick in the bag.

vs.

B) UK SL4 eLED primary light with separate gauge: Grab the bug, drop the primary light with the other hand, turn on the UK mini 4Q on the mask with now free hand, then get the gauge from wherever it's attached and measure, release or put in the bag, then go back to the primary.

Ugh. Seems complicated using option B.

Plus.....I can mount a gopro to the miniwave or sector 5 or c4 housing using my GoPro wrist strap.

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Old 12-07-2014, 10:32 PM   #2
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Re: Lobster Gauge Attached To Primary Light or Not?

In my experience, i use the A Princeton Tec Amp 1L. The least light as possible the better, big lights tend to scare off bugs back into their holes the little fellar is small enough to put into your mouth and aim with your teeth and use both hands. with the lobster gauge i have mine now on my lobster bag hooked up to a key line where i just pull the gauge and line is attached to it and when i am done i let it go and the line rolls back with the gauge. = easy and efficient for me.

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Old 12-07-2014, 10:53 PM   #3
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Re: Lobster Gauge Attached To Primary Light or Not?

I have 3 different UK mask lights depending on how bright I need the mask light. I have mask light with me day or night for bugs. As little light as needed. My main light is a led C-4 with a float line attached. You can drop the light, mark a spot, and wind your forearm through the float line to keep it with you when using both hands.

I do not use a wrist strap or bungie as I use two hands on many grabs. Friday night I grabbed two bugs simultaneously with separate hands. If you use a gauge attached to your light you will be shining a lot of light needlessly and possibly backing up bugs in close quarters. When I did use a light gauge I changed out the gauge to heavier duty and I reinforced (welds) the struts attaching gauge to light. Different possibilities.
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Old 12-07-2014, 11:35 PM   #4
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Re: Lobster Gauge Attached To Primary Light or Not?

Great advice on the float line to the primary. I have two carter floats and a float line so I can use a glowstick on the float. Genius. I also like that I can select high or low on the miniwave. With the UK SL4eLED I can only select on or off and the beam is very concentrated and intense compared to the 3LED wider beam of the Miniwave. I can buy them both for the same price right now from Leisure pro.
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Old 12-07-2014, 11:40 PM   #5
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Re: Lobster Gauge Attached To Primary Light or Not?

Sheldon my advice would be to keep things simple, especially for now. The pistol grip light with gauge attached to your front is your best and safest bet for now because 90% of the bugs you are going to see or be able to grab where you will be diving will be the marginal ones that are 1/4" short or 1/4" legal, which means you'll be doing a lot of measuring. Hold light with one hand, firm grasp on the bug with the other - it's about as simple as it gets. If it's legal one hand to open the bag and place bug in bag. You have dinner. I've used my mini shockwave, and I've had no issues in the last 2 years. As far as technique goes for catching bugs vs them bolting on you,, I would focus on spotting them first and figuring out how to get within striking distance (using the edge of the light to keep tracks on the bug, etc) rather than depending on equipment. No matter if you have a pistol grip or hand held or mask light, if a bug spooks, it spooks. So, IMO just keep it simple, get a primary with gauge mount and a decent back up (for safety just in case your primary dies) and worry about head lamps and all the other stuff later. I really do not advise using a lanyard or a gauge anywhere else other than attached to the front of your light especially when you are starting out.... I've been down the before and first hand, i have people asking me to measure bugs all the time and they have fancy lanyard setups. Just keep it simple man, my two cents.
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Old 12-07-2014, 11:41 PM   #6
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Re: Lobster Gauge Attached To Primary Light or Not?

Does the mini wave have enough "juice" for a primary light? I've got a big 'ol pistol grip led cannon and love it for those murky night dives. It seems like that mini wave wouldn't cut it in those situations. But maybe I'm just using too much light!
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Old 12-07-2014, 11:41 PM   #7
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Re: Lobster Gauge Attached To Primary Light or Not?

