Diver Signaling Equipment...

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Tractor Tom

Contributor
Messages
901
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Location
Okeechobee, FL
# of dives
100 - 199
We'll be heading down to Florida to catch the cruise ship in less than a month and I'll have a chance to dive St. Maarten, Barbados and St. Thomas this trip, so on the way home from work I stopped at the LDS and picked up a bright orange "Inflatable Safety Sausage" signaling device, as I didn't have one. Good quality construction and a small package when rolled up, for an affordable $25. I was reading in Rodales that a diver said he carried a couple CD's glued face to face to make a 'throw away' signal mirror. What else are you folks carrying in the way of signaling devices if you find yourself seperated from the boat or drifing away????
 
Storm whistle (take off and throw away the key-ring part - it rusts), which I've got tied to the same bolt snap my safety sausage lives on in my drysuit pocket. Chances are, if I need my safety sausage, I'll be wanting the whistle, and having it tied to the safety sausage on a short leash makes it harder to lose! Plus I can pull them out together - less fumbling in an emergency.

I also carry a 1 AA strobe made by Princeton-Tec - I only take this on boat or evening dives, stuck in the pocket on another bolt-snap.

Fortunately haven't had to use any of them yet, but I blow up my safety sausage to dry it after diving - good test to make sure it's not punctured or something for when you might really need it.
 
(don't know why you'd go to the trouble of gluing two together tho), a whistle, and surface marker (sausage).

There are also signal horns (Dive Alert) that are air-powered and attach to your LP inflator hose.
 
Signal devices I won't get in the water without:

SMB Rolled up and attached to my backplate. Requires some practice to use. Don't waste money on the cheap ones - they're too hard to inflate, too hard to keep inflated and too likely to break. OMS, Halcyon, Dive-Rite and others make some good quality (more expensive) ones that won't let you down if you need them.

Horn Connects between the inflator and the lp hose, I never remove it except to clean and test it.

Optional - take on a case-by-case basis:

Strobe The only thing that's going to be effective at night. Comes with me on any dive that starts mid-afternoon or later when a swim to shore isn't going to be possible.

Dye packet Consistently rated as the most effective device by SAR teams. A real PITA when the packet breaks in your luggage. That was the last time I carried one.

Mirror Essentially a daylight strobe. Includes the CD-ROM. I've not heard of doubling them up and don't know why that would help, but they're supposed to be fairly effective, durable and lightweight replacements for the old chromed steel. I'll drag it along in roughish water or if there's going to be a current that might put some distance between me and the boat in a hurry.

Steven
 
I normally carry these on every dive:

- Marker Buoy from Scubapro
- Dive Alert
- Subduck for underwater signalling
- UK SL4 torch

For night dive, I will carry a Princeton Tec Aqua Flash as location light.
 
In the November 2002 issue of Dive Training magazine they have an ad for Pro Sub's Air-3 Air Control Device. Like Air-2 devices the idea is an all-in-one. In this case an LPI with a regulator (octo) and a horn. And rumor has it they have solved the above/below water issue of other air horns.

You see for years mfgs have been bragging that their devices can be used above and below water - but in fact the designs were mechanically directed for EITHER above or below but not both. This single function could not be stretched for both purposes. The above water unit would make almost no sound u/w. The devices created for u/w would sound like a muffled sick duck above water and have limited range in which they can be heard. Taken out of their element - they don't sound anything like the ones designed for that element.

This new Air-3 all-in-one device includes a "dual" air horn - that covers both environments.

I however, cannot find the item on their website, but the magazine gives 830-257-0022 as a contact number in the magazine.
 
Depends on where I dive.
Out in the Drt Tortugas, where you are FAR away from anything, I carry:
1. A large strobe light - don't know how long I'm going to be out there.
2. Air Alert to get the attention of people on the boat - it sure beats yelling!
3. Mini-Hammerhead to get my buddy's attention.
4. A tank banger to get my buddy's attention.
5. A couple of SEALED lift bags to
a. Get dead fish away from me while I'm floating on the surface
b. Provide a better visual signal for the boat
6. A rolled up 20X24" dive flag that fits over my spear tip to signal the boat.

On a resort dive, I'll still carry the audio alerts and a lift bag.
 
I got a diver alert and that thing is LOUD! Also a
sausage. Frankenmuth guy I got my stuff at
Seaquatics in Midland, not too far from you.

What's a "mini-hammerhead"?
 
I pack a 4' Halcyon "Sausage" type marker and a JetScream whistle (no metal parts) that's attached to the right shoulder D-Ring until I find a better place for it. The sausage was spendy, but the thing is really well made.

Lawman, you can read about a the mini-hammerhead here:
Noisemakers@Rodale's

Rick


Lawman once bubbled...
I got a diver alert and that thing is LOUD! Also a
sausage. Frankenmuth guy I got my stuff at
Seaquatics in Midland, not too far from you.

What's a "mini-hammerhead"?
 
bright orange SMB, Fox40 (sports ?) whistle, Cetacea strobe. for signal mirror i guess the shiny surface of my Remora is it. oh yeah, and Scout back-up lights at least.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

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