Malta Fishing Forum

As some might remember I had asked information about a speargun. 
Finally it arrived and I tried it Saturday.

I managed 2 sicc decently sized.

1).  I have the problem ot tying the not to the spear.  Can someone kindlt tell me how to tie it not to interfer with the shot.

2).  I tied the speargun to the floating device but due to the wind i had the floating device always to my side therefor it was sort of in the way.

Can someone please help me.  Can't wait for thursday

Thanks

Adrian

Normally we don't tie the speargun with anything, so if you need to leave it down there, or you have to leave it quickly, you won't have any interference.
The bouy is noramlly to a lead which can be attached to the belt while snorkelling, and detached and anchored before diving. 

Usualy when you buy a speargun it is supplied with nylon thats not good to use, creates drag, you have to buy xlief and cumbaturi you now what i mean? about tying the marker bouy to your gun its not good neither ,it interfiers on aiming well. use a clip to your weight belt , i keep a small lead under the belt which i anchor the bouy with, when i need to explore better the area, it even helps in poor vis not to loose the spot.

To be honest I found that the nylon was interfering so I quickly used xlief but I had the problem that the xlief was not 'Stirata' so saturday I had to idobba. 

Regarding the xlief what diameter would you recommend?

And as what regards the float I will try as you pointed out.
Thanks for all those helping

Adrian

personaly i prefer quit a thick xlief , i think its a 2mm . the thinner it is less drag you have , but i prefer it a bit thick , so that i can use strength on pulling the spear from under rocks , or on extracting a grouper  etc.

Fabrizio,

I will try it with the xlief then.

I am thinking of adding a reel as it is more confortable.  How much xlief would you recommend?  I till now dive till 10 meters maybe 15 not more so I think 8 or 10 meters are enough but I would appreciate comments or suggestions.

I have a comment to pass with you.  I am a 110kg 'grouper' walking being and I used 6 kg of weight and I fould it difficult to keep bouyant.  Next time I will add an other 2 kg but am I doing right adding all that weight?

Thanks

Adrian

no the xlief you have to use is about 3 times the lenght of the spear , than change to nylon or dukron in your reel , usually 50mts is enough . as regards the weight for ex i am 96kls and use 9kls in winter, when i change to 3mm suit i use 4 kls only in summer.

at this time of year with a 5 mm suite I use 9-10 kg for dives up to 10mt.  6 kg of weight is not enough.

Quote from: markcam on March 31, 2009, 10:22:35 CET
at this time of year with a 5 mm suite I use 9-10 kg for dives up to 10mt.  6 kg of weight is not enough.

Actually one has to take into consideration :
The thickness of the wetsuit
The type of neoprene- macro, micro celled and various other types.
The respective weight and fat content

The above are the main factors that contribute to buoyancy.
Most important of all is the expected hunting depths. As a general rule of thumb, for safety reasons and better perfomance it is better to adjust the lead weight to the hunting depths. Thus, many spearos adjust the weight in order to be neutrally buoyant at 2/3 to 3/4 their max hunting depth. This is generic and different individuals go for different setups.

Thus one can never say that Xkg is too few or too many. :)

Regarding nylon...after much experimenting I found black nylon from Mister Fish and tied it  3-5mts to the spearshaft...then I tied the respective black nylon to about 30m (wound in reel) of the brown line used in long lines.

As for the reel, there are many on the market. Personally I found the sporasub very good value for money... refer to pic for the two types of nylon used and sporasub reel.

(http://maltafishingforum.com/talk/gallery/183_21_01_09_8_40_07.jpeg)

couldnt have said it better spnotta. 

I personally don't agree with tying the buoy your belt, or else if you do, use a quick cut line such as a 30mm line which you can easily cut with a soft pull.

Experience tells me not to tie myself to anything when in the sea, either because a line can get stuck on a rock while coming back up, or a boat can come between you and the buoy.

Very good explanation spnotta. When keeping the marker bouy line with your
weight belt be sure you have a clip that you can count on.

Safe wise its always better to anchor the bouy whenever making a dive , or you can pass the lead on your line to your buddy , in such a way he is always on the look out.

The initial question of tying the spear, as to what type of knot to use and how it will look. Any picture is welcome.

Guys,

Thanks for the help but I need some more if I may.

