Question re: Safety Sausage & Finger spool

[sytech]

I recently purchased a 6+ foot safety sausage because I had an experience which convinced me that the 3 foot one I had was inadequate.

I also purchased a "finger spool" (with 150' of line and a metal clip). I got the smallest one I could find because the ones with the "cranks" are too big. I was wondering what the proper technique is to attach it to the safety sausage when deploying it underwater which I can fill with air from my octopus.

Am I correct in assuming that I clip one end of the spool to my safety sausage, fill the sausage with air and then hold onto the spool with my thumb and forefinger and let the filled sausage rise to the sureface as the spool unreels? If so it seems that one could easily let go of the spool by accident this way. Also, what's generally the max depth at which you could inflate the safety sausage?


Thanks,

Sy

 

[spectrum]

Here is a video that may help.

Actually the clips are not used to connect the bag and line. A permanent loop in the line is passed through the buoy strap and then the spool is passed through the loop to form a noose. Many divers keep the 2 items connected so it's ready to deploy.

As far as a safe depth it is very scenario dependent. One rule of thumb is to have twice as much line as you have depth to allow for diagonal pull in current. Other than that if you are competent in doing it mid water it's probably best to do it at a depth where you will not need to had a huge volume of air, let Boyle's law fill the bag for you as it rises.

The most important thing is to not get entangled since recovery is difficult. Dividing the work with a buddy at first is not a bad idea.

Pete

 

[sytech]

Hi Pete,

Thanks for the video. Makes it crystal clear.

Sy

Here is a video that may help.

Actually the clips are not used to connect the bag and line. A permanent loop in the line is passed through the buoy strap and then the spool is passed through the loop to form a noose. Many divers keep the 2 items connected so it's ready to deploy.

As far as a safe depth it is very scenario dependent. One rule of thumb is to have twice as much line as you have depth to allow for diagonal pull in current. Other than that if you are competent in doing it mid water it's probably best to do it at a depth where you will not need to had a huge volume of air, will let Boyle's law fill the bag for you as it rises.

The most important thing is to not get entangled since recovery is difficult. Dividing the work with a buddy at first is not a bad idea.

Pete

 

[jaybombs25]

could someone explain it step by step?

 

[junior diver]

I learnt to do this in a pool borrowing someone elses before I got into a situation where I needed to do it. But I'll try and explain it anyway.

1. Take SMB and spool out of pouch/pocket etc already attached
2. Put finger through the hole in the spool
3. Hold the SMB mouth open, tilt head to left and breath out, so that the air coming out the exhaust valve fills the SMB.
4. (optional) If this is not enough air to lift it to the surface then insert the end of your BCD inflator hose and empty the BCD into it.

Doing it this way will make sure there is no loss of bouyancy or no sudden gaining of bouyancy. It will also make sure that your octopus does not start to freeflow in cold water.

Just make sure you never clip it to you and if it starts to drag you up. Just let go. It's not that valuable.

Any questions ask away.


(By the way I'm finally back!)

 

[stiebs]

2. Put finger through the hole in the spool

Big no-no in my book. Just hold the spool lightly between thumb and forefinger. Don't want your finger to get jammed (especially if you're wearing gloves) and start pulling you up into an uncontrolled ascent.

150' of line is probably excessive. 100' should be plenty sufficient for a SMB spool. When deploying a large SMB, you don't really want much more air in it than a small SMB. The only time you'll see an advantage is from deploying it deeper, and also being able to fully inflate on the surface (if its a closed type).

Here's my step-by-step guide.

1. Get in good trim. If you're still practicing, try hover just above the bottom in 15'-20', allowing yourself to use a light touch on the bottom as a reference and/or to keep you steady.

2. Take out your SMB, which should already be attached to the spool with a loop (as per spectrum's description) and unfold/unroll it. Keep your spool fully wound and as close as possible to the SMB, and keep a double-ended clip handy (clipped of to a D ring)

3. Squirt a small amount or air to straighten it out, and reduce entanglement hazard.

4. Hold the spool between your left thumb and fore-finger, and the SMB in your right hand, keeping hands close together, and the line taut.

5. Before inflating, adjust your buoyancy so you're slightly negative with full lungs. Exhale into the bag. For an open bag, move the bag above your head, tilt and exhale. For a closed bag, remove your reg and exhale into the valve. If you continue breathing normally, you should now be neutrally buoyant again (or close to it).

