OMS and their Bungeed Wing

[roakey]

Originally posted by Lost Yooper
I'd also like to add that a good buddy and/or a lift bag will also get you up in the event of a total BC and drysuit failure. A nicely balanced rig is essential to shoot for, but in reality, swimming up is still the last option, IMO.

I went back and forth on weight I should mention a lift bag, but finally left it out to drive home the point that no additional equipment is required for self-rescue. But it is a good point; a lift bad is excellent insurance in case both “hulls” get breached, though this is very, very unlikely. I’m more apt to carry a lift bag when diving wet since that way I can keep my canister light (dang! No HID for me I guess!)

Yes, swimming the rig up is the last option, because even with a single AL80, it’s not easy when it’s full.

Another Helium advantage (we should start calling this the win-win gas!) is that the swing weight is reduced. When full of a rich He mixture, cylinders are lighter than if filled with air or Nitrox. LY, do you have any numbers on how much lighter?

Roak

 

[Lost Yooper]

No, I really don't know. I haven't paid much attention to it, I guess. It's fairly substantial, but I don't know the specifics of the blends. Omar might know.

Mike

PS. We take the lift bags and reels on all of our deeper dives (virtually all wrecks) to use as an ascent line if we can't get back to the primary ascent line or if the primary wasn't there. So, for our type of diving, the lift bag and reel are very multi purpose tools. Fortunately, we haven't had to use them in that regard yet -- been close though.
If my BC fails at the beginning of a dive (on the bottom), and I can't swim up, my drysuit can't get me up, my buddy with his BC and drysuit can't get me up, and neither of our 80lb Halcyon lift bags can't get me up, then it's just plain my time to die.

 

[roakey]

Originally posted by Lost Yooper
If my BC fails at the beginning of a dive (on the bottom), and I can't swim up, my drysuit can't get me up, my buddy with his BC and drysuit can't get me up, and neither of our 80lb Halcyon lift bags can't get me up, then it's just plain my time to die.

The advantage of shore diving: You can always walk out!

Roak

 

[The Chairman]

I do own 80ALs, but I mostly lend them to others... I dive with an hp PST 120... I own two, but dive them one at a time. My normal configuration is to only have 4 lbs on me in salt (with a shorty)(nada in fresh) and I rarely go below 130'. I am known in some circles as the human cork, so that plays a lot into how I get weighted. When I dive with more neoprene and thus more weight in my BC, I have a tad more trouble at depth, but usually not much.

 

[tombiowami]

Well, the topic seems to have veered a bit but anyway...

Do any of you have any thoughts/recommendations on the sausage vs. lift bag? I am in NC and will start wreck diving this spring. I have a Halcyon 6' sausage coming tomorrow(hey we will many miles offshore in the Atlantic Gulf Stream, next stop, England...)

The sausage has like 52 lbs of lift. I am not planning on any salvage or anything like that. Any real need for a lift bag?

I do see it as backup lift in case of bc failure. There is always the question of dropping your weights and how buoyant one is, shooting to the surface may not end up any better than shooting down, though of course it is always worth the college try. (Just read "The Last Dive" when the guy was so bent they took his blood and the syringe was just full of foam and bubbles. Eventualy cause of death was his heart was full of gas and no blood could get in)

The lift bag/sausage could at least be controlled somewhat whereas the drop the weights, well, rocket time depending on the situation.

Now I would be the first to say also that in either circumstance a lot of task loading has been introduced into an intense situation so dropping the weights may be best, but the slow lift would be something to work toward I would think. Any response from the elders?

Tommy

 

[Uncle Pug]

Originally posted by tombiowami
Do any of you have any thoughts/recommendations on the sausage vs. lift bag?

Tommy,
I have the 80# lift bag and my partner has the Big dive marker (sausage) both are Halcyon.

The lift bag is not really for salvage IMO but is a surface marker/alternate buoyancy device.

Both work equally well and both fold up compactly and can be stored in thigh pocket or BP pocket (Halcyon).

I like Shane's sausage better that my bag because you can pull on the line from below and stand it up out of the water further to be seen. However you have to put enought gas in it to do that.

A limp sausage is no better that a flat bag....

 

[FredT]

The Halycon bag or surf mat construction is a bit light, IMNSHO, to take the abuse a true "lift bag" should handle. It shines though in low bulk storage before use. In very confined spaces that can be important.

For all the rest of us open water types the ideal solution is to combine a heavy duty lift bag with a sausage shape. Luckily for us Carter Lift Bags has come up with a suitable product. 75# lift, duckbill closure so it can be easily filled without an extra hose, and won't leak down at the surface. It also stands 6' out of the water with only 4 # of negative buoyancy attached. Pull out on the webbing lift point attachment is over 250#s since I can hang from it dry on deck. Last I heard they were kicking around a 100# lift version with the duckbill. At last DEMA the 75#er was the heavy lift version.

FT

 

[Matt]

There are a couple of really good responses about the OMS equipment. There system looks really great and pretty. The bungees especially with a red bladder look soooo coooool!

But you know what guys???

Its not how it looks its how it dives thats important. I've used OMS, Diverite and Halcyon. I dive a Transpac for mostly singles, and occasional dives with one or two stage bottles. For Cave or Trimix dives I dive in my backplate.

Bungees could trap air and cause you to shift all over the place, not to mention try to orally inflate the thing if your bc craps out at depth. You'll die from Hypercapnia long before the wing is full! The IQ system is the most bulky and messy system in the market place today. It has a poorly positioned integrated weight system (if you buy that option) which flopps around on you. It isn't designed for use with tech or cave gear. The only system that should be used other than a backplate is a Transpac as it fits nicer, cleaner, and isn't excessive. I encourage my students to take the backpates out of their OMS and throw the IQ pak in the garbage where it belongs!

If you're going based on looks to buy equipment get into skiing, this is diving! Its you life. Get good regs (ScubaPro or Poseidon), good bc, and don't be stupid and go on looks. Streamlined and comfortable is what you need.

The 2001/2002 IQ pak looks a lot like a Transpac 2. There's a reason for that. The Transpac is better they OMS realized that. Often imitated never duplicated I believe is Diverite's slogan! It's true. Halcyon is also wonderful gear. Although they're newer they are simpler, reliable, don't have any faliure points, and they work too!

=-)

 

[Lost Yooper]

Welcome Matt. I think you'll do just fine here.

Mike

 

[erich]

FredT,

In regards to that 75# lift tube from Carter, is it open or closed I could not tell from their web site. If it is oral inflate then I guess it could not be inflated from depth. I was originally looking at the 50# Subsalve Quad bag. I was looking to combine the attributes of a lift bag and a surface marker/dive float. Can the Carter be used as a toe along Float? It seems as if it would definatly have better visability. If the Carter is a closed system then would you have to inflate it at depth with a LP inflater hose?