I am currently diving to a maximum of 10 meters as I am majorly on the look out for sicc. 

I dived yesterday with a 5 mm suit and used 8 kg of weight but I still feel the need for more I will add a further 2 kg tomorrow and see how it goes.

Regarding the spear I am finding various small problems. 
1.)  I am not using a reel for now.  I hope to be able to manage without it since it adds another variable to my set up.  I think it is better to learn without it and then add it once I feel better.
2.)  I am finding the biggest problem the way to tie the spear to the gun.  The whole set up so as not to interfer with the shot.
3.)  I am using a using a 3 pointed froxna at the moment and not the single point 'bullet'.  I know this reduces accuracy but it sort of makes me feel better before I take a shot since it increases the area covered.  I know that the single point is beter and I finally intend to be fishing with it but I need practise.loads of it.

Regarding the bouy.  I used a weight and passed it round the belt but I still found it uncomfortable especcially when I dived or took sharp turns.  Does this happen to everyone?

In Thanking You for all your help

Mellieha
Adrian

Bdw.  2hrs in freezing waters and came up empty handed. 

I cannot spot the sicc in the day.(well it was 13.00)

I sam 2 small groupers and 1 small dott.  I am proud ot them as I never saw in the place I was.

Hope some stupid will not try them out.  They were smaller than an average painted comber.

Mellieha

If your fishing sicc and small fish and in depths of up to 10 meters I dont think you really need a reel.

Regarding the setup for the gun, go to mister fish and buy the xlief for spear guns and ask him to give you sleeves which are adequate for the line.  If you dont want to spend much on the sleeves I recommend you dont buy of effesub because they are expensive.


The buoy is my biggest enemy, as in interfers with the way I fish.  But the method which causes less inconvienence is tieing it to a small wieght and inserting it in the weight belt which can easily be removed.  When you put the weight on the bottom, then you have to swim back for it. (thats what i dont like)  If you swim in pairs, you will avoid this problem as the other guy will be following you.

For now I will be fishing for sicc, oct and other fish upto 10meters.  When I feel better enough I will add 5 meters gradually.  But it will be useless to try over ad above my current limits.

I still have alot to learn

I never mentioned you should.  My advise to everyone I speak to is that first you have to master the shallows before you attempt to go to the deep. 

I know you never said so Markcam but I wanted to state it since for me its important.

This is because for me a dive before I started apnea was diving at around 40 meters. It makes a large psychological impression being only able to manage 10 meters.

sometimes you ll be amazed how much productive the sea can be in the 10 m to 15m range , most big catches i ve done were all done in that range , just as long as you are in the right place. so dont give up.

Quote from: fabrizioviper on April 01, 2009, 19:12:43 CET
sometimes you ll be amazed how much productive the sea can be in the 10 m to 15m range , most big catches i ve done were all done in that range , just as long as you are in the right place. so dont give up.

i agree

0-15m range is great, I second  Marckam and Fabrizioviper opinions.

I will try the new info out tomorrow or Saturday.

BDw I would like to ask what is the earliest time one can go to spearfish whilst still seeing the fish.  e.g. 6 am. Is it to early?

Thanks

Mellieha

6 am is perfect in my opinion. the chance of landing something is very occasional. the fish are far less alert.
once i caught a nice octopus with bare hands at 6 am from gnejna. i had just started my dive

sunrise and sunset...generally are more fruitful...depends on what you want to land.

May I suggest to forget about depths, put aside your pronged shaft and buy yourself a bullet tip shaft and reel. This was suggested to me when I started spearfishing...I did not take heed at first...after loads of lost opportunities...I eventually came to terms wth the reality of spearfishing.

Dear All,

I will buy the bullet tip probably tomorrow. 

I do not expect big catches but some catches yes.  ;D ;D

To be honest I always considered spearfishing a sport for the cowards.  I will tell you why.  I mistakenly believed that spearfishing was something easy but its far from that.  In my humble opinion, believe me I have tried loads of fishing techniques, this is one that challenges my entire mind and body.  One requires technique, physical ability, knowledge of the area, currents etc and loads of practise as well as mass preparation before hand.  Surely not as much preparation as longlines in terms of equipment but loads of preparation in terms of physic.

