SMBs. How many, what colors, and why?

[Tortuga68]

Short answer is it depends on the dive - I own a variety of reels, spools and SMBs (Buddy & Halcyon 3.3 - one each in yellow, and orange). Typically something like this...

Recreational dives: 1 SMB and a finger spool of length appropriate for the dive (~max depth +50%)

Deco dives: 1 SMB and a 40m Manta Mini reel

Deep deco dives: 1 SMB, 1 SMB, MM reel & 45m Halcyon coldwater spool

Colour & size means whatever we've discussed before the dive - although they can also mean 'other SMB lost or malfunctioning'. So if there's a problem, SOP is to attach a page from wetnotes to the top of an SMB for the boatman to read

I don't usually attach the SMB to the line - if I do, I would carry a spare spool for seperate use. Stowage varies between in backplate pocket (MC storage pack), in pocket, clipped on hip d-ring (don't like this with spools as they can come unravelled) or tucked under wing bungees. Reel will always be clipped off on a d-ring if used

 

[koozemani]

For a beginner. What you're saying has weight to it. Minimizing stressors is a concern, and should be addressed...

At the same time... it should be easy enough to attach your reel, and if you're not comfortable doing that... Practice it both above and below the water. Another important item is how you keep your reel set up. Do you have it easy to rig to something? That's also key for beginners. Rigging.

Personally, I think it's easier to attach your reel than disconnect your reel in a hurried state.

I currently have my finger reel hooked to my SMB with a bolt snap, all of which is bolt snapped to my butt D ring (BP/W). It's connected in such a way that it's quick to unclip and deploy, and if I need the reel only, then it's a bolt snap away. I generally don't have extra pockets to stow the reel in, so I devised this set-up.

 

[rivers]

I currently have one 4.5' smb with spool attached that I store in my drysuit thigh pocket. After my first UK ocean dive last week though, I will be purchasing a second since we did lose one. It's good to have a spare. I've got a buddy smb that's inflated with a second stage with OPV. Why? It's what one of my buddies uses, and what I learned on

 

[Reef_Haven]

I have a dive alert surface whistle on my inflator hose.
The orally inflate SMB's can be inflated easily with one of these.

 

[koozemani]

many are designed only for use at the surface to mark your position after you surface , ones with a Over Pressure Valve are designed to be able to be inflated while submeged

The ones with the overpressure valve work just as well on the surface, so why wouldn't you want one that affords you options.

 

[HowardE]

I currently have my finger reel hooked to my SMB with a bolt snap, all of which is bolt snapped to my butt D ring (BP/W). It's connected in such a way that it's quick to unclip and deploy, and if I need the reel only, then it's a bolt snap away. I generally don't have extra pockets to stow the reel in, so I devised this set-up.

Most importantly on the reel, is having an easy way to attach it to things. I keep a large loop at the end, and usually a bungee or ball or something to make it easy to keep the end at the end. Also, I keep a loop at the end; large enough to pass the reel itself through. Usually when you buy one of these reels, they don't rig them like this.

 

[TSandM]

On almost all my dives (the exception being the occasional simple shore dive) I carry a 3' SMB prerigged to a 50' spool (it's orange, but color isn't important here). For deeper dives, I'll hunt up one of our 100' spools, which is what I was carrying in the Red Sea. Most of the divers on the boat had the same gear, and the bags were reasonably visible, even in swell, where the RIBs were close to where the divers were. A three-footer would have been pretty inadequate, had someone been blown far from the expected search pattern. I'm considering getting a bigger bag and learning to use it.

Oh, and my current bag lives in my left drysuit pocket, or on the rare occasions where I am pocketless, hangs from the butt d-ring. I'm not sure what I'll do with a bigger one, but I know people bungie them to the bottom of the backplate.

 

[Splitlip]

I always carry a Halcyon ~ 5ft orange. Stored in a Halcyon MC Storage pack between my plate and my back.

It is pre-rigged (I wish I could post pictures, I don't know why I can't anymore) to a Manta Mini-reel. The reel is clipped off to a d-ring on the lower right of my plate. I can easily unclip the Halcyon marker from the reel by feel in a couple seconds without removing the reel from the plate should I need the reel.

I inflate it with an LP hose.

Occasionally, I'll carry a second 3 ft tall halcyon marker in a thigh pocket pre-rigged to a 40ft spool.

 

[String]

1 x orange 1.5m SMB and 1 x yellow 35lb liftbag that doubles up as an smb
1 x cold water spool with 45m line, 1 x normal spool with 25m of line.

Thats on every dive. If im diving dry its one SMB per pocket and spools on the arse d-ring. If im wetsuit diving the bag and SMB are bungeed either side to my backplate.

The 3ft SMBs we found utterly useless even for quarry diving regarding visibility and actively warned against when boat diving due to them being near invisible in chop or dark conditions so i dont use them.

Orange is my normal SMB, yellow is the "help" sent up the same line as per standards.

 

[HowardE]

yellow is the "help" sent up the same line as per standards.

Per the international association of diving standards?? Whose standards apply?