Oh as far as a big bug or a holed up bug, I have a lanyard so I can slide the light down my wrist if I need a two handed grip although I don't really wrap the lanyard around my wrist so I can drop my light (which I don't necessarily recommend), but you'll be fine man...
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Old 12-07-2014, 11:43 PM   #8
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Re: Lobster Gauge Attached To Primary Light or Not?

Quote:
Originally Posted by SpearS0CAL View Post
Does the mini wave have enough "juice" for a primary light? I've got a big 'ol pistol grip led cannon and love it for those murky night dives. It seems like that mini wave wouldn't cut it in those situations. But maybe I'm just using too much light!
It's fine. I don't need a spot light to scare all the bigguns away. It's got a solid wide range. Like 300 lumen or something. I catch plenty of lobster with it.
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Old 12-07-2014, 11:48 PM   #9
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Re: Lobster Gauge Attached To Primary Light or Not?

I love the Q40LED mask light, c4 combo. Cheap on batteries, doesn't illuminate the whole area, but cuts thru the murk well.
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Old 12-07-2014, 11:58 PM   #10
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Re: Lobster Gauge Attached To Primary Light or Not?

I primarily run the C8 with the gauge mounted on the light. It's less bright and less flood than a D4 or a D8, yet still enough light for dirty water conditions. On nights when I know the vis will be stellar, I take a smaller light like a C4.

I MUCH prefer the gauge on the end of the light. I sharpened the inside edge of the gauge, and it cuts mono of any size with ease, and does not ever cut me or bugs. It's very quick to measure a bug, and I do tend to just use a standard lanyard.
Yes, when the chips are down, you CAN, and WILL break that lanyard to get free if the light winds up lodged in a crack and you can't get it lose.
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Old 12-08-2014, 01:53 AM   #11
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Re: Lobster Gauge Attached To Primary Light or Not?

Lots of good advice here. I'm on a tight budget so I ordered the Princeton Tec Miniwave LED and will return the UK SL4eLed. It's on sale at Leisure Pro for $56 with free shipping and it's 390 lumens with 3 LEDs and a good wide beam. I can always get a bigger light later, but for now that allows me to use the lobster gauge.

I'm going to keep the UK mini q40 LED light. It's as bright as the Princeton League 100 that comes in the reef pack kit even though the League is rated at 210 lumens and the q40 is only 77 lumens, and not much difference in size, so I might as well have the option of wearing it on a mask if I want to try it out.
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Old 12-08-2014, 03:39 AM   #12
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Re: Lobster Gauge Attached To Primary Light or Not?

C4 or C8 with the gauge on the light, done.
Best setup I have used for bugging.
Go LED too, they might spook the bugs more but the batteries will last you about 10X as long and it wont dim during your dive. Theres no way I'm paying for 4 or 8 C batteries every other time I go diving F that. I usually do as good or better than whoever I'm diving with on any given night too so the LED must not be scaring them too bad lol
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Old 12-08-2014, 03:50 AM   #13
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Re: Lobster Gauge Attached To Primary Light or Not?

what the **** do you need gauges for?

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Old 12-08-2014, 03:50 AM   #14
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Re: Lobster Gauge Attached To Primary Light or Not?

Quote:
Originally Posted by "Yard-Sale Josh" View Post
C4 or C8 with the gauge on the light, done.
Best setup I have used for bugging.
Go LED too, they might spook the bugs more but the batteries will last you about 10X as long and it wont dim during your dive. Theres no way I'm paying for 4 or 8 C batteries every other time I go diving F that. I usually do as good or better than whoever I'm diving with on any given night too so the LED must not be scaring them too bad lol
just put a filter on the lense if yer worried abotu spookin bugs
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Old 12-08-2014, 04:35 AM   #15
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Re: Lobster Gauge Attached To Primary Light or Not?

I ordered this already so I hope it works. It's 4 C batteries and more lumens (390) than the UK C4 LED so I'm guessing that will work as well. With a promo code it was $56 shipped. The new Sector 5 that replaced it is $99 minimum so almost double.



http://www.leisurepro.com/p-ptcmwln/...led-dive-light

Taking the UK SL4eLED back. Now I just have to find the gauge and a lobster bag. Hoping to find them local.
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