bombora wrote:that was a solid GW you got; was it in Oz or elsewhere?
I know Fong's reaction will make me regret saying this, but it was in Qld.
You can paint your board however you like, it won't do much. Sharks that eat big prey, i.e. tigers and whites mainly, tend to strike from below as they aren't as agile as their prey so they need to knock it out of whack. Tigers try and hit the side of the turtle to flip it over. They basically just see a silhouette.
Which is why most fish are dark on the top (blend into the bottom/depths) and lighter underneath (blend better into the light from above.
So white's probably a better option, don't get any sprays!
Sharkshield won't do much either. Sharks don't like electrical impulses, that much is true. If it was just curious, it might leave the area. But once a shark is on final approach it isn't going to turn away because of a tingling in it's shnozz.
There was a uni student killed while using a Sharkshield off Sth Oz in the last year or so...think there was a bit of debate about whether it was working properly or not.
Apparently, the best way to stop a shark that is actually trying to eat you is to jump off the board and hold it out above your head, to make yourself look as long as possible. That way the shark will think you're bigger than them and turn away.
I've only met one person mental enough to do this when push came to shove.
And surfers very rarely see the shark that attacks them. Divers occasionally do, but it still doesn't help much.
Braithy, if you're on Straddie, head to the Rufus King fish shop at Amity and ask to see the stuff in the freezer.
)