Thanks

Mellieha

Quote from: mellieha on April 03, 2009, 09:24:03 CET


To be honest I always considered spearfishing a sport for the cowards.  I will tell you why.  I mistakenly believed that spearfishing was something easy but its far from that. 

me too   :( ...until I tried it...it really kicks in the hunter in oneself and since it is selective...it COULD be one of the greenest means of landing a fish from the sea.

Guys,

I went yesterday morning just before the wind.

I made my first catch, a Murlin of around 24cm.  Sorry no pic.  I found it in 1 meter water.
As what regards other fish it was like a desert.  Only saw a small grouper but nothing relevant. 

I tried 8 kg of weight but it seemed to much for my tastes especially in the shallow.  Then at depth it seemed better.  Next time I will try 7kg and will see what happens.

Regarding the spear I will have to buy a reel.  It seems evident now.  Any recommendations about a reel please?

Adrian

hello guys i'm a new member and i've seen that this forum is very handy and helpful.
So can some one tell me why my o.m.e.r excalibur can not resist 2 bands.
when i load it it shoots by itself. i thought that the trigger is sensitive to that kind of load what do you thing? ???

Hi spearer and mellieha.
Sorry I did not get this thread earlier for comments.
As regards your comment spearerr, be carefull, if it cannot withstand two rubbers, I would not thrust even one on it. For sure it is damaged or by wear and tear with usage it got damaged, but it sounds strange since excalibur is not such an old model not... You better seek advice from the supplier at Bugibba.
Mellieha I will try to comment on yours later since I need to leave.

lol better than me went diving today targeting white fish but only hriebex around

diving in 10-15 meters is not worth, it was like desert

all the fish was collected in the 5 metre range and they were too small

as they say it was a capotto today


with regards to what happenned to spearerr, you have not a faulty gun. it is just that the trigger mechanism does not withstand the bands together

for double bands, you need a trigger which is designed to that. while some withstand it, even if designed for single band, many others are designed to withstand less load for cost purposes

just asking... what thickness of bands you have??

if i can mention brands.....(skip you tell me) i tell you which withstand it and which do not

I think you ve got something wrong in the trigger , broken or something even from the inside where you cant see the crack. what happens when you load it with one sling  to the full?  NEVER LOAD IT ON LAND.

Hi mates.
As regards the defective gun. Granitu is right in telling that the gun is designed for single rubber, but I have owned other guns which are much older models and I modified, and experimented with them. I never had a gun which shot by itself. I would be very carefull with this gun. What about then changing rubbers to thicher ones, and how would you know if you are safe when loding it to the full (as fabrizio said).

Melliehi Before I got so\ much into spearfishing. I also tried to experiment on my own for years, without seeking any advice, and without any help, and without any websites helping me. I started the way you said, with the gun tied to the buoy. My fear was of loosing the gun, and like that I was safe. I learned that in that way many of the techniques that are much needed, cannot be applied that way. you are also limited in your movements, and you have something to give you hassle when you aim. This also strains your hand. Whilst if you tied your buoy to a weight attached to the belt, you could release it whenever (or pass it to your buddy). In this way, you can mark a spot not visible from the surface, and you can freely move.
A common feeling is that the buoy pisses you, it is boring many times esp. in currents, when loaded etc, but it is a very comfortable way to carry other items, and it is needed when open water,(you will see in summer).

As regards weight issue. Spnotta said it right. I usually use around 7/8/9 kilos in winter, depending on the depth. You might ask??? how? I have to plan my dive beforehand if there is no dinghi by, or attach some weight to the buoy.
In summer the weight drops to 6 kilos (but I am really buoyant compared to other buddies) and also the suit makes the difference.

Hope I helped you as you did when I needed you mate.

the modern technique to wiegh the needed weight is that at 2/3 of your target depth you become neutral

it much depends on wetsuit and weight distribution rather than you baghira :P :P different neoprene have different buoyancy levels and also the type of neoprene and the fit of the wetsuit. a perfect fit wetsuit has lower buoyancy

ankle wieghts are recommended too at medium depts. a commmon problem for spearos is that the fins remain dwindling, uncovering our camoflauge

Hi guys,

I thank you all for the help.

I am trying alot recently and I am finding myself t do passes of giants very quickly especially in terms of equipment and some techniques.

