Use of lift bag when bc fails

[fisherdvm]

Spool - just a spool with string? Reel - spool inside a holder with a winding device and reel? I was taught to use a little finger spool with my smb. Never used a reel until someone told me I need one last week.

 

[fisherdvm]

Page 99 tdi deco proc manual: minimum of one reel must be carried. A back up reel highly recommended. When diving in strong currenr, line equals twice depth ... once lift bag or smb is deployed. I was told it is best to be deployed from a hard bottom if possible. As an expanding large lift bag from depth can have quite a bit of pull. Deploying from a deco stop sounds nuts.

 

[The Chairman]

Deploying from a deco stop sounds nuts.

I do it all the time. If I've lost track of the diver with the flag, I'll send one up right away, but I never ever touch the bottom. The deeper you are, the easier it is to deploy due to Boyles' Law. I teach this to all of my AOW students. It's easy, but they never, ever use a reel. Reels jam.

 

[The Chairman]

FWIW, I take a spool with the depth I am diving or want to shoot a bag from. Usually, my max is about 100'. I deploy 0 ft before I add air. Loose line is easy to get entangled in so I keep it as short as humanly possible. Shoot the bag and let go of the spool. Watch the spool gently fall back down. Easy peasy.

 

[fisherdvm]

I think I would feel safe deploying my little 3 ft sausage with one breath at 20 ft, or my 6 ft with an octo and a spool. But if I had a wing failure at 100 ft... I think I would feel more comfy with a reel when that 6 ft sausage or large lift bag fully inflated ripping through my finger spool. Especially with the scenario we presented here. My second problem is with my lack of coordination, while winding my spool.... I forget to empty my bc and start to float up too fast. A reel is a lazy man elevator as you can overly be negative and vertical and winch yourself up instead of my perfect horizontal floating up faster than I should messing with my little spool!

 

[fisherdvm]

Thanks for your explanation. Without my xanax I fear that the spool will not return! Damn, their goes my sac with the hyperventilating again!

 

[The Chairman]

My second problem is with my lack of coordination, while winding my spool...

Know your limits. If you can't rely on yourself to handle a situation, don't allow yourself to get into that situation. If that means restricting the gear you dive to Aluminum 80s, then so be it. Double them up if you need to. Diving is optional. There's nothing down there worth dying for.

 

[The Chairman]

Oh yeah, I hardly ever blow into a lift bag. The 6 ft sausages I use have an input for my LP hose that attaches to my inflator. There's no catch so it can't get stuck on. Insert the nipple into the fitting and count to three. Thar she goes! For what you're trying to do though, a redundant bladder would be best. That's what I use, but I think I pointed that out.

 

[aquacat8]

Sigh I need to practice this.

 

[aquacat8]

Which sausages do you use @The Chairman ? Do some catch?