Lift Bags, please help!!!

[ali]

OK, so I am NACD Full Cave and Advanced Nitrox IANTD certified.

I will be taking my Technical Diver and Trimix in 11 days with the MOST respected and feared technical instructor.

My lift bag deployment skills have not improved, for me it is a coin toss everytime I do it (will it deploy correctly).

I have been told that opposed to dive rite´s unfriendly lift bags, the new Halcyon ones are much much easier to deploy. Comments?? Anyone?? Suggestions???

thanks

ali

 

[dsquid]

What sort of problems are you experiencing when deploying lift bags?

 

[Mario S Caner]

The only time I deploy lift bags out here is to do a blue water ascent to the surface following a deep dive. I take careful steps to ensure that I'm taking my time and making sure nothing is tangled and facing the right way. Though I generally wind up doing this under some form of narcosis, what works best for me is to practice exhaing into the bag to get it started.

Just out of curiosity... who is your instructor?

 

[ali]

My problems are random. I will deploy perfectly as long as I am on a fun dive. Some times I put too much air to stabilize the bag before deploying, sometimes I do not put enough air in to get a nice speed up. I drop 1 or 2 feet and basically take too long. I have practiced and continue to practice but I feel I am not mastering this skill as fast as I should (or have mastered other skills in the past).

My instructor will be Matt Matthes.

ali

 

[Mario S Caner]

Ali, what type of reel are you using to deploy your bag? I personally use the Manta Jr and find it to be excellent. Further, I've gone with the NiteRider Wreck Reel Mount kit on it that makes it very convenient to use in any water conditions or environments.

(Here's Matt's Matthes' bio.)

 

[ali]

when I say Matt is feared, I mean it in the best and most compliment way there is. At this level of diving, instructors have to be tough and put you under lots of pressure. The reason I will be training with him is because I believe he is about the best around. (besides I know him well).

I will look into the reels.

 

[scubakat]

Man... I think that I'd fumble with my lift bag around that guy too!

-kate

 

[ali]

hey!! since I live in Mexico, we do not have many options available as far as buying gear goes. the reel you mention looks good, what would you say make it different from others? (I happened to drop my safety last week just prior to my deployment, so I have to replace it anyways)

 

[ali]

I totally agreee.

My adv. nitrox instructor is good and tough, but he is also one of my best friends, so I did not feel as intimidated.

what is your certification level guys??

 

[Lost Yooper]

You might consider getting a new bag like the Halcyon 80lb closed circuit bag. It's a no brainer -- just have to watch the line.

http://www.halcyon.net/mc/07b_mc.shtml

Mike