Lift Bag Deployment

[7ftDiver]

So i did a quick search and didnt really find what i was looking for. Im interested in learning the correct way to deploy a lift bag from a wreck. Im looking for the solution to this scenario: You finsih your dive and either cannot find the anchor line, or the boat is no longer tied in on the wreck.

I have a reel and a bag, i see from the search eveyone tends to prefer a finger spool. is there much difference in procedure? How do you tie off to the wrech so that when you surface you can retrieve your line so it doesnt become an entanglement hazard for others.

I also noticed that alot of people stated that the lift bag is for drift hangs, is this true? I was under the impression that this procedure was designed to keep you relativly close to the wreck.

Thannks in advance.

 

[tstonedvr]

First you need to practice shooting a bag somewhere....safe...firing one off without some practice is a cluster....myself I like reels and never have had a problem with one...a spool will work but you have to get the line back on the spool....there are ways to shoot a bag and never leave the wreck area but you probably need to be shown how it's done rather than just be told...shooting a bag is not hard but takes doing things in steps the same way everytime and don't be in a hurry or Murphy will be right there to help you...I know this doesn't tell you how, I'll leave that to the more articulate. Practice, practice and practice...

 

[Xman]

IMO this is not the sort of thing that can be safely taught via the internet. You need to find someone who is experienced at shooting a bag and watch how they do it...then practice until it becomes second nature.
I think you may have two different questions-
1. how to send up a Delayed Surface Marker Buoy, for drift or deco
2. how to send up a liftbag/deco line from a wreck

the second one should only really happen if your original line is damaged, or you find yourself unable to navigate back to the main line for any number of possible reasons.

Both require being taught in real life rather than over the internet

 

[limeyx]

So i did a quick search and didnt really find what i was looking for. Im interested in learning the correct way to deploy a lift bag from a wreck. Im looking for the solution to this scenario: You finsih your dive and either cannot find the anchor line, or the boat is no longer tied in on the wreck.

I have a reel and a bag, i see from the search eveyone tends to prefer a finger spool. is there much difference in procedure? How do you tie off to the wrech so that when you surface you can retrieve your line so it doesnt become an entanglement hazard for others.

I also noticed that alot of people stated that the lift bag is for drift hangs, is this true? I was under the impression that this procedure was designed to keep you relativly close to the wreck.

Thannks in advance.

The problem with a reel is that it is more likely to jam. If it jams and the bag is positive, you might end up going for a ride. Use the simplest tool that works (e.g. a spool in this case)

Generally a bag is either
1) to lift something
2) to mark your position on the surface when drifting (so boats can see/follow you)
3) to give you a visual reference on ascent
4) to satisfy local dive regulations (like the especially onerous ones I keep hearing about in England)

Generally I would not tie a bag off to a wreck -- doesn't seem to buy you much unless you can see it during your entire dive. Then the chances are the vis is good enough to see the anchor line anyway.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

If there is a heavy current on the wreck and drifting deco is not an option, then you will need to secure the line to the wreck. In this case a Jersey upline is common and uses a fairly heavy hemp or sisal rope that equally degrades in the water so it is generally not going to create an entangelment hazard if it is left. In fact, if left on the reel wet, it will often degrade on the reel and leave you with very little useable line.

Another potential complication with this is the tendency for a heavy current to pull the bag underwater, so a realtively large and streamlined bag is desireable (like the 125lb OMS SMB).

Otherwise, if you just need an ascent line in low current and/or are doing a drifting deco where the boat will follow your bag, a regular reel or spool with #36 or #48 line will work fine as will a smallish 50 lb class liftbag or SMB.

Personally, I prefer a spool as they are virtually snag proof and if you let go accidently during the bag's ascent, they basically just dance around in front of you with little upward movement. A reel is a different story as if it snags, it is going up with the bag on a short line. If you plan on using a reel for ascent forma deco dive, run the line out and reel it back on above water very carefully before every anticipated use to ensure it will come off smoothly with no snags.

In contrast to a reel, rolling the line back on a finger spool is a relatively slow process that by default gives you a slow ascent rate if you stay very slightly negative and follow the spool up as you roll the line back on. And it's simple to clip the double ender back on the spool and line to hold your depth at deco/safety stops so you donlt give up much compared to a reel.

Shooting a bag is not overly hard but it is hard to explain on-line and is best demonstrated by someone experienced with doing it. The key concerns are to deploy the bag and connect it to the line while maintaining depth, and getting the bag inflated and launched without entangling yourself.

 

[abysmaldiver]

Take a class!

 

[pir8]

You are guarenteed to shoot a bag in the Search & Recovery class. Skills can then be transfered to other circumstances. There is not always time to do so in a basic Wreck Diver class.

 

[mattroz]

i thought at one point there was a DIR website showing a bag deployment anyone know that website?

 

[Willie]

Here is an article I found earlier this year on deploying an smb using a reel.

http://www.divemagazine.co.uk/news/printablearticle.asp?sp=328429586565638852268&v=1&UAN=2618​

And here is a nice video of how to use a spool.

http://www.thumpershole.com/images/DIRF%20Training%20Videos/shootbag[1].m1v​

I second the advice to get on the spot training. I dove with a buddy who did a deploy using a spool from about 20' and it looked so easy. He was very deliberate and methodical. He then dumped the air out of the bag and rewound the spool and let me have a try. It went very nicely. Looked pretty much just like the video above.

Now the next time I did it on my own was a different story.

So, I also second the advice to practice, practice, practice!

Willie

 

[Cudabait]

I would like to repeat what several others who would know have said..."take a search & recovery course". A good instructor will show you how to safely shoot a SMB, lift bag, lift heavy objects , etc. Additionally one will learn skills that will last a lifetime. Reading "how to" will never outdo hands on experience. PS...find a good instructor.

Regards,