Quick poll—When do you inflate your SMB?

[Graeme Fraser]

I was recently separated from my group (4 of us) due to current and low visibility on a 20 meter wreck dive. Not knowing how far off I was I deployed my DSMB at 19M. I quickly learned I do not have 19M worth of string on my reel. I was about 3 meters short. I used the reel to pull me up to a safety atop then the rest of the way to the surface. Strongly recommend you measure the string length on your DSMB. Even if you don't plan on deploying at depth it's good to know what you have.

You raise an important point; don't assume your line is long enough to comfortably reach the surface. If it's choppy or you're deploying from depth, it's not unusual for the line to be diagonal if there's a moderate current or wind topside. I find it's always sensible to have plenty of extra line available. From 30m, I would want at least a 45m line.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Before all of that. It is easier to get it fully inflated the deeper you shoot it. I typically shoot it within 10-20' of the bottom once I've started my ascent. With the air expansion it easily gets nice and full! On a typical dive I'm shooting it between 40-60'.

 

[Wookie]

As I leave the last place where the captain knows I am. I don’t want to make it hard for him/her to find me at all.

 

[ScubaWithTurk]

I dive in the same places that @Diving Dubai and @Searcaigh dive so I shoot when it is time to ascend unless on a line.

This gives the captains time to see the SMB and get in position to pick us up once we breach the surface.

A good rule of thumb for how big a spool you need is to have 1.5 times the max depth you will need to shoot.

 

[ToneNQ]

Protip (disclaimer not a pro)....

See how many breaths it takes to inflate your smb on the surface.... then do simple math for 15ft, 33fsw, etc.........

Pro tip - power inflate from you LP inflator hose. Its the shizzle. The dump valve keeps it from over pressurising, woooosh, and up it goes.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Pro tip - power inflate from you LP inflator hose. Its the shizzle. The dump valve keeps it from over pressurising, woooosh, and up it goes.

Good tip!! I have a flexible 10" LP hose on my pony bottle for SMB inflation. That is definitely the way to go IMO.

 

[rongoodman]

Pro tip - power inflate from you LP inflator hose. Its the shizzle. The dump valve keeps it from over pressurising, woooosh, and up it goes.

When I dive in places where a large SMB is required, such as Cocos Island, I add an extra 26" LP hose with a Dive Alert on the end. It stays clipped off to my left hip D-ring. I can easily inflate a 6' Halcycon SMB with it, and it's long enough that I can hold the SMB away from me while working with it, minimizing the risk of something getting tangled and dragging me up.

 

[Diving Dubai]

You raise an important point; don't assume your line is long enough to comfortably reach the surface.

I'm in the "P" for Plenty crowd. I've launched at 10m and almost emptied a 30m spool because of current, So I carry a 60m on my dsmb, realistically not launching from below 30m.

Obvs the downside of a bigger spool is that you spend more time winding it up it it unclips and unfurls itself. Not that its every happened to me, oh no

 

[Graeme Fraser]

I'm in the "P" for Plenty crowd. I've launched at 10m and almost emptied a 30m spool because of current, So I carry a 60m on my dsmb, realistically not launching from below 30m.

Obvs the downside of a bigger spool is that you spend more time winding it up it it unclips and unfurls itself. Not that its every happened to me, oh no

Hands up who's had an embarrassing DSMB episode!

 

[James79]

Hands up who's had an embarrassing DSMB episode!