Found him ~3 miles out after an hour of searching

[ggunn]

You're not on the right boat...or just didn't notice.

I'd say that about 35~65% of the divers on Aldora, 3P, and Liquid Blue have a DSMB. I'd agree that maybe one diver launches a DSMB every other dive, because that's exactly what I try to do, to keep in practice.

Yo tambien. I have my SMB and finger spool in my BCD pocket on every dive, and on one of the first dives on every trip I deploy it from 20+ feet at the end of the dive to brush up on the skill *; I tell the DM on the boat before the dive that I will be doing it do it so that he doesn't think I am in trouble. I also deploy it any time I will be surfacing more than about 20' from the DM.

Another reason I carry and use an SMB is that once it is deployed I can ascend to my 15' mark on the string, control my breathing so I am a little negative, and hang from the SMB like a subway rider for the safety stop.

* It isn't all that hard but it is a skill and it needs to be occasionally reinforced. Don't wait until the first time you actually need to deploy an SMB to attempt it.Tip: if your SMB is the type you blow into to inflate it, put your reg in your mouth immediately (of course) after inflating your SMB but do not inhale until after you have released it, especially if you are already at your safety stop.

 

[BRT]

So that's, what?.......
You just called 95% of divers, fools?

Other than the DM's, I don't recall too many divers with dsmb's. Maybe 1, every other boat ride. Even less than that.

Anyone who dives Coz without an SMB is assuming everything will go well. I always have mine as do my buddies.

 

[Allen-1]

Yo tambien. I have my SMB and finger spool in my BCD pocket on every dive, and on one of the first dives on every trip I deploy it from 20+ feet at the end of the dive to brush up on the skill *; I tell the DM on the boat before the dive that I will be doing it do it so that he doesn't think I am in trouble. I also deploy it any time I will be surfacing more than about 20' from the DM.

Another reason I carry and use an SMB is that once it is deployed I can ascend to my 15' mark on the string, control my breathing so I am a little negative, and hang from the SMB like a subway rider for the safety stop.

* It isn't all that hard but it is a skill and it needs to be occasionally reinforced. Don't wait until the first time you actually need to deploy an SMB to attempt it.Tip: if your SMB is the type you blow into to inflate it, put your reg in your mouth immediately (of course) after inflating your SMB but do not inhale until after you have released it, especially if you are already at your safety stop.

I’m drift diving in Florida later this summer. DSMBs are required equipment by the dive operator.

I’ve been reading and watching youtube videos.

How did you mark your string at 15 feet? Tie a washer on it?

 

[dflaher]

How did you mark your string at 15 feet? Tie a washer on it?

Many just tie a knot at the 15' mark.

 

[ggunn]

I’m drift diving in Florida later this summer. DSMBs are required equipment by the dive operator.

I’ve been reading and watching youtube videos.

How did you mark your string at 15 feet? Tie a washer on it?

Black Sharpie on the bright yellow string, one mark at 15' and two marks at 30'. Tying a washer would not be a good idea for spooling, and the mark is easier to see than a knot.

BTW, did you see any of those videos about how NOT to deploy an SMB, where the diver gets all tangled in the string? That was how it was for me the first time I tried it.

 

[Chavodel8en]

A la Captain Queeg in The Caine Mutiny?

Captain Queeg was helming boats through treacherous waters since before you were dating cheerleaders.

Put some respect on his name!

 

[MidOH]

I’m drift diving in Florida later this summer. DSMBs are required equipment by the dive operator.

I’ve been reading and watching youtube videos.

How did you mark your string at 15 feet? Tie a washer on it?

Tied a loop every 10'.

Currently 2 loops on the end. One at 10, 2 loops at 20, 3 loops at 30.

You can tie a loop anytime you want. It's easier than connecting to the Dsmb.

 

[ggunn]

Captain Queeg was helming boats through treacherous waters since before you were dating cheerleaders.

Put some respect on his name!

You know that Queeg was a fictional character in an old WWII movie, right? His crew called him "Old Yellow Stain", which wasn't very respectful.

And I never once dated a cheerleader, although I "admired" them from afar.

 

[Chavodel8en]

You know that Queeg was a fictional character in an old WWII movie, right? His crew called him "Old Yellow Stain", which wasn't very respectful.

And I never once dated a cheerleader, although I "admired" them from afar.

J/K. Yes, I was recalling the movie, and Jose Ferrar's impassioned defense of Queeg -- how dare you call him "Old Yellow Stain"!!

 

[Tribal]

So that's, what?.......
You just called 95% of divers, fools?

Other than the DM's, I don't recall too many divers with dsmb's. Maybe 1, every other boat ride. Even less than that.

Diving from a boat without having a smb and knowing how to use it is stupid indeed.
It doesn’t get more basic then that. If you can’t expect that people are able to do that, what’s next? Expect the DM to carry your air?

If you dive in the ocean you better know how to navigate, surface safely and plan your own dive. If you can’t do that stay in the pool or other save open water spot.