Deploying DAN Saftey Sausage @ depth?

I recently purchased a DAN safety sausage and I have a few questions about it....

Can you inflate the SS at depth? How do you inflate it at depth (assuming you can inflate it)? Do you just blow into the valve (i.e. inhale through regulator, and exhale into the SS)?

Can you connect a finger spool to it, and send it up (with a line) to the surface?

How does the SS behave on the surface? Does it just float on it's side (horizontally) on the surface, or does it float "up" on the surface (vertical)?

I just want to make sure how to properly use one since there arent any instructions that I could find regarding it's use.

Thanks in advance!

I haven't actually seen the DAN SMB in real life, and I went to the website and tried to look at the photograph, and it's just not clear enough to tell what's actually on the device.

I've used four different surface markers, and all but the simplest one (which is just a tube open at one end) have had a loop or ring to which you can attach a line. This is the only reasonable way that a marker can be deployed at depth. The best way to do this is to have a loop in the end of the line on your spool, pass the loop through the ring on the SMB, and then pass the spool through the loop. You now have a solid connection that won't come untied.

If the SMB has an oral inflation valve, you can transfer a breath from your lungs to the SMB. If not, you have to disconnect a LP hose and inflate that way, or if the SMB has a duckbill valve at one end, you can purge a reg underneath it and fill it.

Deploying an SMB from depth is not terribly difficult, but it does take some practice, and there are pitfalls. It's very important to keep the whole mess away from your body while deploying, so that you don't catch the line in anything and get pulled up from depth. It takes a bit of experience to manage your buoyancy, so that you don't end up going up a significant distance while you are transferring gas from one place to another. It's a good idea to have someone who knows how show you how to do it, and to practice from pretty shallow the first few times (NOT shallow at the end of a deeper dive!)

To keep the marker upright on the surface, you have to keep a little tension downward on the line. This requires that you stay just negative enough to avoid being pulled up by that tension. I just recently realized that, if you have weighted yourself to be perfectly neutral at 5 or 10 feet with your tanks at 500 psi, then you will NOT be able to keep a marker upright at that depth with that pressure!

I have the DAN snb and it is no different than deploying a lift bag. It has manual oral inflation as well as an lp inflator option through the same valve although i would not do this at depth as it requires attachment to the lp hose! It does however have an open bottom with a one way valve type setup like the duckbill lynn was describing. Whether or not it stays up is dependent on what type of line you have on it and how much tension there is. If you deploy it like a bag it will be upright when it hits the surface if there is some tension on the line. And once you take up the slack it will stand up. Don't worry about pulling it under the smb is rated at about 30 lbs of lift. My suggestion would be to take a search and recovery course or any other that uses lift bag deployment and learn to use it. As lynn also said if you do not know what you are doing it can conceivably become a hazard to you and your buddy. And once you learn it, practice with it on as regular a basis as you can. My rule is if I do not know how to safely use it, and have not used it in a safe way, I have no business taking it under water.

I haven't seen the Dan sausage in real life either.

In general if you want to launch any inflatable from depth it either needs an Over Pressure Valve (OPV) or a simple open bottom. Bags with only an oral inflate and no OPV can burst during ascent, and are intended for surface inflation only.

True open bottom lift bags are great lift bags, but are so-so SMB's becasue they can tip over and loose their fill.


Here is an example of a SMB that can be launched from depth

http://www.deepseasupply.com/page28.html

Because this bag can be kept upright with very little weight ~1.0 lbs it's much less likely to pull you off your shallow stop. A 5lbs lift SMB is also much less likely to drag the diver to the surface if they get fouled in the line.


Tobin

Thanks for the quick replies! I definitely plan on practicing with one of these before I try it out in a OW situation. What is a good technique for deploying it? For example exhale a breath or two into the SS or until it is partially inflated or buoyant enough to have a tendency to go to the surface, and then clip on the finger spool, and slowly release the line? I can see the SS going up faster as it goes higher due to the air expanding in it, and that would be something to look out for.

Id love to take a class in this, but the only thing this is going to ba available at my LDS will be after I take my trip to Mexico. I'd like to be able to properly deploy one if the situation arises, and dont want it to become a hazard for me or my buddy.

