SMB Questions

[String]

Only until it fades. Once it's sun and salt bleached to a nice pink color it means:

"Get the baby lotion out and pour me a cocktail...I'm coming [-]out[/-] up!"

Or with the cheaper ones the dye leaks when its wet in your bag and bleaches most of your kit pink as well....

 

[sagibson]

Lets get the colour right too....Orange == all is well. Yellow == Help!

I've never heard that one. Is it a standard?

 

[TSandM]

The only people who teach DSMB are the European agencies, ie the BSAC, CMAS etc of this world.

Just wanted to correct this. GUE and UTD teach SMB deployment, and I know that a lot of our local instructors who have had technical training, incorporate this skill into their recreational curriculum somewhere, either in the AOW or Deep or Boat classes. I'm pretty sure SMB deployment is also taught in the majority of Intro to Tech classes.

It is not a terribly difficult skill, but maintaining accurate buoyancy control during deployment definitely has to be learned, and avoiding getting caught on your gear and dragged to the surface is important. (Rick Inman had a great story about having this happen to him, but I can't find the thread.)

 

[Max Speed]

I've never heard that one. Is it a standard?

It is a regional standard. Not everywhere. Applies in Britain.

 

[String]

It is a regional standard. Not everywhere. Applies in Britain.

Applies in Europe, Asia, Africa, Middle East, South America, Australasia you mean?

 

[DevonDiver]

It's popular within the tech community - and generally tech diving boats will understand it. If not, they will understand it when briefed beforehand.

It is used more frequently in the UK... but that's probably because there is a higher proportion of tech divers on the boats.

 

[Rainer]

I think it's more of a regional thing than a "tech" thing. It's just not a standard here in the US (at least on either coast where I've dived).

It's popular within the tech community - and generally tech diving boats will understand it. If not, they will understand it when briefed beforehand.

It is used more frequently in the UK... but that's probably because there is a higher proportion of tech divers on the boats.

 

[DevonDiver]

Don't they teach it on tech courses in the USA?

 

[Rainer]

The color coding of SMBs? No. We work out contingency plans with our captains (which go well beyond what we'll shoot up if we encounter problems).

I honestly think using color coding of SMBs for varying messages is pretty silly...

Don't they teach it on tech courses in the USA?

 

[Max Speed]

If you do a google search for: safe-use-of-dsmbs-v.1.0.ppt you will be able to download a nice Powerpoint presentation from the Irish Underwater Council

A similar slideshowfrom BSAC can be found by googling: equipment + techniques.ppt dsmb