Safety Sausage or SMB for Vacationing Divers?

[Bearkeley]

Hi all - a lot of very helpful info on SMBs here, but getting back to the basics....should I get an SMB or would a Safety Sausage be good enough?

We usually dive with a dive op and going on our first trip to cozumel. Intended to just purchase the Akona Sausage (looking for something I can put in my pocket) but as I read through the posts, it seems like it might be worth considering the SMB...something like DAN's (althought bigger, it does include everything).

I don't expect to dive a plan where I will need to inflate before I get to the surface....it's really for emergencies only....thoughts?

Thanks!

[warmwaterturner]

Never dive without it! I use DAN's.

[richkeller]

I just picked up a SMB and reel for a future charter dive. I also intended to use it the same why you are but I got the reel for a different reason. If left behind I would go back to the bottom and attach the reel line to something to hold me in place. If there is nothing on the bottom to secure the line to I would attach it to my weight belt and drop that as an anchor. The idea being if they come back looking for you they will start the search at the original dive site and then head down current from there. I would go with a SMB that has an over pressure relief valve rather then a sausage. The price is not that much more and you will have more options using it going forward.

[Tortuga68]

thoughts?

A (D)SMB can be used as a safety sausage

A safety sausage cannot be used as a DSMB

[Brewski]

A (D)SMB can be used as a safety sausage

A safety sausage cannot be used as a DSMB

There's your answer. Also, never trust the dive operator for your own safety. therefore, always carry your signaling device.

[Dirty-Dog]

I'm with Tortuga. Prepare for the worst, hope (and train) for the best. I carry a DSMB on a reel with 150' of line on every open water dive.
I deploy from depth for practice, even if I don't strictly need to.

[CWSWine]

SMB looks very simple to use and deploy from underwater - It Is Not That Easy. You need to deploy from very shallow depths and practice before deploying from depth. Yes, always carry one and I even carry one lake diving.

[Tortuga68]

Easier to deploy from depth, once you know what you're doing

Best practiced from ~5m after completing your safety stop, with a low volume/lift DSMB

Finger spool is easier than a reel IMO (and cheaper)

Good skill & tool to have

[DevonDiver]

One with sufficient size, volume and appropriate colour to ensure visibility at long distance under the worst foreseeable surface conditions you will be diving.

[knowone]

The captain really stays at the front of the
boat so you don't drop heavy objects on his foot.

If you drop a heavy object on his foot, at least you
will know that you have been left behind deliberately

So try dive with the same operators and leave the liquor
in a prominent position so he finds it in time to turn around