How many actually use diver buoy or surface marker buoy?

[Z Gear]

I carry an SMB and light on every dive, local and ocean.

Do mean that you also use it besides carrying it?

---------- Post added May 6th, 2015 at 09:47 PM ----------

I always carry an SMB and if not going up an Upline I use it. I always carry 2 and have sufficient line to deploy from the bottom if necessary.

I find it so stupid. comments made by a diver I dived with recently when asked if they had an SMB. She said, she had one. I suggested she practice using it, but she said she didn't intend on ever using it unless she had to?

It was very clear to me that she had no idea how to use it and had no intention of practicing, even though I encouraged everyone in the group to do this. I tried to engage the group in methods of deploying them etc, while some were interested, she simply walked off. In diving with this person more, I found she had quite a personality problem, hence I suggest "carrying an SMB because she should, and it looks good, but not having the knowledge or skills to correctly deploy it at depth.

Practice, practice, practice.

I used mine at the end of every dive, and the boat captain said he appreciated it as both I and the guide had them up so it gave him an indication of where the group was.

You make a very valid point. I hope others read your post.

 

[Peter69_56]

Also I would point out that there are SMB and DSMB, the difference being SMB is for surface usage only and DSMB is for deploying either at depth or on the surface. I would recommend only buying a DSMB as they are more effective for diving. Also a good DSMB should have the ability to inflate by mouth, via the bottom via a regulator, via an inflator hose. The bottom should be self sealing so the DSMB does not collapse on the surface. Also good ones have light reflector tape on the top and some have radar reflector tape as well. Mine doesn't but I have just bough some 3M reflector tape. The cheap SMB often are just a plastic welded tube and basically useless. I would never ever even consider buying a cheap one.

I saw the effects from this while diving Lady Elliot Island. My wife, myself and another diver came up a line while the DM and a german girl continued diving. We waited on the boat for some 20 min before the boat attendant realised they were gone. It took a while for a plane and boat to find them. It then came to light that the DM only had a cheap SMB that looked like a small wet sausage, and the girl only had a loan SMB a plastic crap one which was torn. They were found about 2 km out to sea.

DiveImports.com - Z62 - Performance Diver - Deployable Surface Marker Buoy (Powered by CubeCart)

I carry 2 DSMB, one orange and one yellow. Tech diving etiquette in many places dictates the orange one is for indicating your location, the yellow indicating an emergency/out of air etc. The yellow one also has a slate on it to indicate the emergency.

I have seen well known brands of SMB/DSMB that are very expensive but are not well designed. I like the style of the ones I have and they are well priced and very effective.

 

[NWA395]

Do mean that you also use it besides carrying it? .

It does

 

[tennjay]

We have to use a dive flag when diving local lakes. This gives boaters something to aim at.

I always carry a DSMB and fingerspool with me. Other than practice, I have never had to deploy it.

 

[Z Gear]

We have to use a dive flag when diving local lakes. This gives boaters something to aim at.

I always carry a DSMB and fingerspool with me. Other than practice, I have never had to deploy it.

I also carry a DSMB and my point was, I never thought there was a need to deploy it as well, until something woke me up to the potential hazard that could happen at any time. It happened last weekend when a jet ski was cruising to close to a surfacing diver very close to where I was diving that day.

Nobody uses a DSMB there so it is
an accustomed habit everyone is used to. I see more and more jet skis, boats kayaks so the potential is there I can't ignore it. It just takes one accident to end it all for you or your dive buddy. It is really to bad this is not emphasized enough in our initial training.

 

[Dhboner]

I carry a DSMB on every dive with knots placed in the line every 10 feet starting at 60'. If I ever have a computer failure I have my watch for time and the knotted line for depth...comes in handy if you incurred a deco obligation. My instructor, Steve Lewis, drilled this practice into me.

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

I always carry an SMB and if not going up an Upline I use it. I always carry 2 and have sufficient line to deploy from the bottom if necessary.

The only thing I would add is sometimes it would be good to have line that is 2x your depth - (aka a reel). I say that because we were taught you can loop your line around a non sharp object or part of a wreck (railing perhaps) and shoot the lift bag or SMB from depth and go up with the reel to the bag. The benefit is you should not drift too far - assuming your line does not snap in a strong current - it will keep you in place while anchored to the railing. When you are done (found at the surface) you release your clip from the bag and it drops to the bottom and you wind your reel up to retrieve your line that is only looped around the railing. Although it may not be perfect in every case - it may work to keep you in one spot long enough to be found. And if it snags on the bottom - you can cut the line but at least you are in the last known position of the dive and should be found relatively quickly.

 

[Storker]

I carry a DSMB on every dive with knots placed in the line every 10 feet starting at 60'.

Interesting. I've marked my line with a black permanent marker. 3 dots at 3 m, 5 dots at 5m, single long mark at 10m, long mark plus dot at 15m and so on.


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[JohnnyC]

Is there a reason we need 3 threads dealing with the same question about shooting a DSMB?

 

[Redshift]

I say that because we were taught you can loop your line around a non sharp object or part of a wreck (railing perhaps) and shoot the lift bag or SMB from depth and go up with the reel to the bag.

I also learned that. But it's much easier if everybody just drifts.