The Editor says: The reason we're sharing this article is that we occasionally encounter freedivers training underwater in improper ways. We've seen weights and kettlebells dangling from descent lines, swinging back and forth like pendulums with the current — not only damaging the coral ecosystem on the seabed, but also posing a potential hazard to scuba divers below. We hope this series by Weird Coach helps everyone build correct freediving training habits and proper float setup skills!
If you haven't seen Part 1 yet, click here: 『Set Up Your Own Freediving Float System, Part 1』!
【DIY Float Setup Tutorial – Part 2】In-Water Practical Demo
Please watch in HD
Please watch in HD
Please watch in HD
Why is anchoring the float important?
Why use an anchor line?
When teaching or training, we always secure the float with an anchor line tied to a fixed buoy, or anchor it to a reef rock.
Why do we do this? The main reasons come down to safety and training quality:
- When the float is anchored, I don't have to worry about the float and diver being swept away by the current and drifting dangerously far from shore.
- When the float drifts continuously with the current, the varying underwater terrain may cause the bottom weight to strike the seabed, damaging the underwater environment. It may also cause the descent line to snag on underwater obstacles, making it impossible to retrieve.
- With an anchor line in place, the descent line paired with the bottom weight ensures the line hangs perfectly vertical — guaranteeing accurate training depth and effectiveness.
- The location where I tie the anchor line also determines the maximum depth for the session. If I tie it at 10 m, the bottom weight typically sits at around 8 m. Even if a student accidentally exceeds the set depth, they can't go much beyond it — keeping students safe. (Unless the student brought their own shovel lol XD)
Furthermore,
Why not just fix the descent line directly?
There are a few reasons for that too:
- Measuring and preparing a descent line takes considerable time and effort. I don't want the line to sustain any wear or abrasion from being tied directly to reef rock.
- When the descent line itself is used as the anchor line, current will cause it to tilt, making it impossible to accurately gauge depth or practice proper descent technique.
The single most important rule when tying the anchor line is:
Never tie it to coral!!!!!
We choose sturdy reef rock — often threading the anchor line through a suitable rock crevice or hole. Just watch out, as there tend to be sea urchins lurking inside!
In fact, the best option is always to attach to a permanent fixed buoy already in the water.
However, in Taiwan, training sites that also have fixed buoys already in place are truly few and far between.
As freediving grows in popularity, many experienced divers have learned how to operate the float system themselves —
deploying and retrieving the descent line while guiding newer divers through their training sessions. Using an anchor line is strongly recommended!
That said, when you go down to set the anchor, always stay within your own limits. Safety first!
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