Lift Bag

Hello All,

I just bought another toy. I found a great deal on a Carter 100lb lift bag. If you know me, you know I can't ever pass up a good deal on some diving equipment even if I don't need it.

Anyway, I tired it out this weekend at the quarry. I figure it would be a good idea to try it out a few times before I need it to bring up something important to me.

Back to the story...so there was an air conditioner that someone dumped in our quarry. It has been in the engine compartment of the school bus for as long as I can remember. The owner said she would love to have that removed, so now I had a mission.

I put on all of my dive gear, and added a few lengths of heavy duty rope to my pocket and cliped the lift bag to my BC. I splashed and went under to find the bus. After a few minutes I was at the bus looking at the air conditoner that has been taunting me for years. I was able to get a rope under the a.c. and tied it on. I then attached my new lift bag to the rope and added a little air to the bag. Slowly the air conditioner started to move from it's grave. It got a little hung up on the metal of the bus, which I did not see. I thought it just needed a bit more air, which I added. It finally broke loose and started to go up. I really did not want the bag to go up on it's own, but before I knew it it was on it's way up.

I tired to vent some of the air out of it, but I could not reach it in time. I moved away from the area and slowly surfaced to find my bag about 15 feet away. I was able to pull the air conditioner back to the dock and removed it from the water (yeah!).

Anyway now I just need to practice a little more to prevent that runaway lift bag. Now I know, keep my hand on the dump valve when I am filling the bag. The idea is not to send the object up on it's own, but rather make it neutrally buoyant so you can bring it up with you under control.

Anwyay I just wanted to share what I did this weekend with everyone.

Ace

Recovery is an art like Peak Performance Buoyancy. We use everything from 75 pounders and up. Many of our bags have their own cylinder. Crack the air in. Little by little, just till the bag is up. Secure a Line to the item your lifting and one to the bag. One diver on each line. Verify no one is tangled in anything (From Experience) and then and ONLY then inflate the bag(s) in short bursts until you get just buoyant enough to rise, on the way up maintain control of the dump valve and it can sit with you during your safety stop. The rest is easy. Stay out from under your "Treasure" and hope your Deck crew knows what they are doing. If it's a deep recovery or the water is murky we use a beacon as well. That way we can Re-Recover the item is something goes wrong. ( Hence the second line to the Item) We have used this tried and true method to raise everything from abandoned lobster traps, small boats, and tires, to Steel Girders and Animated figures at the park.
Have fun and be careful!

Cool,

Thanks for the tips. I can't wait to practice some more with this thing. I guess I will have to search for something to bring up now.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by acelockco

Cool,

Thanks for the tips. I can't wait to practice some more with this thing. I guess I will have to search for something to bring up now.

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Is the VW bug still there? I had a blast moving that thing all around. It is great to mess with students minds and their "supposed" weak navigational skills.

Yep, the bug is still there, it is right next to a truck cab and frame. It looks like just the body of the bug though. Maybe more of it is down there somewhere.

The place is looking better than ever as well.