Can a SMB be too big? Advice please from big Float users - Carter or others

[LJinFLA]

I had a 6' by 4" Sausage that needed to be orally inflated. I had two problems with it. First it didn't have a pressure relief valve and i was concerned about it bursting, and second i just didn't like the oral inflation part of the process. I saw the semi closed bags and thought that would be much better. I also had problems with it blowing over in the wind even when fully inflated on the surface. It would bend.

After much research on opinions about Width and Length issues, I opted for the Carter Personal Float in the 7' by 7.5" diameter (inflated) Semi-closed circuit bag with OPV and optional one-way oral inflate valve.

I just got it and have not practiced with it, but OH MY GOD, is it big! I am now thinking it may be too big. I read all this stuff about visibility of the smaller ones but this thing is a monster. It takes 8 big breaths to orally inflate it. my smaller one took 3. Even with inflation by my regulator or octo i am afraid it will take too long to inflate before it drags me up.

Does anyone have experience with this monster or one of equivelant size? Is it a problem to handle? How deep will I have to be to inflate this thing properly? It takes 1.2 Cubic Ft. per the manufaturer to fill this thing. Let me now your experiences.

Thanks,

LJ

 

[Tom Winters]

I used a 6' Abyss float. I wish I had the OMS 9'7" telephone pole. No one signaling at sea ever got overlooked because their sausage was too big. I don't know about orally inflating a larger float - that's what compressed gas is for.
Yes, the larger floats can be a pain-in-the-okole to deal with underwater, that is until they pop up out of the water and the boat driver spots you.
One great way to increase viz, especially when the sun is behind you and blinding the boat driver is to fold the sausage into a triangle shape. This really helps you get spotted even when you're backlit by a morning or evening sun. You just can't do this with anything less than 6'.

 

[LJinFLA]

Also, Another question. How in the heck can this be used as a lift bag? The Over Pressure valve is on the bottom. It has 75 Lbs of lift but with the valve on the bottom i would not be able to vent air to control my ascent until the bag was full. i would be a rocket by that time. I thought of turning it upside down and attaching in an emergency that way. then the valve would be at the top as it should be. But then i realized that the valve would then be at least 6 feet above me! i would have to attach a much longer pul string on the release valve. Even then if I let out too much air then the bag would be upside down and would be impossible to fill. With the valve in this place does this really have any right being called a lift bag?

LJ

 

[Kevrumbo]

Good point . . .I've been wondering about how to do this as well.
For wetsuit diving, I simply carry another conventional liftbag for emergency redundant buoyancy in my backplate pack, in addition to the 6' SMB. . .

 

[PhilEllis]

Also, Another question. How in the heck can this be used as a lift bag? The Over Pressure valve is on the bottom.
LJ

HI Lee. I personally don't think it would be a good idea to use the personal float to lift loads due to the location of the dump valve. That valve is provided simply to allow you to vent air when deflating the sausage and to serve as an over-inflation valve. As to the size, for open-ocean diving, I don't think it is large enough! I think bigger is better. We currently have a larger size in our normal stock, and in the past, have had even larger ones custom made by Carter.

When I deploy this sausage, I dump the air from my wing into the sausage, then shoot another blast of air in with an inflation tool. You can hang on it while doing a safety stop or decompression stop. A good portion of it will be visibile, even though it is not fully inflated. When you arrive at the surface, a couple of shots of air will fully inflate it (if it isn't already) for maximum visibility. Hope this helps.

BTW, thanks for the purchase.

Phil Ellis
Dive Sports Online
www.divesports.com
(800) 601-DIVE

 

[Tom Winters]

You can use it as an uncontrolled lift bag. Trying to vent a long float, steadying the rig all while you were ascending from depth would be too much trouble. But finding a nice Fortress anchor, tieing it off and shooting it from the bottom sure would work ok.

 

[LJinFLA]

Hey Phil,

Didn't know you were a member here. Yes, after all that paralysis by analysis, I finally bought one, and then when I got it I was shocked at the size when I had it in my hands. It also didn't fit well in the Dive Rite Sleeve that I had planned to mount it in. I can get around that. I am anxious to try inflating it, but was looking for a little feedback before I decided to get it wet. I wouldn't want to return it after i got it wet.

Tom, I would have to agree that it doesn't make a good ascent backup lift (though in an emergency it might have to do). I am a little concerned about your suggestion that it could send an anchor unattended tot he surface. I had always been taught that there are other dangers with putting up a heavy object on free ascent, i.e. what if it lets loose and falls on someone. For emergency lift I had considered filling it and sending it to the surface and using my reel to assist in pulling up but that is the hard way.

LJ

 

[Tom Winters]

I had always been taught that there are other dangers with putting up a heavy object on free ascent, i.e. what if it lets loose and falls on someone. For emergency lift I had considered filling it and sending it to the surface and using my reel to assist in pulling up but that is the hard way.LJ

Not always practical. Ideally, one would employ a suitable knot in the attachment to avoid the object coming loose. If someone was dumb enough to surface and clonk their head on the drifting object, well maybe they stand to be removed from the gene pool anyway.
And if my anchor does hit someone, it's still my anchor. No dibs just 'cause they got whacked.

 

[LJinFLA]

Can always count on a bit of sarcasm from you Tom.

Thanks,

LJ
______________________________________________________________________
The reasonable man adapts himself to the world. The unreasonable man attempts to adapt the world to himself. All progress, therefore, depends on the unreasonable man. Which one would you rather dive with?

 

[lairdb]

I used a 6' Abyss float. I wish I had the OMS 9'7" telephone pole.

I have the 5'2" OMS marker and wish I had the OMS 9'7" telephone pole. (In fact, are you interested in trading your 7' Carter for a 5'2" OMS in perfect condition?)

In re. lifting, I've never tried it, but I have wondered if I could use the loop at the "top" as the lift-point, thus turning the bag upside-down and placing the release at the correct (top) end. I suspect this isn't what they intend, though.