SMB or Sausage Set Up

[GreenDiverDown]

well....the only thing I have in there is a lipstick mirror.

That's where I keep mine, too! :10:

 

[Cacia]

well, ok, signal mirror. if i had one

 

[Cacia]

I think my eclipse is different from your picture. But I use my marker a lot and would not want it packed away. We have big swells and really need them on most dives. we drift over to sea caves to stalk monk seals.

 

[GreenDiverDown]

The rig in my pic is an old Pioneer... when it was new. The plate and the MC storage pak should be pretty much the same, though. Then again, I haven't seen the new storage paks... so they might be a little different. My lift bag is totally different than your surface marker.

The bag is easily removed from the storage pak... sometimes too easy! Just pull the leash and out it comes.

Actually, I don't use that pouch to store my lift bags/markers. Like I said above, the photo looks better than it really is. While I'm sure that some guys have found a good combination of a marker and a way to fold it so that it works, I have yet to find a bag that stores well without being horribly uncomfortable. I keep mine in my drysuit pocket or when I'm wet it gets bungeed to the bottom of my plate. I prefer to keep my reel in a pocket, too. But sometimes the only way to carry it is clipped to a D-ring. But they do have an uncanny way of coming unspooled when you least expect it. I've even had 'em pop right off the D-ring and try to swim away. Gotta keep your eye on 'em.

 

[Hoosier]

The only difference between Pioneer and Eclipse are a STA and wing. MC pack is an exactly identical stuff. I alwasy keep the lift bag inside of MC pack. It has to be folded in a flat square shape, not in a round shape. The valve on the bag or SMB is likely to hurt the back if it isn't stored inside of the bag or SMB.

 

[rockjock3]

I think my eclipse is different from your picture. But I use my marker a lot and would not want it packed away. We have big swells and really need them on most dives. we drift over to sea caves to stalk monk seals.

We might one day meet over there at sea caves. I dove there from portlock a couple of weeks ago with 5 other friends and we played with the male monk seal for almost 20 minutes. We sat in a ring on the bottom of the cave and he played in our bubbles and came down to check us out often.

As for your eclipse. I have the eclipse also and it is the mc pack on the back there. I have the Halcyon Super-Big 6' marker and it is huge. I accordian fold it and it slides in the pack with no problem. I then leave the end strap with the bolt snap out and clip it to my rear d-ring. I practice shooting it every 6 dives or so and there is never a problem getting it out of the pack. I follow this procedure.

1. reach back and retrieve my reel (clipped to the read d-ring with a double ended snap bolt) and clip it to my front-right d-ring.
2. reach back and unclip my SMB and start pulling it out. It usually takes 2-3 pulls to get the full length of it out.
3. Unclip my reel and loop the end through the handle on the SMB and ensure there are no tangles.
4. While holding the reel and SMB in my left hand I use my right to disconnect my inflator hose and then use it to inflate my smb to the proper fill for my depth.
5. I then release the SMB and let the reel feed out. Once it is at the surface I clip my double ended snap bolt in place to secure the line to the reel and I am done.

I can do the whole procedure in less than 1 minute from start to the SMB on the surface and this is without hurrying. I have even pulled the raft from my MC pack while underwater with no problems. It takes me less than 2 minutes to fold the Halcyon diver raft or the 6' SMB and pack it into my MC pack. I have deployed from as deep as about 65fsw and never had a problem getting either out of my pack.

If you roll the "whatever" then it will be very uncomfortable and difficult to get out, but if you accordian fold it then you won't have any trouble getting it out of there.

If you can't get it right then we can meet to dive somewhere sometime and I would be happy to help you get it folded right. I think the big problem people have with this is trying too hard and overthinking it.

 

[Cacia]

wow, thanks! That should keep me entertained on my next dive---I'll try it. I would be diving the Nori Z soon, I saw Joey at the grocery store tonight. Or pm me and we can go on Alex's boat anytime. I heard the mom and baby are there now. I got some shots a few weeks back...

 

[TheYellowSubmarine]

My buddies and I got the OMS one from leisurepro. It fills open circuit (which make it easy to fill), got a one way valve (so it doesn't deflate if it falls over) and its got an exhaust valve (so if you fill it from deep it doesn't overinflate and pop).
Six months on, no problems and another bunch of divers in our club got the same for their tech course.