Finger Reel to shoot safety sausage or lift bag???

[mwa1007]

I would like to purchase a reel to shoot a safety sausage or lift bag for open water accents. Most of the reels ive seen and used are rather large and bulky. My question, can you shoot a lift bag or SS using a finger reel safely? Any insight is appreciated. Thanks.

Mike

 

[ae3753]

Are you looking for something like this?



or

 

[String]

You can use a spool but generally if deploying from depth they're annoying to wind in large amounts and a reel is better. If only shooting from shallow a spool is fine.

 

[diver 85]

I would like to purchase a reel to shoot a safety sausage or lift bag for open water accents. Most of the reels ive seen and used are rather large and bulky. My question, can you shoot a lift bag or SS using a finger reel safely? Any insight is appreciated. Thanks.

Mike

yes they work, just fine, and don't spend over 10 bucks on one, new....

 

[NorthWoodsDiver]

I used to use one exclusively even in cold water with dry gloves (I used the dive rite's with the big hole in the middle) but I ended up getting a salvo reel for cave diving and generally I find my self wanting to deploy bags from depth so having the extra line and ease of operation is nice. I just clip the reel off to a butt D-ring on the plate and stow the SMB in a dive rite sleeve.

so yes a spool works fine and is less expensive. They tend to be a pain if you are always shooting a bag and especially from deeper water. if you go this route get a stainless or aluminum spool, its more expensive but more durable. I have sat on more than one spool when it was clipped off and cracked them. T

 

[scuubaadoo]

just came back from Coz. I decided to buy a finger spool as I started shooting video and was concerned about getting separated from the group. I have used wreck reels for years and gotta say they are much easier to use. They do sell small reels if your concerned about size.

They might be useful for short distances, but that's about it.

 

[coldsmoke]

A spool is fine. Absolutely no reason to spend the money on a quality reel to shoot a surface marker. Not to mention why would you want to carry a reel when a spool does the job just as well. I actually think it's easier with a spool.

Hunter

 

[Tortuga68]

I concur. I use a finger spool and shoot from as far down as 30m

I prefer the cold water spools as I find the hole in the warm water spools is a little small, even when I'm not wearing gloves (maybe I just have fat fingers)

Make yourself slightly negative before blowing up your bag - and if you do happen to lose your grip, just wait and it should drop right down into your hands

Cheaper plastic spools do tend to break if you drop them on land, but I find the better quality ones pretty durable - I think mine is a Halcyon one

You can use a spool but generally if deploying from depth they're annoying to wind in large amounts and a reel is better

I actually find using a spool makes for a nice slow & steady ascent, even if it is a little more work. Of course with experience you can do the same with a reel

 

[b1gcountry]

I don't mind winding the spools. It's not that bad, and I'm not going up very fast anyway.

Tom

 

[Rick Inman]

Spools are great! They hid away easily in a pocket, they come in various lengths (I have 100' and a 150'), they are inexpensive, can be used for a bag or a ss, for jumps or short penetrations, as bread crumbs to mark a path, as a deco Jon line, they don't foul, and if you lose one they are cheep to replace. I have deployed mine from 120' during drifting deco as a marker to the boat, no problem.