Safety sausage

[tparrent]

Do you and most divers you know carry safety sausages?

I would certainly like to be visible but I wonder where to draw the line at over-equipping myself. There's so much stuff you CAN buy but only so much you want to lug around. On the other hand, fear sells - especially to newbies.

 

[BigJetDriver]

Tparrent,

Yes, most divers that I know do. In my case, I carry a yellow Surface Marker Bouy (SMB) made by Carter Bags, and a reel with enough line to send it up with from around 200 fsw. It doubles as a 100 lb lift bag, and is tall. Very handy if you need assistance, because it is easy to see.

 

[Kim]

Personally I always carry a sausage. If you are diving from a boat I would consider it compulsory - it often is as well.

 

[seagrave]

I carry a large sausage rooled up and attached to the bottom of my backplate.It works great if you need an anchor line when used with a reel.I would suggest a sausage you can inflate at depth.As far as being cumbersome,i dont even notice it.It rides in the lower back.

 

[pipefish]

Just about everyone I know packs sausage! Don't leave home without it!

PF

 

[Skeeter1097]

some dive boats won't let you dive with out one

 

[alcina]

Should be essential kit, IMHO. And make sure it's a good one, not one of those pathetic, tiny, narrow ones

 

[SDAnderson]

Standard gear on my rig. At the least I carry a short SMB with a 100' spool in a pocket or a 6' marker with 200' of line butt mounted - usually both. They aren't as sexy as a knife but they get used more often.

I think the place to start is with the big one - they're better for visibility in rough water and can serve as additional buoyancy, too. Later on you can add others as the need arises.

After you get one, have somebody that knows how show you how to use one (and what not to do) and then practice. They aren't as easy as they might seem and can actually get you in trouble if you aren't careful.

 

[RICHinNC]

Personally....I think a safey sausage....and a DSMB are two completly different things. One can be deployed from below the surface....the DSMB....and one is deployed above the surface....the safety sausage.

Whether or not both perform the same mission is a good discussion and thats a whole other thread. However, I would recommend both for any diver.

To me...they are not the same.

rich

 

[BigJetDriver]

Rich, Carter's bags are made to do both jobs. Cuts down on what you have to carry.