Help with deploying a safety sausage

[Akimbo]

You have to look at the dive profile -- this is the Basic Forum. IMHO, the vast majority of recreational divers don't need the complexity of a spool. Most will never need more than a short safety stop at 15-20'. Nearly all will never make a decompression stop of any significant duration deeper than 20'.

I have started using 22' of 1" Nylon webbing attached to the SMB and a bolt snap at the other end. I hold the folded SMB in one and swirl it around allowing the webbing to unwind under the weight of the snap around the depth of my first stop. At this point the webbing is hanging and I power inflate the SMB. I allow the webbing to slide through one hand until the SMB breaks the surface.

This does not apply to technical divers that do spend considerable periods of time on stops deeper than 20' or divers that need to mark objects on the bottom. That requires a spool of some sort.

It makes a much more compact package and is much easier to deploy and wind back up. The image is of a 5' SMB that has been folded in half several times and webbing wound around it, I store in in a pocket.

 

[Manika104]

I think it is crazy that this potentially life saving skill is not taught right back in OW training. <br />
<br />
From memory it is not even part o AOW or Rescue training....<br/>

I was at my LDS yesterday and they told me that Padi is going to be SMB training in OW. Don't know if this is true but I think it's long over due and really hope it is true.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Akimbo's idea sounds appealing. I think more of us recreational divers would be less hesitant to carry and deploy an SMB at a safety stop if only we didn't have to fumble around with a spool and the potential for dropping it, etc. More than once I might have liked to deploy mine, but I said screw it when I weighed the potential benefits against the likely hassle. So yeah, why not pre-rig an SMB like this and, if desired, carry a spool separately in a pocket?

 

[t4e]

Akimbo's idea sounds appealing. I think more of us recreational divers would be less hesitant to carry and deploy an SMB at a safety stop if only we didn't have to fumble around with a spool and the potential for dropping it, etc. More than once I might have liked to deploy mine, but I said screw it when I weighed the potential benefits against the likely hassle. So yeah, why not pre-rig an SMB like this and, if desired, carry a spool separately in a pocket?

you dive solo?

 

[eponym]

Akimbo's idea sounds appealing. I think more of us recreational divers would be less hesitant to carry and deploy an SMB at a safety stop if only we didn't have to fumble around with a spool and the potential for dropping it, etc. More than once I might have liked to deploy mine, but I said screw it when I weighed the potential benefits against the likely hassle. So yeah, why not pre-rig an SMB like this and, if desired, carry a spool separately in a pocket?

Just don't let this happen . . . Surface Marker Buoy Instruction - YouTube

 

[Akimbo]

&#8230; I think more of us recreational divers would be less hesitant to carry and deploy an SMB at a safety stop if only we didn't have to fumble around with a spool and the potential for dropping it, etc. More than once I might have liked to deploy mine, but I said screw it when I weighed the potential benefits against the likely hassle&#8230;

Personally, the part I hated the most about reels was winding it back up&#8230; especially finger spools. That was the motivator that led to this experiment. That is also why I fold instead of roll the SMB&#8230; it is much easier and faster.

Winding spools is a two-handed job which is really a PITA when holding a camera or tools. Finger spools are the worst because the line twists as you spin it on and tends to knot up.

BTW, the best way to wind a finger spool is rigged to a battery powered drill. I see lots of divers just hand the wad of line, the spool, and inflated tube up to the boat and sort it out on deck later anyway.

 

[eponym]

Finger spools are the worst because the line twists as you spin it on and tends to knot up. BTW, the best way to wind a finger spool is rigged to a battery powered drill.

Good point. After using a spool, I'll hand wind it as I ascend. But at home, I remove at least as much line as I used. I put a drill in my workbench vise and add a spade bit that's almost the inner diameter of the spool hole (add tape as needed for a snug fit). Then slowly and evenly wind the line back onto the spool, and you're good to go next time.

 

[eponym]

Here's a photo:

 

[Mustard Dave]

You have to look at the dive profile &#8212; this is the Basic Forum. IMHO, the vast majority of recreational divers don&#8217;t need the complexity of a spool. Most will never need more than a short safety stop at 15-20'. Nearly all will never make a decompression stop of any significant duration deeper than 20'.

I have started using 22' of 1" Nylon webbing attached to the SMB and a bolt snap at the other end. I hold the folded SMB in one and swirl it around allowing the webbing to unwind under the weight of the snap around the depth of my first stop. At this point the webbing is hanging and I power inflate the SMB. I allow the webbing to slide through one hand until the SMB breaks the surface.

This does not apply to technical divers that do spend considerable periods of time on stops deeper than 20' or divers that need to be mark objects on the bottom. That requires a spool of some sort.

It makes a much more compact package and is much easier to deploy and wind back up. The image is of a 5' SMB that has been folded in half several times, the webbing wound around it, and a piece of blue bungee holding it together. I store in in a pocket.

What if you want to bag off from deeper? Say you are on a 25 metre deep wreck and the skipper wants you to ascend on a surface marker buoy - do you make a free ascent to 6m and bag off, or do you do it from the wreck and use the line as a reference?

What if you are ready to inflate the blob and you drop all that webbing below you. You sort the bag out, look above, and then look at the buoy as you inflate it. Meanwhile that loose line has snagged a diver ascending below you. You let the bag go and you have a diver on the end.

Using a reel needs some practice, but it is not impossible, and it keeps the line exactly where you want it.

 

[Akimbo]

What if you want to bag off from deeper? Say you are on a 25 metre deep wreck and the skipper wants you to ascend on a surface marker buoy - do you make a free ascent to 6m and bag off, or do you do it from the wreck and use the line as a reference?....

Like I wrote…

…This does not apply to technical divers that do spend considerable periods of time on stops deeper than 20' or divers that need to be mark objects on the bottom. That requires a spool of some sort...

Your scenario doesn’t apply to the vast majority of recreational divers who don’t need to master or maintain the skill of using a reel, but can benefit from popping a buoy during their safety or short decompression stop.

…What if you are ready to inflate the blob and you drop all that webbing below you. You sort the bag out, look above, and then look at the buoy as you inflate it. Meanwhile that loose line has snagged a diver ascending below you….

You can easily feel if the dangling webbing is entangled and the great majority of time you can also see it… it’s only 22'. You will also be engulfed in bubbles if there is a diver below you. Remember the diver profile. It’s not plausible that divers below you will be on rebreathers at their 40' stop and you are on a recreational dive in such bad visibility that you don’t know they are there.

Secondly, the SMB is unfurled by the time you are ready to inflate it — it isn’t a blob or wad at that point. I like to put a small puff of air in it orally to aid holding the end up to make it easier to power inflate with a second stage. That is true if it is on a reel or the webbing.

… Using a reel needs some practice, but it is not impossible, and it keeps the line exactly where you want it.

True, but do you really expect divers to waste their vacation time on drills who will never intentionally make a decompression dive? This is a case where one size does not fit all.

---------- Post added July 17th, 2014 at 10:13 AM ----------

Just don't let this happen . . . Surface Marker Buoy Instruction - YouTube

This video help inspire me to experiment with the webbing!