In terms of weight I will have to try with 7 now although I will have to buy more 1 kg weights.  I only have 2 kgs.  I will also try ankle weights eventually.

I need to buy a reel.  I was told of a couple of models at Mr. Fish (my financer and greatest supporter - Nadine my fiancee) but she does not understand much.  She saw a model that is attached with cable ties and another one that attaches with a clip.  I will have to find time and see them for myself but it is not easy.

Hey guys regarding bouys and drag does it make a difference to have a round or an oval one or is it just tastes.

Hope to be good enough to be able to make a buddy dive and not be of trouble to anyone.

Thanks

Adrian

Granitu
I have been diving and freediving ages now, and I tried load of suits, along with my buddies. I can assure you that body makes a lot of difference in buoyancy. Many times me and my buddy tried same suit and I required 3 more kilos than him, and he is also my same weight.

As regards buoy, I would never buy a round one, since a sausage type creates les drag. It is also more visible. Drag is also created with what you affix to the buoy, so be careful. There are also plancetti which are bigger, more visible for summer (due to boats) and can carry more equipment, but create more drag.

Go and buy a reel. they are all good, some of them maybe a bit lighter, and some more easy to operate. I would go for a smaller one. Forget the trident and buy a spear with a tip, and I recomend not a screw on type. You will train and get better results for sure. The trident makes you lazy. We still use is but just jor octopus or tana.

I forgot to mention that when you tie yourself to the buoy, be sure to have a fast release weight attached with a clip, and also make sure that you are able to fastly release you weightbelt.

What are '' tana'' please?

'I forgot to mention that when you tie yourself to the buoy, be sure to have a fast release weight attached with a clip'

I have tied the bouy to a weight with a very fragile harira so as to be able to either drop the weight or else strap it off easily.

Yes baghira your right about the reel and spear tip.  I will find some time and go to a dive shop to equip myself better.

Any one around me that opens till late  i.e. after 7?

tana is the fish den ie where the fish hides(its home)

there are various types of tana. it much depends on the bottom

i am two different types of diameters one is 20mm and the other is 18mm. This was desided after i done a test that when applied two same diameters the pwoer is the same as one but when applied two different diameters and two different lenghts the power is much more trust me! try it and you'll see !

for malta, i would go for 16mm bands

unless you are targeting big fish like ajs, groupers and similar fish you won't need much penetration.... even for the dentex, 16mm is said to be fine although i personnaly would prefer 17.5mm. i saw many italians who fish dentex with double 16mm and they catch

let me note the downside of thicker bands..... they have bigger recoil and the probability is of having an un-precise shot

on the other hand they have better penetration since their thickness delivers more momentum to the spear... in simple physics

for faster shots the diameter of the spear is essential than....

however it is essential that coupled with a good gun you need excellent technique which is what really helps to get fish

just my two cent

Hey guys,

Me again.

Went yesterday one of the days to forget.

As soon as I went in the water saw a sicca.  Good ah finally.  Put by harpoon on the first sling and down I wemt.

I shot with the bullet and went through the sicca.  Ahh full relief.  It gonna be  D day today.  Tried to take the sicca out and noticed a fully ruined tip.  Just purchased.  But no worries the adrenaline was greater.  Changed it quickly and off again. 

After 15 mins I spotted a cerna at 12 meters.  Went for it shot it missed it went to arm the harpoon again and another ruined tip fuck.  My buddy came down shot missed and hyperventilated.  I had 1 option return to shore.  I took him to popeyes slip and helped him up.  He recovered by then but I took no chances up and to the clinic.  He is fine ok now but I totally ruined my good friday.

Hope at least baghira and his buddies got the fish.

Thanks guys

Adrian

The choice of rubber diameter is very dependent on the length of gun (thus the respective length ofspearshaft), type of gun and the thickness of spearshaft.

I make use of 6.3 and 6.5mm diameter, 150-140cm spearshafts. My personal favourite setup.

For more power, one can reduce the length of the respective bands but be careful not to exceed the elastic limit.


I tried double 20,18,17...result... too much recoil, alot of spearshaft wobble and heavy loading. For my configuration I found 2x16mm best...for shooting at an AJ to shooting a stationary cuttlefish on hard rocks. ( For close encounters like octo, squid and cuttlefish I unload one of the bands and load the other band on the barb closest to the muzzle.).

