PLBs Can Save Your Life

[DavidFL]

Earlier in the thread I suggested I might add a solar blanket to my CustomDiver's canister that holds my ResQLink+ PLB. Today I received a solar poncho I ordered.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AMSZW1W/

Thanks @CuzzA for this suggestion. I'm getting ready to send off my PLB 400 to Light Monkey to have a canister made; going to follow this idea and send the hood from this plus my truck key fob (saw a BMW key in someone else's photo but mine is a 12 year old Toyota).

As you know from when we met I'm fair haired, fair skinned, and had my malignant melanoma scare a long time ago. So in any situation where I typically dive that I need a 24 hour beacon, I'm going to need whatever help I can squeeze in to keep from getting baked.

 

[CuzzA]

Thanks @CuzzA for this suggestion. I'm getting ready to send off my PLB 400 to Light Monkey to have a canister made; going to follow this idea and send the hood from this plus my truck key fob (saw a BMW key in someone else's photo but mine is a 12 year old Toyota).

As you know from when we met I'm fair haired, fair skinned, and had my malignant melanoma scare a long time ago. So in any situation where I typically dive that I need a 24 hour beacon, I'm going to need whatever help I can squeeze in to keep from getting baked.

No doubt I think it's a smart piece of kit to add. If you're getting the Light Monkey canister, which I actually have one as well for my boat ditch bag, so can speak from experience, you should be able to fit a small travel size tube of sun screen or one of those sunscreen lipstick tubes.

I couldn't imagine how brutal just one day of sun would be floating in the reflective ocean without any protection.

 

[Compressor]

Anyone have any pictures of their PLB (in container) on their BP/W?
I'm thinking of putting it on my scooter D-ring? Any objections? Won't fit in my neoprene trousers.

 

[Dan]

Make sure you carry PLB mounting bracket on your BCD pocket too, like shown below for PLB1.

So you can strap your PLB onto your BCD power inflator hose, as shown below.

Otherwise it’s going to be tiring to hold on the PLB with antenna straight up to the sky for hours.

That’ll free up your hands for something else, like fishing

 

[outofofficebrb]

65 pages...time to digest. I’ve been meaning to get a PLB but am still exploring my case options. The custom divers or Light Monkey looks promising; I can carry extra stuff too.

 

[Mr. Manfrenjensenden]

I do this. However the downside is that it is inaccessible without a buddy or taking your gear off to access. I weighed the benefits vs cons and decided that it worked for me. Others might not feel the same.

On my tank strap, where it could not be reached without removing my BC?

Yes, you would have to remove the BC briefly to get at the canister, assuming there's no one else with you. I agree with MrBigfins and would prefer to keep it securely attached but not in the way during the vast majority (hopefully all) of the time it's not needed.

 

[Dan]

My BCD (Cressi TraveLight) each waist pocket has room for 3” dia x 6” L cylinders right below the integrated weight pocket. So I put my DSMB with spool in the right pocket & the PLB canister in the left pocket.

I have no safety devices hanging in any of my D-rings to minimize any potential entanglement and avoiding the hassle of removing the BCD to get to the safety devices. All I need to do is to unzip the pocket & pull the canister out of the pocket. It’ll be tethered to the pocket zipper handle since the canister will float. Easy peasy.

 

[CuzzA]

Anyone have any pictures of their PLB (in container) on their BP/W?
I'm thinking of putting it on my scooter D-ring? Any objections? Won't fit in my neoprene trousers.

In lift bag sleeve with 8ft smb under wing.

 

[outofofficebrb]

My BCD (Cressi TraveLight) each waist pocket has room for 3” dia x 6” L cylinders right below the integrated weight pocket. So I put my DSMB with spool in the right pocket & the PLB canister in the left pocket.

I have no safety devices hanging in any of my D-rings to minimize any potential entanglement and avoiding the hassle of removing the BCD to get to the safety devices. All I need to do is to unzip the pocket & pull the canister out of the pocket. It’ll be tethered to the pocket zipper handle since the canister will float. Easy peasy.

Unfortunately, I don’t have (or want) any pockets such as yours on my BC (Scubapro Ladyhawk). I have a small roll-down pocket but I usually keep my neoprene or rubber camera lens covers in there while I’m diving. It’s a flat pocket, not large enough for anything more than some small trash with it that I find on dives that I will pick up. My solution needs to be able to be clipped off to a hip D-ring or mounted securely on a strap.

 

[tursiops]

Unfortunately, I don’t have (or want) any pockets such as yours on my BC (Scubapro Ladyhawk). I have a small roll-down pocket but I usually keep my neoprene or rubber camera lens covers in there while I’m diving. It’s a flat pocket, not large enough for anything more than some small trash with it that I find on dives that I will pick up. My solution needs to be able to be clipped off to a hip D-ring or mounted securely on a strap.

I don't have pockets either. My dunk test in fresh water of the Custom Divers canister with my FastFind 220 shows it is maybe 30-50 grams buoyant (estimate), so it will be a bit more than that in salt water. I'm going to try the hip d-ring. Plan B is a spare-mask pouch on my BPW's waist strap.