6. Take another couple of breathes to steady yourself, and repeat the exhale process, but this time let the bag go. You can hold the spool between thumb and fore-finger, but you should be able to simply make an OK signal around the line. The spool will unwind, and magically stay just in front of your face. But as soon as the SMB hits the surface, the spool will start to drop down. (For an open bag, you want to control the ascent a bit more - the bag shoots to the surface then goes slack, it will likely lose most of its air)

7. Holding onto the spool with your left hand, unclip the double-ender you got ready before, and clip one end over the line. Give the line a couple of tugs, then use the clip as a handle to wind up any slack. Clip the other end onto one of the holes in the spool, and you're locked off.

8. For a closed bag, just let the line hang loose between an OK signal. For an open bag, or if the waves are high, and you need more visibility, pull down slightly on the line, enough to make the SMB stand up. Don't use the SMB for buoyancy - it will just pull it back down.

 

[sytech]

Thanks for the instructions:

"(For an open bag, you want to control the ascent a bit more - the bag shoots to the surface then goes slack, it will likely lose most of its air)"

This I hadn't thought of though. That seems like the most difficult part of the drill, keeping the air in the tube. Actually mine is an "open bottom tube" but it has an inflation valve for orally inflating it also.

I guess if it loses air on the surface I can always inflate it by mouth?

Sy

Big no-no in my book. Just hold the spool lightly between thumb and forefinger. Don't want your finger to get jammed (especially if you're wearing gloves) and start pulling you up into an uncontrolled ascent.

150' of line is probably excessive. 100' should be plenty sufficient for a SMB spool. When deploying a large SMB, you don't really want much more air in it than a small SMB. The only time you'll see an advantage is from deploying it deeper, and also being able to fully inflate on the surface (if its a closed type).

Here's my step-by-step guide.

1. Get in good trim. If you're still practicing, try hover just above the bottom in 15'-20', allowing yourself to use a light touch on the bottom as a reference and/or to keep you steady.

2. Take out your SMB, which should already be attached to the spool with a loop (as per spectrum's description) and unfold/unroll it. Keep your spool fully wound and as close as possible to the SMB, and keep a double-ended clip handy (clipped of to a D ring)

3. Squirt a small amount or air to straighten it out, and reduce entanglement hazard.

4. Hold the spool between your left thumb and fore-finger, and the SMB in your right hand, keeping hands close together, and the line taut.

5. Before inflating, adjust your buoyancy so you're slightly negative with full lungs. Exhale into the bag. For an open bag, move the bag above your head, tilt and exhale. For a closed bag, remove your reg and exhale into the valve. If you continue breathing normally, you should now be neutrally buoyant again (or close to it).

6. Take another couple of breathes to steady yourself, and repeat the exhale process, but this time let the bag go. You can hold the spool between thumb and fore-finger, but you should be able to simply make an OK signal around the line. The spool will unwind, and magically stay just in front of your face. But as soon as the SMB hits the surface, the spool will start to drop down. (For an open bag, you want to control the ascent a bit more - the bag shoots to the surface then goes slack, it will likely lose most of its air)

7. Holding onto the spool with your left hand, unclip the double-ender you got ready before, and clip one end over the line. Give the line a couple of tugs, then use the clip as a handle to wind up any slack. Clip the other end onto one of the holes in the spool, and you're locked off.

8. For a closed bag, just let the line hang loose between an OK signal. For an open bag, or if the waves are high, and you need more visibility, pull down slightly on the line, enough to make the SMB stand up. Don't use the SMB for buoyancy - it will just pull it back down.

 

[Splitlip]

Sytech:
if you have an oral inflator, you probably have a semi closed bag which should not dump air.
Froop:
I think you flip flopped the clipping sequence in step 7.

 

[sytech]

Splitlip,

Not sure what you mean by "semi-closed".

Here is my safety sausage:

http://www.leisurepro.com/Prod/AQUGST.html


Sy

Sytech:
if you have an oral inflator, you probably have a semi closed bag which should not dump air.
Froop:
I think you flip flopped the clipping sequence in step 7.

 

[CompuDude]

Considering it says you can fill with your octo, it may be completely open at the bottom, or it may have a flapper valve. No way for us to know with the limited info LeisurePro gives there.