Jim Brown

Greetings:

Your risk - benefit analysis might indicate that physical connection in the form of a buddy line would be useful. These are standard for tactical dives in zero visibility and / or blacked out conditions.

Risk - entanglement. There are conditions where I would have to think twice about using one, particularly around a lot of vertical structure, like a wreck, inside or outside. But in that case one lays a line. I have used a buddy line on a wreck in zero viz, however, and it wasn't so bad. Just have to be prepared for the occasional snag. This is a planned contingency anyway so it's a non-event in that case.

Benefit - you stay together.

The team identifies a leader and a follower. Normally traveling side-by-side, the leader navigates and sets pace, the follower tends the line and watches hazards for leader. If in trail, a floating poly line would tend to rise when slack. Some types of line tend to stay unfouled better than others.

Will it work for scooter? Don't know, haven't tried it. But I have been on a bud line with 4 swim pairs, that's 8 divers, at night in blacked out conditions... mid-water and on bottom. Works if everyone cooperates and keeps things sorted out. Which is exactly what you should be doing anyway, no matter the travel means or velocity... as long as you're proposing to stay together. Doing it with 2 divers is easy.

Why not experiment in good conditions, work out your protocols including recovering from snag? Try 8 or 12mm yellow poly line. Make sure the scooter props are caged. Bring 5m of line under water, try different lengths... 2m, 3m and so forth. Side-by-side and trail formation.

A buddy line might be carried only for contingency purposes, used only if needed.

Regards, Jim Brown