What do you mean by hyperventilated??...hyperventilation is the process of venting hard enough to reduce the amount of CO2 required to give the body (out of air warning signals).

You mean your buddy had a blackout? That is very scary!!!!

This is serious mellieha about your buddy having a black out , don t over do it guys , do not be impressed by watching dvds of freedivers ascending with groupers from 30 or 40 mts of water , every individual has his own limits , if you
are comfortable at 8, 10,12 or 15mtr range be happy with it dont over do it.

The deeper you go , the more money you spend on your gear, the more time you remain underwater, does not make you the best hunter ,Experiance ,patience and technique will be rewarding , as years and years go by. Every day at sea is different from the other, that is the best thing in our sport.

i don't particularly agree with you fabriziodiver... you set your own limits

Simon g, during a normal chat at a forum reunion told me something that really impressed me and very true

"You have to work you depth".

it is not something that you wake up and say let's do 20m. you have to work for results and there is specific training for those that go deep

I have to agree with fabrizioviper ...... everyone has his own depth limit. I also agree with SimonG that You Have to Work Your Depth but ....... if I usually dive in the region of 20's I can't just say I need to work my way down to 35's because while working your way down you'll notice that maybe your limit is 26. And that is where you'll have to stay unless you start doing freediving training fulltime mode, 7-days a week plus yoga classes, eating special diet and specific training on increasing lung capacity.

I had a black out once while diving, could be caused by a number of things, too difficult to diagnose and find the real reason. It never happened to me again although from that day on I never went alone. I was about 23 when it happened and I kept diving for quite some time after that.
That doesnt mean to discard it, a medical check up and follow up is a good practice.

we dive nearly every day, and every day is different. Cannot set your limit. Even temperature, currents, diet, alcohol and lot of other things change your body status. Even suits can change your limit. I dive a lot with different divers and know their knowledge, not that i m a pro but can get an idea of whose my buddy at that time and his limits. Dont try to impersonate or forget that we are visitors cos a black out is not a nice thing.

be careful guys a blackout could happen in shallow waters it happened to me in 12 meters I was lucky that my buddy was watching   me

Maybe i didnt express my self very well Granitu, what i wanted to say is that a beginner can be easely impressed by hearing to what other divers say .

I agree that you have to work to increase your depth , but surely not in the case of mellieha , as a beginner he has a lot of things to learn rather than working on depths .
Hope i didnt offend you mellieha , but i m just passing over to you things people taught me some 30 years ago. 

no you are right.... i tried to do it in the way to gain depth quickly but it is all in vain

spear-fishing is not free-diving, it is much difficult and energy consuming. learn the techniques well in shallow waters and then maybe start training for the deep.

applying the techniques well yields too good results in shallow waters. much of us i think got their best catches in shallow waters.

the positive aspect of going deep is that at times i noticed that the fish are less diffident in deeper waters. i noticed this during an encounter with an awrata some time go in 20m range. much simpler to get near than in shallow water where an awrata is highly diffident

could be that they don't expect us that deep ??? ???

Spearfishing is about hunting...sometimes we forget that it is all about landing a fish...it is not limited to depth, apnea times, speargun range, mimetism, lung capacity, technology, special diets bla..bla..bla..etc.

Of course, each and every aforementioned factor ameliorates the chances of landing a fish. Like many others, in the past I have given too much weight on the technological/ physical/ mental etc. parts of spearfishing. I am no pro, in fact I am not ashamed to state I am as green as grass. :) What I am sure of... is from the day I concentrated on the "hunting" part and hunting skills acquired, landing fish was much easier. I believe hunting skills and knowledge are much more important.

I sustain Granitu's theory of shallow water fish being more hard to catch... in fact, in my eyes, landing an easily spooked shallow water fish is much more satisfying than placing a spear though a naive deep water fish relative.

AGREE 100%.

No fabrizioviper do not worry I do not get offended easily.

I thank god that during my diving years I got the rescue diver course.  This helped me to get control of the situation and come up both safe and sound.

I took my buddy to the clinic and now is ok. 

Honestly he is a much better spearfisher than me but as you all well mentioned it is a combination of factors that influences a spearfisher.  What I know is that he had a heavy argument with his other half just before the dive.

