Lift BAG VS sIGNAL sAUSAGE

[Jason B]

What do you see as the advantages of using a lift bag or signal sausage? (Assume a large sausage)?

The advantages of a lift bag are that they make it easy to lift heavy items under water, and return them to the surface.
The advantage of a signal sausage is that it can be used to signal your location.
Seems to me that the name of each device pretty much explains what the advantage of each is.

 

[GDI]

My question if I am to rephrase it pertains to the use as a surface marking device used in Deco diving

 

[Doc Intrepid]

For what its worth, I'm not convinced that during deco the big sausages are significantly any more visible than a decent sized liftbag. They tend to lay over on the surface absent about 4 lbs of downward pull, and most guys I dive with try to stay neutral on deco and simply use the line as a reference.

After reaching the surface its another matter. I think the tubes are far more visible after being fully inflated and held upright. I also carry a tube, one of the 6' Halcyon CC tubes, and it works well for me.

 

[SDAnderson]

I like the little SMB's for marking my position during routine deco - I use a Halcyon small marker most of the time. It's adequate for establishing a reference line, inflates orally or through an lp hose, is small enough that I don't have to worry about it wagging the dog, won't spill and is big enough to be seen in calm conditions.

I have a couple of back-ups that I carry (not usually at the same time): a 50# OMS SMB with a duck valve and an OPV in a pouch on the butt of my backplate, and a 50# Carter lift bag with an open bottom that rides under my backplate. The SMB is better for marking my position only if I'm on the surface and can apply sufficient downward pressure to lift it out of the water, the lift bag has an irritating tendency to dump air if I don't pay attention to it all the way up.

 

[jagfish]

Use something that does both.

http://carterbag.com/personalfloat.html

FT

HI FRED
Looks like an interesting product, but nowhere on the link does it mention that the float can be used for lifting as well. Is it described elsewhere in the site?

 

[DocRCH]

I use an OMS 9' 7" "sausage" it is a SMB that really stands out. It is a bright orange. I have been on a dive where a diver drifeted off and it was incredibly difficult to see his lift bag (which was a yellow). At the time the seas were white capping and the difference between the yellow and the white caps was minimal. Also, the rounded top was similar to the shape of the white caps. What human perception is attentive to is a difference in shape, color, movement etc. I bought a large "sausage" that will stick up above the waves. It also has 90# of lift if you need it for that. In calm seas most anything will work. It depends on where you are diving and what your needs are. I have been in situations where the seas were rough and the boat broke free. I want the boat to see where I am.

Robert

 

[FredT]

HI FRED
Looks like an interesting product, but nowhere on the link does it mention that the float can be used for lifting as well. Is it described elsewhere in the site?

I've used them as underwater mid-depth markers by attaching a 110 pound lift bag to a 800 pound weight I needed to find in the morning. After a couple weeks of constant use in this service the bag still showed no signs of wear at the strap attachments. I've also towed them at over 5 knots with the open bottom working as a water scoop. no damage to them either way. no sweat lifting stuff to the rated flotation ofthe bag. They are NOT designed to "control the lift on the way up", which is fine with me as I'll never do that (again)! I'll either use the fill and forget method, with the boat responisible for fetching the hardware later, or tether it with a slide ring to a guide line and float. In any case I'm not going to be close to a significant lift.

FT

 

[GDI]

I saw a lift bag one time rip through a dock like a hot knife to wet paper. Man thats a lot of force.