Using SMB For Backup Flotation

[Web Monkey]

I wonder if the line should reeve through a carabiner attached to the front of the waist belt (at the scooter ring?) to prevent the line from getting lost when the reel slips off the fingers. Hold the reel below the carabiner. Clearly, the tail of the line wants to be tied to the reel. I'm thinking about a finger reel that holds 150' of line. That's far deeper than I plan to dive.

Over analyzing again... I do that a lot!

But, again, this is a last ditch process. The wing is blown, the weights are ditched, the diver is tired and can't swim the remaining weight. Staying down until the air runs low and the buoyancy is increased doesn't seem like a good idea.

Although not elegant, you can just shoot the bag and haul yourself up by re-rolling the line up on the spool. The breaking strength of #18 nylon line is usually over 100 pounds, so a 50 pound bag and a finger spool should be plenty to get yourself to the surface, even if you're 10 or 20 pounds negative.

Terry

 

[netmage]

So, no one wants to take a shot at #19 and #21.....?

 

[RJP]

So, no one wants to take a shot at #19 and #21.....?

Ok, here goes...

Fritz, respectfully.... Adding another piece of gear to address the shortcomings of another dosn't solve the fundamental problem....

Sure it does, especially if it's essential gear in the first place. Which a reel/spool is if you're going to carry an SMB.

 

[netmage]

Ok, here goes...



Sure it does, especially if it's essential gear in the first place. Which a reel/spool is if you're going to carry an SMB.

Wrong additional piece of gear.... ponies, dual inflators, etc... SMB and Spool are must haves....

 

[rstofer]

Help me understand how the line is going to get fouled in a way that when it slips out of your hands it goes to the surface. Do you have some sort of positively buoyant reel?

Well, sure! The SMB is ascending, has as much as 50# of lift, hasn't reached the surface and somehow the line gets tangled in the reel. I don't think there has ever been a line that is played out from a reel that doesn't jump the flanges at some point. Once it jumps the flange, it is now wrapped around your finger. But the SMB is still pulling. Hard! That's going to hurt...

By definition, you can't be controlling the speed of the SMB ascent because it has a bunch of lift and you are only 12# negative. If you aren't ascending with the SMB, you are only slightly moderating the speed. If you try to increasingly moderate the speed, that reel is going to smoke your gloves. In fact, if you wanted to moderate the speed, and I don't know why you would other than to keep tension on the reel, a slight bend around the carabiner might be a good thing.

I think these things need to be evaluated by testing. There's just so much that can be discussed and sooner or later it comes down to implementation. Just keep a knife nearby should it become necessary to cut the line when the test fails miserably.

Richard

 

[Gombessa]

Well, sure! The SMB is ascending, has as much as 50# of lift, hasn't reached the surface and somehow the line gets tangled in the reel.

If a line is going to get tangled in a reel and dragged up, do you really want the reel to be captured by a carabiner? I'm not sure this is really well-thought through.

 

[RJP]

Well, sure! The SMB is ascending, has as much as 50# of lift, hasn't reached the surface and somehow the line gets tangled in the reel. I don't think there has ever been a line that is played out from a reel that doesn't jump the flanges at some point. Once it jumps the flange, it is now wrapped around your finger. But the SMB is still pulling. Hard! That's going to hurt...

This is the problem you envision, yet the solution you've landed on is to attach the line to yourself?



On the upside, after your quick trip to the surface you might get to ride in a shiny red helicopter!

 

[FritzCat66]

Adding another piece of gear to address the shortcomings of another dosn't solve the fundamental problem....

True, I wouldn't add a pony just for this reason, but having one has its own merits, this could be just one consideration.

It's just standard equipment for me nowadays... even on a 16' shore dive.

However, for my second suggestion, while the OP didn't mention having a spool, I definitely think the addition of that piece of equipment should be considered: if you have an SMB, you should generally also have a spool.

>*< Fritz

 

[rstofer]

The SMB and finger reel are givens. No problem there. There's something of an issue with the default #24 Dacron line on the Dive Rite reels. I'll have to test that. Sounds like a candidate for replacement.

The only real issue with pony tanks is weight. Carrying even more weight from the parking lot, down the steps, through the sand, through the surf and finally into the water is something to consider when you're old. But it is an alternative. Certainly workable for boat dives.

Richard

 

[Dive-aholic]

I'm trying to think through where I'd need this... I jump off the boat into a bottomless void and my BC instantly blows up and I am unable to drop any weight and am not in good enough shape to swim up 12 pounds...

You make a great point, Rick. In OW, swimming to the surface should be easily done. 99% of my diving is in overheads where it isn't. That's why I carry a lift bag when wet. I may have a couple thousand feet to swim before I even get to the surface!