What is the proper use of a Diver Marker "Sausage"

[flw]

Also, there is no standard in color and what each means. Even though there are many ideas out there. Yellow can be seen far better than orange. If you have to send up a message, do that with a slate or something. It becomes confusing to many boats if there are several smb's in the water and each has a different 'status' based on color. SMB only means that a diver is below. On most charters this should suffice.

I dunno, the british standard is orange=all fine - the skipper will already know your runtime anyway - one bag per diver, all named, yellow=problem and will involve a response usually a spare 21m deco cylinder immediately, followed by a diver - dead simple
When it's all gone horribly wrong, you need a quick, no brains response, you probably won't have time to write an epistle with cold hands on a slate you've dug out from the bottom of a pocket

 

[Bill51]

No, the most important thing about them is they are easy to deploy from depth, visible at the surface and they don't collapse on you. All the European ones are 2m tall, just put a bit of tension on the line and they stand upwards. If you collapse it just as the boat is coming in to pick up, you suddenly become much harder to see, and more likely to be run over at the last minute. ap valves dsmbi fits in a dry suit pocket with a small reel or spool, just hand the complete thing back up to the boat and collapse it later.

Different needs for different circumstances as most of us don’t have large pockets sewn to our legs when we’re diving in a swim suit, we aren’t doing anything more than 15’ safety stops, and the boats are always within a couple hundred feet of us with seas rarely over 2-4’.

 

[CompuDude]

I dunno, the british standard is orange=all fine - the skipper will already know your runtime anyway - one bag per diver, all named, yellow=problem and will involve a response usually a spare 21m deco cylinder immediately, followed by a diver - dead simple
When it's all gone horribly wrong, you need a quick, no brains response, you probably won't have time to write an epistle with cold hands on a slate you've dug out from the bottom of a pocket

Color coding is a strictly regional thing. I've heard the NJ wreck area has a color scheme they use, and SOME boats in Florida, but everyone chooses their own color scheme... and considering there are generally only two colors to choose from, they are frequently exact opposites from another place. If you travel extensively it probably makes sense to own SMBs of both colors, else find out if there is a local standard (or not) and use that.

 

[Meng_Tze]

I dunno, the british standard is orange=all fine - the skipper will already know your runtime anyway - one bag per diver, all named, yellow=problem and will involve a response usually a spare 21m deco cylinder immediately, followed by a diver - dead simple
When it's all gone horribly wrong, you need a quick, no brains response, you probably won't have time to write an epistle with cold hands on a slate you've dug out from the bottom of a pocket

Is that an official standard or something skippers agreed amongst themselves. I agree if it hits the fan, you need a quick response, this is why a concise msg works best. 'O2 NOW!' is pretty concise. But yes, you have to have a slate/sheet readily available and a stand by diver. I think you should have time to write a msg if you follow runtime and contingencies correctly. A diver should not be in a situation where he/she runs behind gas/time schedule and the time it takes to write a msg and get a response becomes lethal.

But that is another thread.

Bottom line is that UK skippers have a different standard of messaging, than US, than Asian etc, etc. To my point.

 

[JessH]

I dunno, the british standard is orange=all fine - the skipper will already know your runtime anyway - one bag per diver, all named, yellow=problem and will involve a response usually a spare 21m deco cylinder immediately, followed by a diver - dead simple

Mine is yellow on one side and orange on the other (from scubatoys). There are gonna be some confused boat captains when I dive there

"He sent up a yellow smb, send down a diver. Never mind, it changed to orange, he must be fine now. It changed to yellow again! Call the coast guard!"

~Jess

 

[Lightning Fish]

I carry a Halcyon SMB (it annoys me, but it was definitely the nicest of the four different brands I tried) pre-rigged on a spool in my dry suit pocket, on any boat dive, or any dive where I may need to surface where there is boat traffic. But it took me a while to learn to deploy it smoothly and control an ascent while managing a line.

TSandM:

Would you mind doing a summary of the different brands you have tried. Pros, cons,... including Halcyon and Zeagle?

Cheers,
Bill.

 

[CompuDude]

TSandM:

Would you mind doing a summary of the different brands you have tried. Pros, cons,... including Halcyon and Zeagle?

Cheers,
Bill.

Just for the record, there are a number of threads on this topic in the forum dedicated to Lift Bags and SMBs. ;-)

http://www.scubaboard.com/forumdisplay.php?f=79

 

[CompuDude]

Mine is yellow on one side and orange on the other (from scubatoys). There are gonna be some confused boat captains when I dive there

"He sent up a yellow smb, send down a diver. Never mind, it changed to orange, he must be fine now. It changed to yellow again! Call the coast guard!"

~Jess

That's the one I have. Very good SMB.

 

[Lightning Fish]

Just for the record, there are a number of threads on this topic in the forum dedicated to Lift Bags and SMBs. ;-)

http://www.scubaboard.com/forumdisplay.php?f=79

Yeah, I've probably read a number of them. But to have a product review on several products, done by someone like TSandM, would be invaluable. Especially if it was located in one post.

Cheers,
Bill.

 

[sardiver]

I wouldn't use a finger reel. As the SMB or lift bag zooms away, it's too easy to get hung up in the reel or drop it. I use a small Manta Industries reel. It reall does not create much of an entanglement hazzard, and if you get caught, just unclip it. You also want a bit of tension on the reel for deployment since a freespool might cause a backlash (tangle in the reel) and drag you up.