Lift Bags for Emergency Ascend

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Michael Thomas

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Messages
14
Reaction score
1
Location
NY
# of dives
50 - 99
Question...I want to get a lift bag if for some reason I lose the anchor line and I have to ascend freely. I understand I will have a reel attached to the anchor line if the viz is that bad but lets play the "WHAT IF" game.
What size bag? 25lbs?? 50lbs?? 100lbs??
Should it have a dump valve?
What do you think of carters?
What reels are being used and what strength line?
Thanks...this question is geared to North East Wreck diving.
 
Carters are awesome, I love mine.

If you are talking about a bag for making an emergency ascent, then you don't need a lift bag, you want an SMB. You only need a lot of lift if you are lifting heavy objects. Also, an SMB will stand higher out of the water and be easier to track by the crew, especially if you are drifting. Here is the one that I have. They are also good for redundant buoyancy if you are diving in a wetsuit.

Most northeast boats consider a lift bag to be for lifting things (artifacts, mussels, scallops, etc...). An SMB is used for an ascent if you can't find the anchor line. This is frowned upon, and will not make your captain happy, so try to avoid this at all costs. If the crew sees a lift bag surface (as opposed to an SMB), they will not necessarily assume that there is a diver under it.

Also, if there is current and the dive boat is tied into the wreck, and you can't find the anchor line and have to do a free ascent, you should try to tie off your line to something on the bottom. Otherwise, you will drift away from the boat, and if the captain has divers in the water he may not be able to chase after you.

Some people make a big deal about colors (yellow vs. orange) to determine the significance of the bag to the crew. The problem with that is that those standards aren't universal.

I like the Light Monkey and Halcyon style reels - easy to use with one hand, and lock off during your ascent if you are drifting. Some people prefer to use a spool in shallower water.
 
Your tittle is a bit funny. Why would you need to make an emergency accent if you lose the anchor line?

For a NORMAL ascent, I would recommend a closed SMB with, of course, an exhaust valve :). Nobody should ever dive in the sea without one :).

For an emergency ascent: no advise :p
 
Your tittle is a bit funny. Why would you need to make an emergency accent if you lose the anchor line?

Ascent without visual reference is an OW skill. Hardly constituting an emergency.

What makes it feel stressful (like an emergency) is that too few divers are ever taught to deploy and ascent using a DSMB... or, if taught, do not practice this skill to make it a routine and simple protocol to employ..
 
Here Here Devondiver. Very true. Too many people find a blue water, no reference ascend very stressful. Simply because they are not sure they can pull it off without a blow up. I've seen too many technical divers hanging on the anchor cord when there is absolutely no current, just because they can't float and remain neutral in the water column.

But back to the OP. Yes you want an SMB not a liftbag. Best ones are closed with e overpressure exhaust valve, they should be rather tall, but have best not too much volume. I like the ones you can inflate orally (or with your drysuit hose).

Regarding procedure. I can understand that it's an emergency if the plan and briefing stated not to make a free floating ascend but stay on the anchor line. Specifically with a lot of deco / current you could get blown away without the crew seeing you. In this case I would try to deploy the smb from wreck and attach the end of the line to the wreck so you stay close by. If not possible at least deploy the SMB early (typically when you start to slow down the ascend).
 
Question...I want to get a lift bag if for some reason I lose the anchor line and I have to ascend freely.

In this scenario the right tool for the job would be a DSMB, not a lift bag. Something tall so that the boat will have an easier time finding you.
 
I'll add that I've never dived in the Northeast, but I've had conversations with the folks at Piranha Dive Mfg. about the subject of SMB size, specifically their 10 footer and they said they recommend that size as a backup for the NE due to the big swells they have up there. The folks at PDM are from the NE, now based in Florida. Typically they use 6 footers as their primary and a 10 footer for their backup. Down here in Florida I carry a 6 footer and an 8 footer as my backup. I also carry the Silent Diving Buddy Pocket Reel. (and a PLB and Dive Alert)

I can't speak to other brands but the ProBlue ones from PDM are fantastic, high quality, yet really inexpensive. I like the semi closed style with a open baffled bottom because you can use your reg to inflate and it will not allow gas to escape. They have oral inflators so you can use a hose or mouth to inflate and they have an overpressure relief valve. This gives you a lot of utility for inflating. They come with stainless steel snaps and reflective tape at the top and a ring to clip on a glow stick or GloToob for night diving or night time SAR.
 
Open vs. Closed? Like Cuzza I carry a 6ft dsmb with an open, but baffled, bottom, an OPV, and separate inflate valve. To ascend from depth with it I was taught to start filling it using ONLY gas bled from your wing / BC and keep it on a very short leash. That way you are staying neutrally buoyant at the start instead of immediately heading up. Give your wing a little puff of air to start the ascent and just hang on the SMB; watch your ascent rate, venting the wing as necessary. About 10ft below the depth you want to stop at you start decelerating by venting the wing and letting the reel out until the SMB hits the surface. Stay a bit heavy on the line and try to stay directly below the SMB. Easy-peasy.

Don't forget the gas in the SMB will expand, so from 66ft (3atm) don't fill it much more than 1/3rd from your wing.

Filling an SMB from your BC is easy with an open bottom. Using the inflator valve I guess I'd dump some air from the wing at the same time? Or just be ready to start the ride up as soon as gas goes into the SMB. (Note: I'm talking about using the SMB for an open water ascent, not just hanging at 15' and then launching the SMB directly to the surface as a marker - that's a different thing.)

Some people strongly prefer a closed bottom SMB, and I'm hoping to learn from their experiences, too.
-Don
 

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