Tip For Pneumatic Speargun Users

[Tight Lipped]

Hey Divers, just a tip to anyone who uses a pnuematic gun. This come from direct experience and was my most harrowing moment as a diver.

Was diving off New Jersey last August, this was my first and only dive of the season. At 115 feet I spot a nice size flounder, maybe 6 - 8 lbs. I quickly pull out my mares pneumatic speargun and load the spear when all of a sudden my hand (right hand) goes very cold and numb. My heart begins to race and I am stunned not sure exactly what has just happened I begin to look around. I grab my hand and poof, a huge black cloud appears, I immediatly think, oh my god I just shot myself in the hand. Now I am am really scared because the black cloud is blood (anyone been down that deep know the color red is the first to lose in the light spectrum).

Not sure what to do I look for my buddy but he is nowhere insight, visibility is about 10 feet. I know I am close to the anchor line so I grab my stuff and bag it and swim toward the line. My hand is bleeding like a pig, I get to the line and have to pull myself up, I was not going to drop weights or do a shoot. I held my hand in a fist as tight as possible and used my wrist to keep me on the line in case of any currents and I start up the line. I am using my left hand to control my bouyancy and watch my time and depth. The bleeding is slowed but still coming out and many of you may be thinking that I was thinking about sharks, In fact; I was more concerned with passing out not knowing how much blood I am loosing and my heart racing.

I get to the submerged carolina rig and follow it to the back of the boat then pop up, and inform them I am hurt. The crew immediatly jumps into action to get me n the boat, with the glove off and the deck covered in blood I finally see the damage.

The spear tip (Newly sharpened Rock Tip) went through my palm between the middle and ring finger and popped out of my middle finger.

With divers still in the water an no way of informing them the crew applies several bandages, wraps my hand and notifies the coast guard. After I calm down and realize I did not lose as much blood as I thought and I did not feel light headed or woosey. It was decided that I will ride the boat in and then go to the hospital.

Had to have surgery and it turns out I crushed the nerve and severed a blood vessel. All is repaired but I still have tingling in my middle finger.

Now for the Tip, I realized later after I had time to sit down and think that I did not shoot myself in the hand but the loader used to pull the spear into the gun snapped, it snapped just when it locked and with me still pulling pretty hard the spear tip came through and into my hand.

SO if anyone uses one of these guns then make sure you remove the tip before you load it, then screw it back on.

[kikaida]

Scray stuff, think I'll stick with bands. Thanks for sharing!

[scubapro5]

I can see that happening very easly.

Good to hear you did not have any real bad problems and thanks for taking the time to share you experence.

[Fishnit]

Wow! Sounds like a hairy experience.
Good to hear eveything turned out ok
Thanks for sharing

[Surg]

[email protected]@W! Thanks for sharing that. I've long since retired my numatic speargun, and have always wanted to put it back in action... Makes me think.....

I know Roger, I have to get back into diving First... LOL

[yellowishcorn]

Great advice, to bad you learned it from experience. i used to have a small pneumatic just like that, and never considerd that could happen. Im planning on getting my c card soon and info like this is just the kinda stuff I need. Jp