To be seen on the surface of "lumpy" water, many divers carry a bright orange inflatable tube approx. 4 ft. long (often called a safety sausage...don't go there...). Under normal conditions, the tube is deflated into a compact roll about three inches in diameter (clips to BCD). To use it, the diver wanting to be seen simply unrolls the tube, inflates it via a mouthpiece until it is rigid and holds it up for additional visibility. For added visibility in night-time and lower visibility use, some of the tubes have a small see-through pocket near one end for holding a cyralume light stick. While this is no substitute for the longer range flares and lights, it is a cheap, useful safety device that, combined with a good whistle, can be easily added to your arsenal of essential "see and be seen" devices. (BTW, there are several dive lights on the market which are waterproof, compact, have tightly focused, bright beams and include a wrist lanyard so they can't be easily dropped/lost. I really like the ones marketed by Pelican and by Underwater Kenetics. ) *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
Unfortunately, most safety tubes look great in the dive shop but when you actually have to deploy them in rough conditions (wind) they simply don't work. There are some serious ones that do, including one I used to distribute (in a former life) called the Signal Buoy, reviewed in Sea Kayaker. The SB inflated with a CO2 Cartridge in a few seconds and had sufficient buoyancy 6'x10" to function as a rolling aid as well as a flotation aid. There are a few made for technical diving that have similar qualities. The cheapie tubes ($20-$40) simply blow over and become useless. cya *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
Halcyon makes an inflatable Diver's Life Raft that fits into a pouch which 10.5 inches x 7 inches x 2.7 inches approx...it was made to hold divers who managed to get lost at sea---CO2 was not originally intended, as this concept works poorly at great depth--use of the scuba low pressure hose inflator was the original method, with oral as backup at the surface. Its application to a kayaker in a night time emergency should be quite obvious, and its storage space and deployment is ideal for sea kayaking. Since Halcyon also makes a Diver PFD ( too expensive for use by kayakers---it is made to do many things kayakers don't need), and the Diver PFD has a Co2 system as one of its 3 inflation options---so anyone who wanted a life raft for a kayak, could have Halcyon add the Co2 system to the life raft ( Halcyon enjoys customizing ). There is a photo of the life raft at http://www.halcyon.net/slr.htm Regards, Dan Volker -----Original Message----- From: owner-paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net [mailto:owner-paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net]On Behalf Of Bob Denton Sent: Thursday, December 17, 1998 4:51 PM To: Byron Lawrence; paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subject: RE: [Paddlewise] Flares & Night-time Safety Unfortunately, most safety tubes look great in the dive shop but when you actually have to deploy them in rough conditions (wind) they simply don't work. There are some serious ones that do, including one I used to distribute (in a former life) called the Signal Buoy, reviewed in Sea Kayaker. The SB inflated with a CO2 Cartridge in a few seconds and had sufficient buoyancy 6'x10" to function as a rolling aid as well as a flotation aid. There are a few made for technical diving that have similar qualities. The cheapie tubes ($20-$40) simply blow over and become useless. cya *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ *************************************************************************** *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
At 17:55 12/17/98 -0500, Dan Volker wrote: >Halcyon makes an inflatable Diver's Life Raft that fits into a pouch which snip---> Dan, one of the things I'm trying to do to get my fine motor skills back is swim in the pool... to save my eyes, and quite possibly give me an edge come the new year when I try to quit the "taxed habit," I recently bought a replacement for my US Divers mask. What diving gear I have is souviners from Gitmo... Anyway, I still have my BCD from those days [fins and snork too...] and from your note, I am hearing that that old yellow thing [I recently inflated it via mouth-it's still servicable] might be a darn good thing to add to my carry-aboards... Wacha think? Tom in *Snowy* Seattle... <G> Remember: You are on your own every minute, every second, every day, and HAVE been since you were very young. -This is your lot in life, make the best out of it, but DO NOT grow to depend [even slightly] upon ANYONE ELSE. -TWW 10-18-98 *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
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