Safety Sausage and Wreck Reels

[jagfish]

The Halcyon 6 foot bag is closed circuit, has reflective tape and a clear pouch to hold an emergency wet note message...

 

[fdog]

Shaka, I carry a SMB and spool (loaded with about 100') on every dive.

If deco obligated or on a deepish wreck I add a 50 lb lift bag and reel (small Pathfinder).

I consider this important life support equipment; I didn't skimp.

All the best, James

 

[ShakaZulu]

Want to thank everyone for there input.

150' Finger Spool ($33.00)
http://www.extreme-exposure.com/spools.shtml

Still searching for a Safety Sausage...........

 

[geraldp]

@ Mark, I've seen the finger spool being used, and I like the fact that it's small/compact. Yes, there is a lot of factors to consider with the safety sausage.

http://www.diveriteexpress.com/tools/liftbags.shtml#seeme

I have this guy... I have fortunately never had a need to deploy it. However the cheap plastic snap broke after about 5 dives. I took it to a tent repair guy and he replaced it with a nice SS connector for about $15 (my LDS should have replaced it, but instead he pointed me to the tent repair guy).

I really like the fact that it rolls up to a very small size, and I just clip it to a D ring and forget about it. 44" isn't very tall however.

Jerry

 

[cornfed]

The spools seems to be the popular option for deploying LB/SMB.

I keep on attached to an SMB in my pocket. It's compact and out of the way. Plus spools are cheap enough that you can dedicate one to your SMB and always leave it attached.

 

[michaelp68]

Want to thank everyone for there input.

Final decision then;

150' Finger Spool ($33.00)
http://www.extreme-exposure.com/spools.shtml

Halcyon Big Diver Alert Marker ($89.00)
http://www.extreme-exposure.com/halc/halc-lift.shtml

Can you inflate that at depth by purging your octo, or do you have to blow into the valve?

 

[ShakaZulu]

Can you inflate that at depth by purging your octo, or do you have to blow into the valve?

That is a good question, I just called and apparently you have to use your dry-suit inflator. The search continue...........

 

[Scubaguy62]

Want to start using a safety sausage and a dive reel for safety stops. The reel will also be used for wreck/drift dives. Any idea on products??? Want to buy the right stuff...........maybe I'm just too paranoid.

http://www.divebooty.com/equipment_details.asp?pid=3787

http://www.leisurepro.com/Catalog.aspx?op=ItemDisplay&ProductID=AQUADR1&ItemIndex=1&CategoryID=969&Context=965&Filter=

You might want to check out the regulations in California. In FL., the diver must carry a dive flag while on a drift dive. Boat operators do not recognize a safety sausage as a replacement for a dive flag, and if you have a flag, no need for the sausage. If it turns out you can use a sausage, the Dive Rite marker Mark Vlahos mentioned is this one
http://www.diverite.com/products/tools/surfmark.htm It doubles as a lift bag and can be inflated either by unpluging your LP inflator and connecting it to the plug on the marker, or by inflating with your octo (or alt reg). BTW, Fill Express a.k.a. diveritexpress IS a very well known and well respected LDS in So. Fla., so anything you get from them, I'll vouch for it personally. I know both Mark & Charlie very well and have been doing business with them for years.

 

[cornfed]

That is a good question, I only just called and apparently you have to use your dry-suit inflator. The search continue...........

I'm pretty sure you can blow into it. All the other halcyon lift bags, etc. I've seen can be orally inflated.

 

[ShakaZulu]

I'm pretty sure you can blow into it. All the other halcyon lift bags, etc. I've seen can be orally inflated.

So, here I am at 20ft, blowing into my sausage (that sounds bad), with the positive lift from the sausage, and me taking so long, I will definately develope bouyency problems.........