Thanks for all your help guys.

I wanted to ask something else.  What do you use to measure depth, downtime, temperature etc.  I use my diving computer but it is a bit too big.

Thanks

Adrian

Hi adrian.

I am a very straight forwad person, and I hate to keep my mouth shut. I was just a short encounter that day between us, but i am really quick in judjing situations. Maybe I am a few percent wrong, but I would get the bigger percent right.

I got a nice picture of your personality, and hope that I was not wrong. Why am I saying this!!
Well it was since the few minutes we met, you was wearing the wrong kind of suit, wrong fins, wrong computer, and prescence of Civil protection on the slip, and then Hyperventilation. What did you mean by hyperventilating? It could have been a series of coincidences, since in the last post you have asked regarding the diving computer, but it could also be something that i do not like.

Hope you explain yourself better, and hope we are not giving out tips to practice as you wish.
I really wish that 'we' were wrong.

As what regards suit and fins you are totally right as the others were still wet from the day before (similarly I dived before work) and kindly keep i mind that at 6.30 I was in the water and I cannot utilise wet cloths.  They make me my body temperature decrease exponentially and I store my equipment in a garage with minimal ventilation and heat sources.  On average a suit will take up to 4 days to be fully dry.

Kindly rest assured that I will never utilise aqualungs to go spearfishing.  As I said before there is no sport in that. 
I could go to much better spots, reduce all this hassle and visibility and make catches.  But no I am challenging myself in yet another discipline and most of all you can check with my too diaries.  My pc and my fishing diary(this was a christmas gift from Mr.  Fish upon which I write each and every time I go fishing, log on catches, place, time in water, min sea temperature and max depth.

As regards the civil protection I judged the situation that there was not need of their help.  As in fact was. I coined the term wrongly - even black out is a jargoned name.     

As what regards a diving computer I have asked already about an appropriate one but I will not buy one before I have a reasonable budget for that. It is better to use one that is not made for that job than to utilise none.
In a matter of two weeks I have overturned my budget to purchase the equipment.  And I have still more to go. 

When I will have better practise I invite you to come over with me and experience what I am telling you yourself.

A cheap, toy is the swatch funscuba, depth to 40 m, time in secs up to 2 mins. At Ebay they cost next to nothing...For my purpose it is perfect...if I ever had to really get serious about depths than I would rather go for a PROPER apnea watch.

Quote from: SPNOTTA on April 13, 2009, 18:49:46 CET
A cheap, toy is the swatch funscuba, depth to 40 m, time in secs up to 2 mins. At Ebay they cost next to nothing...For my purpose it is perfect...if I ever had to really get serious about depths than I would rather go for a PROPER apnea watch.

In order to get serious about depths than you'll have to train hard, increase lung capacity, limit alcohol intake especially 1 to 2 nights before diving and all the bla bla bla you mentioned in one of your comments ..... then after all this you can get a PROPER apnea watch  ;)

Okies mellieha
I just wished it was like that, cause I really had a nice conversation with you some time ago.
Be cautious and think a bit before every action you make underwater. The most important of all is relaxation. Forget everything, and calm, and concentrate on what you are doing. Take a photo of the bottom in your mind before you dive and then try to plan, but always stay alert of what might pass by.
one last thought. Buy the equipment if your want to improve. i can guarantee you that without the proper equipment you wont' make it. I never made use of a watch, although it is also useful. There are other things to buy before that.

Quote from: Buddhagrass on April 13, 2009, 19:05:16 CET

Quote from: SPNOTTA on April 13, 2009, 18:49:46 CET
A cheap, toy is the swatch funscuba, depth to 40 m, time in secs up to 2 mins. At Ebay they cost next to nothing...For my purpose it is perfect...if I ever had to really get serious about depths than I would rather go for a PROPER apnea watch.

In order to get serious about depths than you'll have to train hard, increase lung capacity, limit alcohol intake especially 1 to 2 nights before diving and all the bla bla bla you mentioned in one of your comments ..... then after all this you can get a PROPER apnea watch  ;)

I prefer hunting fish rather than focusing on depth...I consume alcohol only about twice a year and I stay fit by walking it to work. :) A PROPER watch is not going to help me much with my current style of hunting.

if you intend to monitor your apnea with a computer, specific ones are present. the most notable and maybe the best around is the nemo apneist but sure costs a lot lol

guys,

I use the computer because I come from a diving background.  I calculate depth to see what I am doing etc etc. 

