Lift Bag question

[DA Aquamaster]

I carry a 100 lb Carter lift bag on every dive bungeed to the right hand tank. Anchors and other heavy items found on the bottom get sent up with the bag carabinered to the flag line if I am the unlucky person dragging it, or sent up clipped to a reef scuba saftey reel if I'm not dragging the flag.

It also comes in very handy for shooting an up line on deep low viz dives if for some reason we don't end the dive at the anchor line.

 

[Atticus]

I've carried a lift bag on almost every dive this year (there was that one nude dive with an 80 just tucked under my arm...).

I am getting sick of my big reel getting between my legs and bruising my thighs so I went to a jump reel with 150' of line clipped to the aft D ring. It is _better_ but not perfect. Any suggestions?

 

[Charlie99]

I never carry a liftbag unless I plan on lifting something. OTOH, I often carry a signal sausage. The right tool for the job. .....

 

[Scubasonic]

Charlie99 once bubbled...
I never carry a liftbag unless I plan on lifting something. OTOH, I often carry a signal sausage. The right tool for the job. .....

I disagree,

I think it is better to have a liftbag that also can be used for a signaling device, Lift Bag or a deco bag, rather then JUST a signaling device.

-SS

 

[Laser]

Quarry dives I don't bother, but in the open water it's a must.

 

[Charlie99]

Scubasonic once bubbled...
I disagree,

I think it is better to have a liftbag that also can be used for a signaling device, Lift Bag or a deco bag, rather then JUST a signaling device. -SS

For a given bulk and weight, a signal tube is much more visible in high seas.

Unless you have a habit of hanging on the line heavily negative buoyant, then the signal tube is also good for a deco/hang float.

The only function the signal tube is NOT optimized for is lifting heavy objects, which I rarely do.

If you call things like the OMS 50# 5'2" SMB mentioned above a "liftbag", then we just have a terminology difference.

 

[captjohn]

I aways take two or sometimes four lift bags in open water.
I cant even tell how many times I have found anchors to lift.
And there was that 50 lb anchor and 200 foot of chain I found one day. That one took 4 50lb and 3 100 lb bags to get all up.
It was a site to see after the first bag was up I had maybe 10 boats around watching to see what I was bringing up.

Captjohn

 

[Atticus]

While doing a couple of drift dives in the channel islands this weekend it became apparent that my 50# lift bag plus recreational "surface signaling tube" were not sufficient.

I've ordered the Halcyon sealed 6' SMB and am planning on using it exclusively. I'll still carry my 50# as a backup, but the recreational tube goes in the can.

--Atticus

 

[scubachris]

I always carry a Halcyon Defender Spool with 100ft and either a Halcyon Closed SMB or Open Circuit Lift bag depending what I am diving. I bungy it to my BCD at my lower back, the reel clips on.

Just depends if I'm diving OC, SCR or CCR for which I carry

The bag or SMB are rock solid.

chris

 

[Rickoz]

I carry 1 Halcyon 80lb smb , 1 Yellow Buddy safty sausage used for only in a energence, 1 Alpha reel (80m of line) & 1 home made Jon line 2m long (1m strap 1m of stretchy stuff)