What color is your DSMB?

[LFMarm]

One is a ten foot which I bring when diving extreme fast currents such as in Indonesia.

Doesn’t the large one become a sail with strong currents? I see people using small ones when current is strong and large ones when swell is there.

 

[Blackcrusader]

Doesn’t the large one become a sail with strong currents? I see people using small ones when current is strong and large ones when swell is there.

In some places in Indonesia where I dive the swell can be 2 - 3 meters with fast currents. Sometimes you can end up quite a distance from the boat. Belongas Bay in South Lombok has crazy currents with normal large swells. Thing is you deploy it at near surface not at depth. It takes some practice due to its size and lift capability. Can be used as a lift bag as well. It's about being able to be seen so a boat can get to you.

So no it's not a sail at the surface.

 

[Pressurehead]

A little off topic. After all this talk about DSMB, SMB and Safety sausages I thought I would inspect mine. Two need replacing and this one fell apart, great little cylinder all connected with plastic parts. Edit: Sent photos to the manufacturer .

 

[Pearlman]

At least the gentlemen here are not participating boastfully on a thread that reads “how big is your DSMB” …

That said - Somebody once mentioned that in a real life lost diver SAR, the orange DSMB is difficult to spot against a crimson sky - that’s a small window of time like 1hr into the sunset but might still be a factor between life and death on a bad day?

 

[Nemrod]

For places such as Cozumel, Bonaire and similar I use an orange 4 foot DSMB. The DM usually deploys theirs and should I become separated and for some odd reason they cannot see my 4 footer I will just swim to shore, build a bonfire and signal SOS while swigging tequila with the natives . Jupiter, WPB, or the Key's wrecks like the Spiegel Grove, I carry something larger but still orange.

 

[greatwhite1]

In some places in Indonesia where I dive the swell can be 2 - 3 meters with fast currents. Sometimes you can end up quite a distance from the boat. Belongas Bay in South Lombok has crazy currents with normal large swells. Thing is you deploy it at near surface not at depth. It takes some practice due to its size and lift capability. Can be used as a lift bag as well. It's about being able to be seen so a boat can get to you.

So no it's not a sail at the surface.

So Sir, you deploy a 10 foot dsmb near the surface? How near the surface do you inflate it?

 

[drakcheslav]

I use a red/orange DSMB, with inflator, and Mine has a reflectix on the top of it which helps it be used in low vis for search with a light.

 

[Blackcrusader]

So Sir, you deploy a 10 foot dsmb near the surface? How near the surface do you inflate it?

I use my octopus from around 2m depth. Sometimes I do inflate it from 3m depth as that's my last stop depth for any dive.

 

[greatwhite1]

I use my octopus

I never asked what you use to inflate it.

 

[greatwhite1]

I use my octopus from around 2m depth

so you inflate a 10 foot dsmb at 2 metres?