Regarding the equipment I consider the suit and fins as the two primarily tools.  Although I believe in ''The Right Tool for The right Job" I think my current pc will do the job for now but on my next trip to the UK I will buy the watch you mentioned previously.

I was thinkling of going over to Chris at San Paul for equipment.  What do you guys think?  I also want to ask if their are apnea suits for females ready available in Malta.  I am asking so because the fit is extremely important and I intend to take my best buddy with me.  My Fiancee.  at least if their is no fish I can always have my prize. ;D

Baghira,  you came to my shop and had quite a chat, don't you think that if I wanted to play with different rules I would have stayed in the shaddows?

No worries mate no heart feelings.  I made the primarily fault.

Mellieha

for some really cheap ones go at angler centre. he had a sort of starting offer on apnea suits... their prices are ridiculous compared to their quality

if I'm not mistaken Angler centre is the shop in the old Hospitals road

yes... thats the one

I am currently using a spetton wet suite and I can confirm that its the best suite to buy for the price you are paying.

Regarding watches you should definately consider the suunto D3 and D4.  The D4 is kind of pricey, but in my opinion its a long term investment.

l arlogg ma tantx jamel differenza mellieha ,jew xejn , int se tmur tistad u mux izomm l hin , hemm aktar affarijiet fuq xix tkun qed tahseb ez postijiet u lqieh , importanti li timmemorizza l blat li jkunu produttivi bl ament GHAL DEJJEM jien andi certu blat li kont sibtom zmien ilu u meta nadi min fuqom dejjem nitawal, giel jkunu vojta u gieli mimlija hut , BLATA TAJBA DEJJEM TAJBA TIBQA JADI KEMM JADI ZMIEN , jien dawn l affariejit intijom importanza aktar mil arlogg u cucati ohra . qlibt ghal malti ax nikteb aktar komdu.

Translation (ramio): The watch will not make much difference. You are going fishing not keeping the time. There are far more important things to think about like places and the sea bed. Its important to keep a good memory of productive rocks in your mind for ever. A good rock will always be productive. I have certain rocks that I found a long time ago. Everytime I pass them I have a look under. Somtimes they are empty, other times you get fish. These are things that to me are more important than others.

fabrizioviper, you are right and wrong at the same time. you mentioned tana technique which requires less stress on spearfisherman. doing an aspetto in particular can be beneficial having a watch.

if one goes beyond the 15m, even though this rule really depends on the person, we lose some of the feeling of oxygen availability due to the pressure that affects the nervous system by slowing it down. a watch, if well set, can remind us the time when we need to stop(when you elapse the apnea time-many watches have this function)

also the ability to monitor your session afterwards on your pc helps to improve the type of training one searches for. you get to quantify your limits, which is an advantage in my opinion

guys you are both very right. 

Since I am new I have to set limits to myself and believe me my eyesight of depth is not good.  What I mean.  Since I come from the scuba backgroung depth between 15 and 20 meters never made a difference but now it does.  The watch help me to guage depth if it is ok to go searching fish or if not.  I am sure that once I get use to depths the problem will not remain.

I already noticed this I prefer another place and the most productive place is in 1.5 meters of water.  There always is something big or small.  Unfortunately although I surpace the small ones others don't. 

I wish to find a couple of good spots but this will only be achieved by time and patience.

Thanks

For the past 3 years I have been spearfishing without a watch and its true that I never saw the importance of getting one.  Infact I use to get angry at my diving buddies who actually use to go back to the car, or even home to get their watch when they forgot it (because I saw it as irrelevant). 

Now I'm venturing into deeper waters and its nice to actually know the depths I'm swimming and the times  (see improvments).  Also recently I'd like to start taking notes of the dives I made, depths etc.  As I said before, its only for my personal curiousity to see if I'm improving.   

Infact I never look at the watch when I'm diving because it will lose your consentration.  If yesterday I dove at 14 meters and did a 2min dive it doesnt mean that today I can do the same.  You should always listen to your body, its only you who knows what your limits are.