What does it take to get you to carry (& use) an SMB & spool on every ocean dive?

[mselenaous]

After reading the article below, WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO GET YOU TO CARRY & USE AN SMB (surface marker buoy aka safety sausage) AND SPOOL ON EVERY OCEAN DIVE?

Adrift divers rescued | KeysNews.com

Adrift divers rescuedCoast Guard, FWC have busy week offshore
BY GWEN FILOSA Citizen Staff
gfilosa@keysnews.com
The Coast Guard and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission wrapped up a busy week Sunday when it came to missing divers and boating accidents.
Within seven days, six divers in four incidents required rescue when each drifted away from respective boats, said Ensign Peter Bermont on Monday.
The Coast Guard typically receives one or two missing diver calls in a week, Bermont said.
"It stands out because of so many in so few days," Bermont said, as the six lost divers turned up between Thursday and Sunday.
All were found unharmed but the rash of diving scares prompted the Coast Guard to issue a strong reminder to locals and visitors to always have a plan, use a diver-down flag even if it's not required and keep an eye on one another.
"It really comes down to being vigilant on the water," Bermont said.
One diver bobbed around in the waters north of Fleming Key for almost three hours Sunday evening before rescuers pulled him to safety.
That rescue involved a search by water and air, as the Coast Guard launched a search plane from Miami, said Bermont.
By 8:05 p.m., a Coast Guard officer spotted through binoculars a diver waving his catch net in his direction.
Richard Alan Dayan, 63, had no injuries but was exhausted when found, according to an FWC report.
"He said that the current was strong and as he came up the vessel was no longer in his sight," Lt. George Cabanas reported. "He pulled and activated his PFD (personal flotation device) and waited for rescue to arrive."
Dayan was happy and "very grateful" for the FWC's rescue crew, the report said....

gfilosa@keysnews.com

I bet none of these divers deployed a safety sausage...or even carried one.

I'm a fan of Nautilus Lifeline.

Please take the poll and tell us why.

 

[Kharon]

I always have a SMB, reel, and small lift bag/marker with me salt or fresh. Weigh nothing and who knows? Didn't see any poll though.

 

[corvettejoe]

What does it take? Just knowing that it's one extra piece of safety equipment that may help find me should something happen.

I did remember balking at the price when I was first getting into diving ($$$ for that thing!?!?) so that may be one issue of why some people don't have one.

I just recently replaced my safety sausage with a day glow hot pink lift bag (SMB and backup buoyancy should I ever need it, all rolled up into one small easy to carry package)

I've actually never USED mine. I've deployed it a few times for training uses now and then, and ALWAYS carry it in open water, but never had the need to use it.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I'd have to check "I have one, know how to deploy it, and take it with me if I think the dive warrants having one" ... but that's not one of the poll options.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Gren]

Goes on every dive, deploy it from my safety stop or just before going to my safety stop almost every dive just to work skills, give me something to do on the safety stop.

 

[turnerjd]

Have no choice.

French Law requires one, so I take one.

Jon

PS I have to take one, I make an effort to use it regularly and maintain my skills with it.

---------- Post added August 16th, 2013 at 04:36 PM ----------

Another point is that if you know you are doing a drift dive, why not have a permanent (not delayed) SMB at the surface throughout the dive?

I have done this many times when there are known to be strong currents at that site.

Jon

 

[Lorenzoid]

It seems to me that the tales of boats leaving divers behind as they frantically wave their arms would scare every new diver into carrying an SMB.

 

[drbill]

Have only used them occasionally in my home waters since they are very rarely necessary given our steep offshore slopes and the fact that even on deep dives I am close to shore. However, on some offshore dives such as Farnsworth Bank they could be a lifesaver... and also in some emergency situations for an alternate form of buoyancy.

When I'm traveling the use of an SMB may be of far greater value though.

 

[sphyrnidus]

I always take one when I'm diving from a boat or from shore at places were boats might be. One of the problems, at least in the Netherlands, is that an SMB has no official status. So boat people don't know what it means and sometimes even come over to see what that orange thing is.
At a lot of drift/current dives they are essential if the boat that has to pick you up has to find you. My SO and me both have one as sometimes you get seperated in current situations.

 

[letterboy]

I take it every time.

never know when I am going to either A. find a treasure chest and need the lift bag to surface it or B. need to do a free ascent in blue water or C. need to signal the boat.