Dan Surface Signal Kit Question

[Dermochelys]

I was just hoping someone could help me with a quick question. I'm looking into buying the Dan Surface Signal Kit (DAN: Online Store | scuba diving safety equipment) and was trying to find out how large it is when rolled up, I can't seem to find that information anywhere.

This will be my first SMB purchase and I've read some good things about this kit. However, I read one review of SMBs that said they shouldn't have any lettering or anything else that uses of "orange space" and I'm slightly concerned the big silver strip would make this one a bit less visible. Also, because I don't have my own BCD, I'm hoping to find something small that I can easily travel with and will hopefully fit into a BC pocket, but still 6' tall when inflated and something easy to inflate with cold weather gear on. I've also looked into the XS (XS Scuba 6' (1.83 meters) Safety Tube, Orange), which is probably all I would really "need", but from reading the various threads here on the board it sounds like having an SMB that I could shoot from depth would be a bonus.

All of my diving to date has been shore diving (California, Victoria, Hawaii) or guided tour boat dives, I've never been in a drift diving / current situation, but I figure it's a good idea to have an emergency back-up device in case it's ever needed. I'm really just getting back into diving, and when I was certified 10 years ago SMBs were just a footnote in the book and not covered at all in class. My understanding is that they're now much more common then they once were.

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

The big silver strip on the DAN SMB is a reflector strip to make you more visible and there is also a radar reflective panel inside the tube. DAN: Online Store | scuba diving safety equipment You can also inflate it 3 ways.

 

[captio2000]

Assuming you will use at the surface or from safety stop or shallow depth:
#1 Buy a double ended bolt snap to snap the DAN safety sausage to on the your D rings on the waist band of the BC.
#2 Buy a finger spool of line (100') with another double-ended bolt snap so you can deploy from safety stop depth or use the sausage as a dive buoy. Snap this to another BC D ring.
#3 Consult trained advisor on how to deploy at depth. I tried my first time in pool and was very surprised how quickly that sucker wants to jet to the surface once you put air in it.
#4 Practice deploying the SMB from depth numerous times, a pool is best for this, so you understand how to manage the line so you will not get caught and dragged to the surface. - "Line is Evil"
#5 Tie a little loop in the line at 15 feet so you have any easy reference for making you safety stop.

I've had the DAN setup for about 5 years and while maybe bulkier than some others it has served me well - no regrets. Dive safely out there.

 

[merxlin]

I've had the same one for 10 years. Its about 4-5" diameter and about 7-8" long. Tough to fit in a pocket (does fit in a drysuit pocket though). It comes with a plastic clip and attached easily to an D-ring, or replace that with a bolt snap. With care it will last a long time and is easily big enough for larger swells, plus easy to fill. I had a DM in Hawaii borrow mine as the swells were too big for his little plastic tube that normally worked.

 

[Dermochelys]

For right now I just would plan on using it on the surface until I got some training in how to shoot it from depth. At that point I would go ahead and get the spool and other accessories.

I'm not against clipping to a D ring, but most most of my diving here in California is in areas with kelp. I'm very careful around it, but having things that can get caught up on the kelp is a big no no in my area. I'm not sure if people really do shoot these from depth out here because of that, I've never seen it done where I've been diving (though I'm not very experienced so that doesn't say much), but I can imagine that it would be a nightmare to untangle spool line from kelp. Of course, ideally you wouldn't be surfacing with kelp overhead.

I'd be interested to hear from people who dive in kelp areas if having the SMB clipped to the BC causes entanglement problems and similarly if shooting from depth is something that isn't in common out here in California. I can certainly see it being useful in the right situation, but perhaps not an every dive sort of thing, just during emergencies.

 

[merxlin]

I have hundreds of dives here in the kelp of so cal and have never had it create a problem, and do not see it as any bigger entanglement hazard than any other item clipped on.

That said, I rarely deploy it other than for training/remembering. It is not ideal to shoot it in the kelp canopy, but if that is where you are when you need to, then that's what you have to do.

 

[Dermochelys]

Well, my DAN Surface Signal Kit finally arrived. It's MUCH bigger than I thought it would be, even having been pre-warned about it's size!! Where would the best place be to clip this on a rental BCD (jacket style)?

I will say that so far at least the kit looks to be of high quality, though the plastic clip is a little small and I'll probably replace with a metal snap that's easier to handle with gloves on.

 

[gr8jab]

Well, my DAN Surface Signal Kit finally arrived. It's MUCH bigger than I thought it would be, even having been pre-warned about it's size!! Where would the best place be to clip this on a rental BCD (jacket style)?

I will say that so far at least the kit looks to be of high quality, though the plastic clip is a little small and I'll probably replace with a metal snap that's easier to handle with gloves on.

Depends where the rental has rings....

I snap mine to the hip/butt d-ring on the right side. It is easy to get to, but out of the way when you are looking for something else.

 

[outofofficebrb]

Well, my DAN Surface Signal Kit finally arrived. It's MUCH bigger than I thought it would be, even having been pre-warned about it's size!! Where would the best place be to clip this on a rental BCD (jacket style)?

I will say that so far at least the kit looks to be of high quality, though the plastic clip is a little small and I'll probably replace with a metal snap that's easier to handle with gloves on.

Hi! I'm actually interested in getting this as well and had the same problem as you. Do you have a picture of it in hand for reference that you could please post? Trying to figure if this thing is way too big to clip onto my BC.

Thanks!

 

[Dermochelys]

Hi! I'm actually interested in getting this as well and had the same problem as you. Do you have a picture of it in hand for reference that you could please post? Trying to figure if this thing is way too big to clip onto my BC.

Thanks!

I'll try to post a picture later tonight