Any tip's or things to look out for when deploying one under water? I plan on practicing this in a safe environment the first few time's out before my trip.

Thanks again!

Do not clip the line to your self. when using the reel or finger spool be sure you are as stable in the water as possible. there really is no need to exhale into the bag. Unless you are diving long hose and your octo is bungied around your neck just inflate it with a couple small bursts from your octo, depending on the depth it will not take much. If you are diving long hose breath with your bungied and use the long hose to inflate. Even better is if your buddy is still handy and one of you can inflate while the other holds the reel and deploys.once it starts to fill let the line go in a more or less controlled free wheeling. It may not hurt to be a little negative at this point and using your fins to keep you up just in case there is a problem and you need to keep from being pulled up too fast. there is no need to unreel or unspool it. once it really gets going it will go like a bat. just try to keep the reel from freewheeeling to the point where you have a birds nest. one thing that helps with this is having a reel or spool with a measured amt of line that you can let go from a predetermined depth. Depending on where I am diving and what I'm doing the reel or spool could have anywhere from 50 to 150 ft of line. However the spool I always carry and set up primarily for the smb has 50 ft of line on it. If I'll be going deeper I carry an additional spool for that depth. But with the 50 ft I can deploy it from that on up and since I've practiced with it know that I can do it without it turning into a mess. Also for the diving I've done so far 50 ft gives me enough length to hold onto something if need be to deploy the smb. 25 ft might work in the lake where we train but it's not enough if on a reef and the only place I can deploy from is a sandy bottom at 40 ft. Midwater deployment is possible and may be needed but I find it's better to have a solid base if possible. But if you do have to deploy in midwater 50 ft will allow it to hit the surface even in a good current while keeping you safely below any boat traffic on the way up. Hopefully once it's up you can safely ascend with out getting run over. Others may have more insight but this is what I've done based on my diving experience to date.

Make sure you have someone show you how. It is not difficult but watching someone else first makes it a lot easier. A picture is worth...

split0101:

Thanks for the quick replies! I definitely plan on practicing with one of these before I try it out in a OW situation. What is a good technique for deploying it? For example exhale a breath or two into the SS or until it is partially inflated or buoyant enough to have a tendency to go to the surface, and then clip on the finger spool, and slowly release the line? I can see the SS going up faster as it goes higher due to the air expanding in it, and that would be something to look out for.

Id love to take a class in this, but the only thing this is going to ba available at my LDS will be after I take my trip to Mexico. I'd like to be able to properly deploy one if the situation arises, and dont want it to become a hazard for me or my buddy.

Any tip's or things to look out for when deploying one under water? I plan on practicing this in a safe environment the first few time's out before my trip.

Thanks again!

Click to expand...

A few things to consider, not a comprehensive step by step guide......

You most definitely want your spool connected BEFORE adding any gas to the bag. The line is not clipped to the bag, but is secured by passing the spool through the loop at the end of the line.

You want to be sure that you are not fouled in the line. This is very important.

You want to be sure the area above you is clear.

Find somebody to demonstrate.

Practice in a benign situation, where an unplanned trip to the surface won't injure.

Good Luck,


Tobin

Thanks for the tips! Im planning on practicing both methods (mid water and from the bottom) since I believe both would be useful skills to know. I think the hardest thing for me will be doing this while wearing 5-mm gloves. It's still a little cold up here in the northeast. Right now my finger spool has 150ft of line on it. I think to make things easier, I’ll trim it down to 50 or 75 ft to make it more manageable.

I’ll also give it a try on dry land to see if I’ll have enough dexterity to be able to attach the line to the SMB with those thick gloves on. I have a feeling that will be the most difficult part for me.

Thanks!

split0101:

I’ll also give it a try on dry land to see if I’ll have enough dexterity to be able to attach the line to the SMB with those thick gloves on. I have a feeling that will be the most difficult part for me.

Thanks!

Click to expand...

Lots of people carry the SMB pre rigged to the spool. I usually carry two inflatables, and my smb is attached to a spool in my pocket.


Tobin