Safety Sausage Review

[Izu]

Recently purchased a safety sausage and would appreciate your advice regarding its use.

Since my computer will start my 3 minute countdown @ 15 feet, the tuna line should also be 15 feet ? (I have heard of lengths of up to 25 feet).

If acending without the boat in site, one should send up the sausage at 15 then clip in and dump enough air from the BC to remain slightly negative and hanging on the weenie until final acent ?

The sausage clips in to a lower D ring on my BC however where should the line be stowed. Wrapped around it ? In a BC pocket ?

Thanks in advance,

Iz

 

[rmannix]

Most sausages I've seen including the ones I have don't have a pressure relief and are only useful on the surface for flotation and signaling. Put too much air in it at depth and it will rupture on ascent. For drift deco a small lift bag is better or a higher price SMB with an over pressure valve. A finger spool is a good choice to deploy from depth.

 

[Vie]

I use the Halcyon closed circuit Small Alert Marker (3.3' long, 6 lbs lift) and a spool (100'); the "bag" with spool attached fits in my thigh pocket.

 

[Vayu]

I use the Halcyon closed circuit Small Alert Marker (3.3' long, 6 lbs lift) and a spool (100'); the "bag" with spool attached fits in my thigh pocket.

Cool.. I'm picking up one of these on thursday.

-V

 

[Cacia]

I like the Halcyon sausage and could not dive without it. Mt finger spool is loaded with 5o ft. or so of cave line. If I get sperated from the group, I will float it on the last portion of the drift just to let the captain have a heads up where to find me.

I have mine clipped off to a D-ring and don't have any pockets and like it readily available since I rely on it so much.

I do like the idea that it would provide backup flotation if your BC failed.

Most dives I will deploy it on the stop. Just remember to still always keep an eye/ear out for boat traffic, 15 ft is not that deep.

Also, I just ordered a really nice SS spool and you should go ahead and get an extra two way.

The H sausage will set you back 75 dollars or so. The presure relief valve and other quality features make it worth it.

 

[Damselfish]

Since my computer will start my 3 minute countdown @ 15 feet, the tuna line should also be 15 feet ? (I have heard of lengths of up to 25 feet).

Whatever depth you are doing this from, the line may not be vertical due to wind or current. 15 feet deep might need more than 15 feet of line.

 

[RICHinNC]

It sounds like you are mixing apples and oranges.....in this case.....safety sausages and diver surface marker bouys. I would never "shoot" my sausage to the surface. I would deploy it on the surface however. If I was at depth then I would use my DSMB....but they are two different animals.

Recently purchased a safety sausage and would appreciate your advice regarding its use.

Since my computer will start my 3 minute countdown @ 15 feet, the tuna line should also be 15 feet ? (I have heard of lengths of up to 25 feet).

If acending without the boat in site, one should send up the sausage at 15 then clip in and dump enough air from the BC to remain slightly negative and hanging on the weenie until final acent ?

The sausage clips in to a lower D ring on my BC however where should the line be stowed. Wrapped around it ? In a BC pocket ?

Thanks in advance,

Iz

 

[String]

You want at least 1.25 the maximum deployed depth for length of line to allow for a current.

Id also say 15ft is far too short. If you come off a wreck in a current you want the boat to know ASAP so send it up immediately from depth not waiting until you get shallow (and could then have drifted half a mile).

Buoyancy wise - stay neutral dont hang off it (unless its the older open ended type that need SOME tension to stop air spilling out).

How to stow line? Reel or spool - i favour reel.

 

[Michael Schlink]

In some of the seas I have been in I wouldn't have anything less than a 6' SMB/sausage.
Just two weeks ago in Mexico it took my 6 footer and a Divealert for the boat to see us and we were in only 2-4's (maybe 3/5's)
Definitly a finger spool and I just use one of my jumps, so it'll have about 75' of line. On deeper dives I'll use a safety spool with about 140'
Bottom line the taller the marker the farther away someone can see you-or find you
Oh and to add -the sooner you send it up the better for those topside trying to keep you in sight

 

[Divedoggie]

I use a sausage ON the surface.

I have an SMB for safety stops and currents. You should practice deploying an SMB from depth...esp in a current. Have your buddy keep an eye on you. I face down and into the current while finning, as the reel unwinds.

Otherwise you may find that you are deploying it FROM the surface!

You can also start the dive with the SMB on the surface, and let line out as you descend.