You're Lost At Sea!! What Signal Devices Do You Have To Use - and Why Not?

[String]

One not mentioned here that a lot of people use (and was rated better than SMBs etc by SAR agencies) is the collapsable flag. 3 or 4 plastic poles stuffed usually to the tank with bungee that when assembled on the surface provide a very clear visible flag (usually lime green) on a 10ft pole.

 

[Garrobo]

Water proof GPS World Phone, flare gun and a couple smoke and dye packs along with a bottle or two of water and some candy.

 

[DandyDon]

Water proof GPS World Phone, flare gun and a couple smoke and dye packs along with a bottle or two of water and some candy.

I'm sure you're very popular at the airports.

 

[Tomeck]

Why signal tube is sometimes yellow?

 

[D_B]

Why signal tube is sometimes yellow?

*sniped*... Always brief with the skipper, here and in a lot of other places in the world a yellow DSMB is accepted as the "im in trouble/i need gas" emergency bag so if you are going to use one then tell the skipper AND other divers onboard or else you'll find a drop tank and pissed off skipper when you surface.
I can think of a few people in trouble at a local quarry for sending up yellow without telling anyone and mobilising all the rescue personnel there because they forgot to tell anyone.
As a note its always worth briefing and discussing signalling equipment with the boat skipper before diving so he knows what to expect, you know what to expect and there's no confusion in the event of an incident.

Here that is true with tech divers, and would be a standard "Need Gas/Trouble" signal, but not so much in recreational diving as most people have only one color SMB
.. I chose yellow one because it was the most visible in sea trials, but it's only 5ft and just plain yellow SMB/lift bag ... I am planning on getting a taller SMB in day glow florescent yellow

sometimes it means something different depending on the color, also, some testing suggests that day glow yellow is more visible in subdued lighting

 

[String]

There were some trials that found 1 colour (yellow) was more visible to aircraft whereas orange was more visible to ships.

However in a lot of the world yellow is used for the "oh ****" bag and will get people worried if you send it up without briefing first (its taught by some agencies as part of core course).

 

[D_B]

Bigger is better ... Personal Floats Safety Sausage Tubes

(thanks do it easy)

 

[DandyDon]

Bigger is better ... Personal Floats Safety Sausage Tubes

(thanks do it easy)

Tie that to a raft and be in great shape...
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[speedhound]

I carry a 6' orange DSMB, and a dayglow yellow lifting bag. In the event of a problem, the DSMB goes up, and then I clip the bag on the line and send it up too.

 

[String]

I carry a 6' orange DSMB, and a dayglow yellow lifting bag. In the event of a problem, the DSMB goes up, and then I clip the bag on the line and send it up too.

Pretty much i do. Beaver lift bag doubles up as yellow bag. I send it up the same line as my orange if the **** hits the fan.