Anyone ever mount pockets on your tank?

[bruehlt]

I'm thinking of mounting some pockets on my tank for emergency / safety gear (ie, strobe, emergency SMB, etc).....Anyone ever done this before?

 

[wjknobles]

I think the issue you are going to run into is how easy is it to access these items in an emergency ... I've always found pockets on your wetsuit/drysuit work better

 

[bruehlt]

Meh - they wouldn't be for a quick emergency (such as entanglement) - those devices would all still be within arms reach. I'm thinking more towards the "oh crap, the boat left without me!" scenario. I think there would be time to access such items than.

 

[spectrum]

You could but...

More stuff up on the cylinder will cause drag and be an entanglement rick in your blind spot.

It will add to the complexity of every cylinder set-up.

I'd try to avoid that arrangement.

pete

 

[DevonDiver]

What exactly do you need for this contingency?

A mirror?
A DSMB?
A whistle?

Why mount these on the tank?

They all have multiple uses...not just for long-distance surface signalling and they are all easily stored in discrete and streamlined/low profile positions.

 

[bruehlt]

My new BC (oceanic excursion) doesn't have pockets (or much space)....I need a place to store all of the safety gear.

 

[DevonDiver]

Buy a pocket that can be sewn/glued onto your wetsuit or drysuit thigh. This is an optimum solution for streamlining and easy access.

Alternatively, consider the following:

1. Knife - attach directly to BCD fabric or onto the LPI hose.
2. DSMB - store it with bungee attachments onto the rear of the backplate (yes, even if it is a plastic backplate.
3. Whistle - use a tie-wrap to connect it to your LPI hose or D-ring.
4. Finger reel - use double-end boltsnap to connect it to a hip (low) d-ring.

 

[bruehlt]

Thanks for the replies. I think I am going to something like this, but not as clunky...

Surface Survival Primer

See the section where they mount the pack on the cam-band.

 

[DevonDiver]

From that site, you will see that most of the 'usual' safety gear is attached conventionally to the configuration...

1) SMB 1 - OMS 10 foot surface marker buoy (orange)
2) SMB 2 - Halcyon 5 foot surface marker buoy (orange)
3) SMB 2 - Lift bag (yellow)
4) OMS open spool with 30 m of line and a bolt clip (depicted in the photographs illustrating the article above)
4) Princeton Tec Emergency flashing strobe (carried in a pocket on webbing)
5) Emergency light - LED type, good for 50-100 hours (attached to right chest webbing strap and clipped to D-ring)
6) "DiveAlert" audible horn (attached to inflator hose)
7) "Storm" whistle (attached to inflator hose)
8) Wenoka "Squeeze" knife (attached to left chest webbing and clipped to D-ring)

The 'specialist 'survival' gear is attached to the camband...

9) "Peleliu Pack" surface survival kit, attached to the tank cam-band, containing the following: a) Water (one or two 0.25 l. plastic bottles, available at camping supply stores) b) Paine-Wessex Sea Marker dye pack (diffusing, long persistance) c) OMS dye pack (surface spreading type) d) Signal mirror (polycarbonate, one side a clear mirror, the other red) e) Spare whistle (in addition to whistle mounted on inflator hose) f) Cloth hat with brim (rolled up and stored on top of water containers)

However....this is pretty extreme gear for the average scuba diver. Unless the conditions were exceptionally severe (extreme current, remote location) then it would be complete over-kill.

You would be far better served just practising how to deploy your DSMB before ascent - allowing your boat to track you if drifting from the dive site. Perfect your navigation. Choose only dive operators you trust to maintain adequate surface cover and vigilance during your dive..... Then you wouldn't get lost in the first place.

 

[deadly_risk]

Buy a pocket that can be sewn/glued onto your wetsuit or drysuit thigh. This is an optimum solution for streamlining and easy access.

Is there a reason you specify sewn/glued and leave out the thigh and waist strap style?

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