Help with deploying a safety sausage

[dfx]

In the video, it's pre-attached to the spool. I thought there was some reason why divers prefer to carry the spool and the sausage separately and attach them underwater. For me, the attachment process while hovering in mid-water was the difficult part. In learning from my instructor how to deploy a sausage, it never occurred to me to ask why we couldn't simply pre-attach it on the surface. Are there pros and cons?

I always carry it pre-rigged, unless I have reason to believe that I might need the spool for something else.

I may be dense, but I just can't picture how to do dSMB oral inflation via the LPI. Would you mind expanding a little bit on that?

It probably depends on the type (make/model) of the SMB. The one I have has a valve that both fits into the BCD hose and can be used for oral inflation.

 

[emoreira]

I think it is crazy that this potentially life saving skill is not taught right back in OW training.

From memory it is not even part o AOW or Rescue training....

I don't know in your area, but here in Argentina is pretty difficult to find a pool deeper than 3 meters (10 feet). In a 10 feet depth pool, deploying a SMB is frustrating since there is not such a depth for it to be deployed as it's intended.

 

[Mustard Dave]

I don't know in your area, but here in Argentina is pretty difficult to find a pool deeper than 3 meters (10 feet). In a 10 feet depth pool, deploying a SMB is frustrating since there is not such a depth for it to be deployed as it's intended.

What about teaching it on the open water dives?

 

[MikkelBC]

I don't know in your area, but here in Argentina is pretty difficult to find a pool deeper than 3 meters (10 feet). In a 10 feet depth pool, deploying a SMB is frustrating since there is not such a depth for it to be deployed as it's intended.

Practicing it at 3 meters is perfect. If you master your trim and buoyancy while deploying an SMB from 3 meters, then doing it from 5 or 10 meters will be a piece of cake. Hover horizontally 30 cm above the pool bottom and deploy while staying in place. It is not easy, but training shouldn't be easy.

The thing that you don't get to train in a 3m pool is well controlled ascents and stops. That is also a difficult skill to master perfectly.

 

[DivemasterDennis]

JUst to add to the discussion, I teach this with our Advanced Open Water students, deploying from about 8 meters. I recommend oral inflate, but one can use other methods. I too am amazed this is not a required skill, at least at the AOW level. It is at my dive center.
DivemasterDennis

 

[Ting Tong]

Anyone have any helpful videos on this as I can seem to figure it out.

I am not sure that I can help as you have a lot more experience than me, but if you where a little bit more specific about what you are having trouble with other members will be able to help.

In the video, it's pre-attached to the spool. I thought there was some reason why divers prefer to carry the spool and the sausage separately and attach them underwater. For me, the attachment process while hovering in mid-water was the difficult part. In learning from my instructor how to deploy a sausage, it never occurred to me to ask why we couldn't simply pre-attach it on the surface. Are there pros and cons?

I carry them separately because they fit in my pockets on my BC easily when separate.

I think it is crazy that this potentially life saving skill is not taught right back in OW training.

From memory it is not even part o AOW or Rescue training....

Agreed!

OP

I have about 20 dives currently, not many compared to yourself, and shoot an SMB every dive at the safety stop. I have been chastised on the boat by a DM back on the boat for shooting one after I pulled it out and she signaled no need for it. I ignored her. I like to see fish but I also like to practice my skills and become a better diver. I don't care if there is no boat traffic above me, after 20 dives I need the practice. After that incident, in the pre dive, I always ask if it's an issue if I shoot an SMB (maybe just for practice) and actually I have never had anything other than a positive response. In fact many of the DM's or guides are astonished that I have my own SMB.

I think it is an important skill to have and like anything in diving it's all about practice.

 

[00wabbit]

I agree though practice is important. I was with an instabuddy the other day and he was getting a bit stressed and we couldn't readily find the anchor line on this wreck because it was a bit scattered and we werent familiar with it. I could see he was getting stressed so instead of wasting time trying to find the anchor I shot the smb from 85ft to give him a reference to ascend. I reeled it up right behind him. To me it was no big deal because I've shot the smb in most of my classes. There was also no currents that day so drifting away wasn't an issue. I learned some good lessons about diving with instabuddies to 85ft that day.

 

[decompression]

I think it is crazy that this potentially life saving skill is not taught right back in OW training.

From memory it is not even part o AOW or Rescue training....

Some agency's do teach this in OW, and good instructors include it regardless of agency.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[diverjen]

This is a very helpful thread for a newb such as myself. We have pretty much only been diving to Bonaire, two trips, and potentially will go back a third time next spring, but for pretty much any other dive trip I want an SMB and some way to practice it ahead. It would be great if there was opportunity in AOW to practice. I am also starting to feel like I am going to have to figure out a dry suit soon if I am ever going to be more than a recreational/vacation diver. I just get so darn cold everywhere else and would love to dive more often more "locally". New Mexico, California, etc

 

[00wabbit]

This is a very helpful thread for a newb such as myself. We have pretty much only been diving to Bonaire, two trips, and potentially will go back a third time next spring, but for pretty much any other dive trip I want an SMB and some way to practice it ahead. It would be great if there was opportunity in AOW to practice. I am also starting to feel like I am going to have to figure out a dry suit soon if I am ever going to be more than a recreational/vacation diver. I just get so darn cold everywhere else and would love to dive more often more "locally". New Mexico, California, etc

There is an opportunity in AOW to practice. When you show up tell the instructor that you are not comfortable with the DSMB and would like to practice. Ask if you can practice at the end of each dive. A good instructor will have no problem helping you with this and may go ahead and add the skill to the class so everyone can benefit. AOW isn't so complicated a class that this couldn't be tacked on to the end of a dive.