I understand that, which is why I asked the question how you would have to "remove the reg from your mouth". If you can inflate with your primary, which is what I thought the OP meant, at first, then you can inflate with your secondary. Then I remembered the "oral inflate" tubes and realized that's what the OP probably meant.
Safety Sausage
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I understand that, which is why I asked the question how you would have to "remove the reg from your mouth". If you can inflate with your primary, which is what I thought the OP meant, at first, then you can inflate with your secondary. Then I remembered the "oral inflate" tubes and realized that's what the OP probably meant.
That was me. I must be too light.
When I try holding a 40lbs SMB upright I just pull myself up the line. (even when I'm fully deflated)
With ~10lbs it's way easier but I feel I still have to hang on the line a bit too much, messes with my trim.
10 # for a 40 # tube sound excessive. I a 40 halcyon which I played with to see how much weight I need to stand it up. I can't recall, but it was not 10#.
In any event I actually dialed within weight and DSMB checks in 16ft of water.
You can try going to a pool and start attaching weights you your marker and see what it actually takes.
I had some video here which is gone now showing the sausage standing easily until I got to 15 ft. At my stop I hang of had to hang and rock, so I added 2 # to my kit.
ozziworld
Contributor
Are we then saying other than bringing the SMB with our kit, that we also add weight to our kit so at the end of the dive, we are negative enough to make the SMB float upright?
Would this be typical to add this weight? That would make one that much more negative and swimming a bubble around the whole dive to off set the added weight?
Would this be typical to add this weight? That would make one that much more negative and swimming a bubble around the whole dive to off set the added weight?
Yes.
But no biggie. My 2# went on the upper cam straps.
It is NOT 10#. I assure you. But it is the lesser of two evils IMO. Those dinky little 6 pounders are not visible in the sun or in big swells. Particularly if the surface support does not have a a fly bridge.
If I can, this weekend I'll put my sausage in water and add lead until it stands up.
But no biggie. My 2# went on the upper cam straps.
It is NOT 10#. I assure you. But it is the lesser of two evils IMO. Those dinky little 6 pounders are not visible in the sun or in big swells. Particularly if the surface support does not have a a fly bridge.
If I can, this weekend I'll put my sausage in water and add lead until it stands up.
I think you misunderstood. I meant with roughly 10lbs of lift in a safety sausage I still had trouble holding the tube upright.
Maybe my understanding is wrong, but I was trying to apply tension on the line using my arm mainly, without having to put my whole weight onto the line and SMB. With ~10lbs of lift in the SMB I still had to deflate and hang on the line to keep it easily upright. (I tested this in the pool I was hovering at 10 ft; haven't had the time to test in the ocean yet)
I would prefer to be neutral and horizontal in the water and keep the line tight with just my arm keeping tension on the line, and not have to put my whole body into it.
I understand you'll get feedback (ie the line will always seem to try to pull you back up) maybe I'm over doing it and sinking my smb too much without knowing it.
I'll have to pay attention more next time i launch one in the pool.
You are probably correct. I'm not getting it. You don't need 40 pounds of lift to stand up a 40 # sausage. If you put the equivalent of "10 #" in a 40 # sausage at the surface the impact on your buoyancy will be negligible to stand the sausage at the surface. It will stand up all of a 13 inches.
Understood.
I have a 6ft 40# SMB.
I've inflated it with roughly 10# so it stands 13in.
I still have trouble holding a level neutral safety stop at 10ft in the pool when I'm trying to keep my SMB upright on the surface. My trim goes out of wack and I have to deflate to keep my arm from pulling myself up the line as I try to keep tension.
I find that I have to deflate and hang from the line to keep tension to allow the SMB to stand upright. I'd rather be neutral and use only my arm to keep tension on the line to hold my SMB upright (during my safety stop).
1_T_Submariner
Contributor
I have a Dan 6ft tall. I have used it and it does work well. Orange. It can be filled from the bottom. I was on the surface when I inflated it.
Elvistheking
Contributor
The various conventions seem to be either Orange = all fine, Yellow = Oh **** or in some places these are swapped.
SMB's that are Orange AND Yellow are just asking for trouble, if your buying new find out what the convention is in the area you will be diving and buy the right one!!!
Elvistheking
Contributor
I know a skipper who refers to these as "Quarry SMB's", very nice for practising with but bloody hard to see in any kind of sea state, next time you have the time and a willing boat captain get a selection of SMB's, blow them up, attach a weight to the bottom throw themover board and move away from the them, you'll rapidly see how ard it is to spot these skinny little things even with flat sea' and bright sunshine!
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