Liftbag Designation and Use

[Cave Diver]

How many people regularly dive with liftbags for use as a Surface Marker Bouy (SMB) or for deco or hangs?

How many people are diving with more than one liftbag, and how are you designating/marking them for a normal hang vs. one you shoot in an emergency situation? Strictly a color choice, or does your 'emergency' bag have other writing, etc. on it?

My experience has been that red/orange is typically used for hangs and a yellow bag indicates a problem.

Who is doing what out there?

 

[WreckWriter]

I generally only carry one, a red one at this time but in past a yellow one. I only carry additional bags if I anticipate grabbing goodies.

Another method of designating trouble is multiple bags (ie- a buddy team will normally shoot only one, if trouble, shoot 2).

Tom

 

[Northeastwrecks]

That is a wonderful idea.

In the past, I've alway said that I would attached a note to the bag if there was a problem. This raises the issue of how to get someone to read it.

I like your idea a whole lot better and will start using it as soon as I can get the differently colored bag for emergency use.

 

[Cave Diver]

Coincedental that two tazmanian devil avatarerd wreck divers answer this post in a matter of moments? Hmmm....

 

[Dee]

I use a 50# red/orange SMB. Beast uses a yellow lift bag. No designation for usage, it's just what we have.

 

[MechDiver]

I have an orange closed bag on my doubles and an open yellow on my single bp. I prefer the closed for SMB/deco so have that on the doubles.
No preference for color.

Phil

 

[Popeye]

Cave Diver once bubbled...
How many people regularly dive with liftbags for use as a Surface Marker Bouy (SMB) or for deco or hangs?

How many people are diving with more than one liftbag, and how are you designating/marking them for a normal hang vs. one you shoot in an emergency situation? Strictly a color choice, or does your 'emergency' bag have other writing, etc. on it?

My experience has been that red/orange is typically used for hangs and a yellow bag indicates a problem.

Who is doing what out there?

I carry an orange Halcyon bag with "POPEYE" clearly marked on it.

It's in a Dive Rite pouch butt mounted on my backplate.

I carry it on all dives, and use it/practice with it frequently.

I have a yellow bag as well, which I do not always carry.

Most of my buds consider a yellow bag a request for assistance, and it's always part of a pre-dive plan.

 

[lanun]

Red for SMB, and probably use the same when i do real Deco (now still doing simulated deco ).

a DM/Safety diver on one of the boats here equate SMB as 'come and get me', so i make sure to tell them that i am doing drills before hand.

the SMB does have a place to put a note in if i need to shoot up a message but as WW said, how'd i get someone to read it ? hmmm something to think about.

 

[Dectek]

I was just talking about this subject with a friend the other day.

We were discussing the problem with yellow vs red for trouble just because different folks own different color lift bags. Some being red, yellow , white or what ever new marketing guru says will sell next year. He has all red bags and mine are yellow.
We threw the idea around about attaching a safety sausage to a lift bag for trouble.

 

[Cave Diver]

lanun once bubbled...
a DM/Safety diver on one of the boats here equate SMB as 'come and get me', so i make sure to tell them that i am doing drills before hand.

the SMB does have a place to put a note in if i need to shoot up a message but as WW said, how'd i get someone to read it ? hmmm something to think about.

That is one of the things that prompted my question. I was recently thinking back over some training dives we did, and the staff at Dive Tech (Grand Cayman) almost "rescued" us because we were practicing shooting lift bags over the mini wall during our safety stops.

They finally decided that due to the position of our bags, we were not over the main wall and in fairly shallow water that we were not in danger, but we were requested to advise them of any future plans to deploy bags.

After that, discussion with a few other divers led to the "Yellow for emergency" and "orange for deco" idea. So I wanted to get a feel for what others had experienced.

Of course, the most important thing is to discuss it pre-dive and agree on a plan, but suggestions/discussions on the best way to plan it are always welcome.