ShoalDiverSA:
BigTuna,
I am thinking of getting one of these. Is the bottom of the sausage sealed in some way to ensure air escapes through the OPV only? If so, how can it be orally inflated?...Can you comment on the other equipment that is included in the kit - mirror, cyalume, BC bag?...Where do you clip this bag off?
OK, Andrew, here's info you and I would wish DAN would post on its web site about their "surface signal kit." FYI I've dived with it but haven't inflated it the water.
The DAN sausage is a sealed tube that's about 6 feet long. Rolled up it is a cylinder 7-1/2 inches long by 3 inches in diameter. The roll is cinched down with a velcro strap that wraps around the cyinder, reverses thru a plastic D-ring and secures to itself. The cinch strap has a 1-inch SS D-ring that you could use to attach the inflated sausage to your BCD with a double ended bolt snap. The rolled up package provides access to the signaling devices described below, and it displays DAN's international phone number prominently.
The sausage comes with a plastic snap hook. I removed this and tied on a SS bolt snap. I've dived with the sausage clipped to the rear D-ring on my crotch strap and to the right waist ring. It works fine in both places. I think it could be accordian-folded and carried in a backplate pouch.
There are three ways to inflate the sausage. Here's the first. At the bottom end is a cleverly-designed chamber welded into one side of the sausage. You can release gas from your second stage into the chamber. The gas is routed inside via a fish trap-shaped funnel that keeps most of the inflation gas inside, the same way some lift bags work. But when the sausage is fully inflated the trap is sealed closed by internal pressure pressing against it.
You can also inflate the sausage orally or using your LP inflator. Both of these options use an inflation tube mounted about 20 inches above the base. It is a 2-inch length of hard plastic with an elbow where it enters the sausage. It's capped with a 2-inch dual-purpose inflation device made of the same hard plastic. You can press your lips against this and blow, or you can make a non-locking connection with your LP hose.
Near the sausage's base is an overpressure valve that should allow you to deploy the sausage at depth. It has a lanyard, so you can manually control the pressure.
Nearly opposite the inflation tube is an adjustable velcro strap that runs halfway around the tube. It ought to be handy as a handle if you want to hold up the sausage and wave it around.
On the same side as this strap is a 5-foot long strip of reflective tape that runs down from the top of the sausage.
At the very top of the sausage is a plastic D-ring, and there's another a foot below the top. I imagine you could attach a strobe or slate to either of them. Between the two is a clear plastic pouch that is open on both ends and that will accept a light stick. Near the top are two bits of velcro that could also be used to secure a light stick.
The included light stick is about 6 inches long that the package says produces a green light good for 12 hours. The signaling mirror is 2 inches by 3 and has a sighting spot in the center. The whistle resembles a smaller version of the classic storm whistle. The mirror and whistle each have string lanyards attached. The three items store in a velcro-closed mesh pouch at the base of the sausage.
Whew!
