lift bag -reel or spool

[DiveGolfSki]

I prefer spools but in situations where you want to deploy the bag from a deep wreck (people do) you might need to use a reel.

I use the Halcyon semi closed bag. I can send it on it's way and just let go of the spool. It'll just sit in front of you and spin...or you can hold onto it and let it spin in your fingers.

Some open bags have a tendancy to tip and for those you need to keep some tension onthem to keep them from dumping the air.

As has been said, the bag is prinarily a surface marker. The hanging spool or reel also serves as a visual reference which is nice. You shouldn't need to hold it to maintain depth. Usually one team member shoots the bag and the others just hang with him...not on him.

Did you call Greg?

What size line do should you use (#24, #36, etc.) and does it make sense that it be neon not just white?

Also, why don't cave divers use luminous cave line (if they exist)? Sorry for the hijack but I'm curious.

 

[Lil' Irish Temper]

What size line do should you use (#24, #36, etc.) and does it make sense that it be neon not just white?

Also, why don't cave divers use luminous cave line (if they exist)? Sorry for the hijack but I'm curious.

#36 for wrecks, and I think #24 for caves (don't know much about caves)

High Vis. line comes in Orange, yellow & now Pretty Pink don't know of a luminous line, but it is a good idea.

 

[Tanked Monkey]

I recently went through a similiar "reel and bag" selection dilemma, and purchased Halcyon's semi-closed bag, and their cold water defender spool, based on many SBer's advice.

Semi-closed lift bag: chosen because I did not want to inflate a closed bag using my inflator hose, but also don't like the regular open bag's tendency to easily fall over and dump at the surface.

Defender cold water spool: I settled on a finger spool since I am not laying line, just shooting a bag, and they are very easy to operate. I like delrin because they are stronger than regular plastic. And I guess I finally settled on the cold water version because I only need less than 100' of line, and it has a larger hole to fit my gloved finger.

Here's the thread, if you want to see what some others advised: http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=95953

Mike

 

[DiveGolfSki]

What size line do should you use (#24, #36, etc.) and does it make sense that it be neon not just white?

Also, why don't cave divers use luminous cave line (if they exist)? Sorry for the hijack but I'm curious.[/QUOTE]

I guess someone's thought about this:

http://www.letsglowcamping.com/glow_rope.html

 

[Diver0001]

this is a follow up to the rec trimix thread I had posted a while ago.
It seems TDI has a rec triox course and I have spoken with the instructor. He requires a lift bag and stop watch.
He was on his cell phone and driving at the time so I didn't ask a lot of follow up questions. He did say that he teaches deep stops at half the depth as part of the course.
Question 1)Is the intent of a lift bag for holding a specific depth at a "safety stop".
Question 2) googling around I found a debate between spool and reel for deploying the lift bag.
Question 3) which lift bag, googling seemed to find a lot of info on how many pounds of lift they have, which made me wonder if I mis-understood the use(see qestion #1)
Question 4) semi-closed or closed bag?

any help is appreciated.
Thank you for your time and have a good day

You need to phone him back. Ask if he means "lift bag" or "DSMB". These are two very different things.

Typically, a DSMB is used as a so called "deco platform" to allow you to hold specific depth very accurately during deco stops. Reel or spool doesn't matter. You can learn to use both. Spool is easier for launching but can "get away" from you easier if you're not careful.

A DSMB longer than 2 metres is overkill and will tend to be bulky. 1-1/2 metres is sufficient.

A lift bag, by the way is shaped like a lightbulb and they are made to carry heavy loads to the surface. This is *serious* overkill for a deco-platform but can be made to work if you don't mind the excessive bulk. Just by way of comparison, a dsmb is often carried in a pocket and a lift bag is often strapped to the side of the tanks with bungies (at least around here) or "stuffed" between the back plate and the diver's back. That's the difference in bulk we're talking about.

I like semi-closed. They launch faster and with less fiddling.

R..

 

[Diver0001]

What size line do should you use (#24, #36, etc.) and does it make sense that it be neon not just white?

Also, why don't cave divers use luminous cave line (if they exist)? Sorry for the hijack but I'm curious.

As far as I know 36 is just used for laying out guidelines on wrecks. 24 is used for jump spools and blob-reels. You can use 24 for laying a nav-line *on* a wreck but I wouldn't use it *in* a wreck.

R..

 

[electric_diver]

Reel vrs spool

The other thing you have to consider is what kind of gloves you will be wearing when deploying the lift bag. Given that you are in Wisconsin, you will probably be in cold water and be wearing thick gloves. That will affect your dexterity. You might find a spool to be too difficult to control. You might need a reel with a big handle and big knobs.