Re-Stow lift bag?

[coldsmoke]

Can someone help me out here? I find this impossible. I currently carry a 6 ft smb in a pouch I made hanging from the bottom of the bp. I can't get it back in there. I have considered purchasing or making a bp pocket like the halcyon mc, but this looks like it might be even more difficult to restow than my current set-up. Thanks.

 

[LVX]

I have the halcyon MC storage pack and that is where I keep my lift bag. Once I deploy it however, if I need to put it away, I fold it up and put it in my pocket on my drysuit or the pocket on my wetsuit. No problems...

 

[texdiveguy]

You will find that once you deploy your bag for whatever purpose you do....you will repack it back on board or once you re-enter dry shore. LVX is right, in those times you might re-secure the bag in the water, a pocket will do the trick or the bag looped under your waist belt temporarly are a few options.

 

[GreenDiverDown]

Can someone help me out here? I find this impossible. I currently carry a 6 ft smb in a pouch I made hanging from the bottom of the bp. I can't get it back in there. I have considered purchasing or making a bp pocket like the halcyon mc, but this looks like it might be even more difficult to restow than my current set-up. Thanks.

You're right... Personally, I think those MC pockets suck.

Here's the easiest thing that I have found... and I've tried lot's of different stuff...
... tie two bungee loops on the bottom of your plate.... make 'em purdy tight so they will hold your SMB securely. When you need to use your bag just reach back and pull it out. Restowing is a piece of cake.

This method simply works. It's secure. Easily deployed and easily restowed. And... it doesn't cost a penny.

Edit: Oops... just saw this was the DIR Forum... sorry.
Put it in your pocket.

 

[TSandM]

My SMB lives in my dry suit pocket, but I have significant trouble putting it back there. On the other hand, when are you going to put an SMB BACK in your pocket? I mean, you get it out, deploy it, and surface. For surface swims, I clip it to a front D-ring, and put it back in my pocket when I'm on land. If, for some odd reason, I really NEED to put it back in my dry suit pocket and can't manage it, I have my buddy do it. Apparently Dean Marshall told the Tech 1 students here in Seattle that futzing with stuff like that when your buddy can quickly do it for you is not the best strategy.

 

[coldsmoke]

Thanks for the replies. TsandM - as to why you really care about re-stowing: I am certainly not educated/experienced enough to know, but I was diving with some DIR folks a little while back and we shot a bag at the begining of the dive to practice s-drills. Unless I misunderstood, it was common practice because you should be able to do the drills while keeping the line in site. It seems like if you do it every dive at the begining then surely there would be a more efficient method of re-stowing than just clipping it off somewhere.

I was thinking of a plastic tube (perhaps pvc) placed in a similar location but higher and on the opposite side of the can light. The smb/lift bag can be rolled up and deployed/stowed from the bottom. A simple velcro and webbing closure could be made. I haven't tried it so it may not work - as well it may be apparent to those of you with more experience that it may cause other problems. Any ideas?

Thanks.

 

[Rick Inman]

I have re-stowed in my pocket - once. It was so cold (about 40 degrees) that I had some real trouble getting my lips around the little inflater and blowing air into it. I finally did, but it wasn't much air, so pulling it back down later wasn't a problem. Rolling it back up and pushing all the air out took some coordination, but eventually I got it neatly stowed back in by pocket - even clipped to the bungee.

I donno. It was enough trouble that it might just be easier to cut the thing off and buy another.

Not DIR, but my IANTD instructor had us do some deep (100') bag deploys to deco up the line, and we used those big 100# bags. No way are you gonna pull that thing back down. Once it's out, it stays out.

I was thinking of a plastic tube (perhaps pvc) placed in a similar location but higher and on the opposite side of the can light. The smb/lift bag can be rolled up and deployed/stowed from the bottom. A simple velcro and webbing closure could be made. I haven't tried it so it may not work - as well it may be apparent to those of you with more experience that it may cause other problems. Any ideas?Thanks.

The pocket works so well, I can't think of a reason to monkey with that.

 

[riguerin]

I was diving with some DIR folks a little while back and we shot a bag at the begining of the dive to practice s-drills. Unless I misunderstood, it was common practice because you should be able to do the drills while keeping the line in site.

Yup, that's exactly what we did and why chose to do it. It also has a side benefit, of incorporating some practice deploying and stowing an SMB on every skills dive. Everyone gets a turn. We essentially use one of the methods that TSandM suggests, above.

If you'll recall that day, we all carried a pre-rigged SMB in one of our dry suit pockets. On that particular dive, Milo was elected to shoot the bag. Once we reached the designated spot, he pulled it out, shot it, tied it off and we went about practicing the skills while trying to stay in sight of the line (which was actually pretty challenging on that particular day due to the strong surge and low viz). After we were done, Milo un-tied it, pulled the bag down, deflated it, rolled it back up and handed it to me to re-stow. I in turn, clipped it off to the bungee loop inside his pocket, stuffed it back in pocket, and closed the flap. Done ! Then off to tour the reef.

It took perhaps 15 secs max to re-stow it (even while getting thrown around by 5 ft of surge). We find this to work very well for us. I honestly can't think of a more efficient way other than to just clip it off on a D-Ring ... but then you got some dangly thing hanging off you.

 

[TSandM]

This is the DIR forum . . . You don't put anything on your left hip, because that's where you are going to carry stages and deco bottles.

In drills, yes, you may deploy an SMB and pull it back down, although when we've set an up line, it generally stays there until the end of the dive. But if you do pull it back down and roll it up and can't restow it, get your buddy to help you. That's part of what buddies are for.

 

[texdiveguy]

This is the DIR forum . . . You don't put anything on your left hip, because that's where you are going to carry stages and deco bottles.

Were is your SPG clipped off..?