How many of you dive with a PLB and/or a flint and magnesium?

[Bob01]

Hey All,

At the Fort Lauderdale boat show, they had a Search and Rescue seminar by coast guard folks (helicopter pilot and rescue divers), telling stories and giving advice...beyond the standard stuff to carry on you during a dive (ie, SMB, lights, whistles and mirrors), they suggested also carrying the following:

- A PLB (Personal Locator Beacon)
- A Flint and Magnesium for signaling at night (in the event you forgot your flashlight or its dead)
- A fresh glowstick (not yet activated)
- A Solar Blanket to float on the water for better visibility
- Signal Dye (but it looks like this is better: http://www.rescuestreamer.com/

The last three items look like a good idea to carry (though my pocket is already stuffed) However for the first two items, they seem a bit odd to carry? Getting a housing/tube to carry the PLB (and be continually worried about it leaking) and it probably being somewhat BC pocket unfriendly? The flint...never would think a diver would carry one...perhaps this will be a new trend? So just curious if anyone out there dives regularly with a plb and possible flint/magnesium?

 

[ItsBruce]

I have a hard time figuring the use of a flint and magnesium by a diver. On a boat, you can start a fire with the flint and magnesium. I'm not sure how that would help a diver. The spark is plenty bright, but only for an instant.

A solar blanket will attract attention pretty well. But, it does not seem scuba friendly. Is there some sort of water proof container to put it in? If you don't have it in some sort of water proof container, you'll have to wash it after each day of diving and then figure out how to fold it again. Or are they considered disposable? That does not sound very good for the environment.

 

[spoolin01]

I have a hard time figuring the use of a flint and magnesium by a diver. On a boat, you can start a fire with the flint and magnesium. I'm not sure how that would help a diver. The spark is plenty bright, but only for an instant.

Ditto that. Are they talking about a big chunk of magnesium? Seems like you might do some real damage if you managed to set it off, in the water or on your boat. Or are they talking about being able to start a fire on a beach somewhere? I've learned from Man, Woman, Wild that you should always carry a lighter, or glycerine and permanganate.

Same with the glow stick - wouldn't a second flashlight be better?

 

[Bob01]

From the presentation, it seems the helicopter folks (w/night vision goggles) can see the sparks way easier than a glow stick (going to assume you strike the thing like crazy if you hear a helicopter in the distance)...they also mentioned in the unfortunate scenario, if you are at sea for more than a night, its better to have something than nothing (ie your flashlight and glow stick being used up the first night). The flint and magnesium (or as the helicopter guy called it - "a metal match"), they are referring to are the smaller ones slightly larger than a key.

I wouldn't think a flint and magnesium could set wet gear on fire, but probably a good idea you keep your mask on

For the solar blanket - would the saltwater start eating away at the reflective film over time? If so, guess you could shove it in the container holding the plb ;-)

The extra glow stick is because they are "so small, they take no space in the pocket and guaranteed 6 hours of light" - then got me to thinking, if you are rough on your gear, chances are you may unintentionally activate the glow stick in your bc pocket :-/...guess one would have several spares in their dive bag to replace it with - if the diver checked through all gear before every dive .....

 

[ScubaVideo]

My PLB and water tight canister are very small. The canister comes with webbing for 2" mount and fits great on my tank strap. The flint is for when all the batteries are used up. Once a signal gets out, if the battery takes a dump, then something making sparks seems like a good idea.

 

[lmorin]

I carry a road flare in its own plastic waterproof tube, a package of waterproof camping matches (in case the ignition system on the flare doesn't work), and a Swiss cowbell.

 

[ScubaVideo]

I carry a road flare in its own plastic waterproof tube, a package of waterproof camping matches (in case the ignition system on the flare doesn't work), and a Swiss cowbell.

Do you carry the Large one or is the small one good enough:

 

[lmorin]

Now that's a silly question. Who could possibly hear the small bell?

 

[Bob01]

Do you carry the Large one or is the small one good enough:
...

Would guess the big one would allow the diver to take off 1-3 lbs off the weigh tbelt ;-)

 

[ScubaVideo]

Would guess the big one would allow the diver to take off 1-3 lbs off the weigh tbelt ;-)

But you would have to carry two of them to be trimmed right.