Million dollar idea that could save a life easily

[SeaHorse81]

Some charters require divers to have an SMB and if they don't, one will be provided.

I prefer to clip off my SMB/spool where I want it, not where the mfgr. wants it.

Good thought, just not practical.

This pretty much says it for me. While I appreciate OP's intention, I think the availability and use of signaling devices is already covered in good practices by both diver and operator. The responsible diver is most likely to have brought his/her own equipment for conditions like this, and the responsible operator is most likely to require use of such equipment and have some available for loan or rent for those who may have forgotten or neglected to bring one that day.

Where unprepared diver meets laissez faire operator, no amount of built-in safety equipment is going to save everybody. In those cases, neither party would likely have opted to purchase a BCD with built-in SS anyway.

 

[jar546]

Seaquest/Aqualung has the S.O.S system at least since 2005. It is connected to the BCD and uses the air in your BCD to inflate, so there is no change in buyancy.

No longer available from Seaquest/Aqualung unfortunately

 

[doctormike]

I'm sorry, I'm not sure I understand the OP's proposal. Is it that some manufacturer should offer a BC with a built in SS, that a SS should be universally required for all divers, or that a built in SS should be some sort of industry wide, legally mandated BC feature like passive restraints are in a motor vehicle?

If the first- ok, maybe a feature that a few divers would want (like the integrated octopus and inflator hose setups), probably not a million dollar idea but possibly marketable. Then again, if you are presuming that people would choose to buy such a thing, those people would likely just bring a SS if such an item wasn't available.

If the second or third- forget it. The only legal regulation in diving AFIK is the DOT which regulates tank integrity. Even if the whole diving world liked this idea (which doesn't seem likely, especially DIR types) there is no regulatory infrastructure to make it happen...

But your main point is good... Everyone should have at least one surface signalling device (I carry an SMB, a whistle and a signal mirror)

 

[mathauck0814]

I'll bite - let's say we go with this suggestion...

1) Where do you stop? If you're going to include a SS, why not a mirror/cutting device/whistle/mirror/etc. Now a jacket-style BCD costs ~$1k, super!
2) Those of us who dive BP/W assemble our equipment one piece at a time... would you include the SS with the BP or the wing (other?)

To the OP - it's good that you're thinking, but you need to do some diving and experience more/see more equipment configurations/experiment to see the benefits and tradeoffs of different approaches.

For my $0.02, the less bundling of products and gadgets the better.

 

[TSandM]

This really baffled me when I first read it. Apparently, the simple suggestion of the OP was that someone should make a BC that comes with an SMB. It doesn't seem heinous to me, but also doesn't seem like a big selling point. It's not difficult to buy an SMB and attach it to a BC as things are now. Some people would buy such a BC, but others wouldn't. If you are the person who would buy one BECAUSE it came with an SMB, you have the option of buying an SMB already . . . Maybe a selling gimmick, but not a million dollar idea.

 

[Lenaxia]

Not exactly, but along those lines:

Oceanic Worldwide - Scuba Diving Safety Gear - Personal Signaling Device (P.S.D.)
View attachment 102455

Now that is a cool idea. I wonder how practical it actually is though, if it was well designed I could see myself getting one. Doubt I'd ever need it, but I dont think anyone ever plans to get stranded in the ocean.

 

[dmoore19]

I have seen comments on this board about all kinds of stuff including and certainly not limited to safety equipment. Personally I carry a 6' SMB(and a finger spool I just bought and need to work on how to deploy it safely), whistle, mirror and have a inline horn. It all is stashed away in pockets so there are not danglies. At some point each and every one of these pieces of equipment have been called useless for one reason or another.

One of the things I like about this sport is that everyone has an opinion about a piece of equipment and for every opinion there is an opposing one that suggests something else is better. There is also the fact that if you don't like it, you don't have to buy it. As TSandM has said, some would buy it, some would not. Is it a million dollar idea? Who knows. I already own all of my equipment and am quite pleased with it.

 

[doctormike]

This really baffled me when I first read it. Apparently, the simple suggestion of the OP was that someone should make a BC that comes with an SMB. It doesn't seem heinous to me, but also doesn't seem like a big selling point.

Hmmmm... no, I'm still not sure about this.

IMHO, the OP reacted pretty strongly to some reasonable and mild criticisms of his idea. Remember, this was his lead off sentence:

Why aren't safety sausages built into our BCD's?

Well, he asked that question in a public forum, and he got some answers, none of which seemed particularly mean or off topic. I guess he could have said "here is my idea, please just read it but do not respond in any negative way", but that's not what the forum is about...

And I don't think that his suggestion was simply that someone should make a BC with an SS - anyone who actively wanted that could have it immediately by clipping an SS to their BC, or fitting it wherever it was most comfortable. It seemed like he was saying that this should be standard (i.e. in all BCs), so that everyone would have an SS even if they didn't think of one ahead of time.

Road flares don't really have any downsides, throw one in your trunk and forget about it. Anything that you add to a BC potentially compromises fit and function - that is why people are so particular about having them set up exactly as they like them.

So this gets back to my original question - what exactly is being suggested? Some sort of industry wide standard? Or a new regulatory agency? Not trying to be difficult, I'm just not sure what we are debating here...

 

[PatW]

Geeze. I sure wouldn't want to be wearing one of those if it malfunctioned and inflated at depth. Sounds pretty dangerous. Anyway, I'd imagine the cost it would add to the BC would be much more than the $50-$100 that you can get one (w/ spool) to stick in your BC pocket.

I was sort of thinking along those lines too. Adding a safety sausage to a BC will just make the BC more expensive and complex and give it something else to go wrong. Also, there are plenty of diving situations where having a safety sausage is not really necessary. So why have a safety sausage a built in item?

 

[boulderjohn]

After this event I went and got myself an even bigger SS...

This is in part an answer to your own question....

Personally I carry a 6' SMB(and a finger spool I just bought and need to work on how to deploy it safely), ... It all is stashed away in pockets so there are not danglies.

As Doug will tell you,, if you take a course that includes selecting and using SMBs,you will learn that there are different SMBs available, and different divers make different choices depending upon their needs. You yourself decided that your original choice was not adequate, and you went for another one.

Don't you think the diver should make the decision about what kind of SMB, spool, etc. is needed for the dive rather than be stuck with the one that came with the BCD? Wouldn't it be simply a matter of the salesperson suggesting to the purchaser that there are several options for SMBs and where to put them in the BCDs being selected?