Slim DSMB or Wide DSMB

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

Hey! I was hoping to get some opinions as I'm stuck on which to buy. I've been shopping around for a 6' DSMB and I was wondering what people generally prefer. Does the Wider DSMB get in the way more or is it fine so long as it fits in a pocket? It looks like it would take up a lot more space. Here are the comparisons.

Super Big Slim Diver's Alert Marker, 6'

Super Big Diver's Alert Marker, 6'

Not necessarily going with Halcyon, but it was easy to show the same brand with the different sizes. Thanks!
Also consider at what depth your planning on deploying it from. Anything less than 10m, your unlikely to fill a large volume DSMB. As always with DSMBs practise, practise and practise again.
 
I never worry about filling the DSMB when launching submerged, I teach buoyancy control is more important than filling it. Once on the surface, fully inflate it to improve visibility.
 
I bought one of the 6-ft DAN ones after an experienced diver told me she was not spotted by the boat in rough waters (which is of course exactly when you want to be spotted as soon as possible). If you think about the geometry, even if you're in 3 ft / 1m seas peak to trough, the boat and you can both be in a trough at the same time. Add in some distance and you really want the height. I do have a smaller one, because they're realtively inexpensive, that I use when I'm in calm waters.
 
I've got a couple 6 footers. Last year I bought a 10 foot dsmb after one of these discussions (highland I think). Bought it online as none of the many LDS in my area stocked 10' dsmb. When it arrived, I found out why. It's gigantic (yuge) even when rolled up. Completely unreasonable to bring on a dive.

I've continued to dive with the 6' units. The 10' will probably never get wet.

The dsmb's that are smaller than 6' seem comically small to me. I wouldn't bother with them

When drift diving, I generally just tow a regular flag on a Styrofoam float. Those things work great and the boat can see where you're at the whole time. They're also pretty cheap.

...actually now that I think about it, I might be able to fit a flare gun into the canister that holds my plb... SHOPPING!

Someone needs to design and sell a combination DSMB/electronic whistle with integrated six shot flare launcher and dye pack.
 
I bought one of the 6-ft DAN ones after an experienced diver told me she was not spotted by the boat in rough waters (which is of course exactly when you want to be spotted as soon as possible). If you think about the geometry, even if you're in 3 ft / 1m seas peak to trough, the boat and you can both be in a trough at the same time. Add in some distance and you really want the height. I do have a smaller one, because they're realtively inexpensive, that I use when I'm in calm waters.

Also, the DAN one has a radar reflector in it.

Having multiple ones is a good idea.

If you're diving from an anchored boat, it's calm with minimal current and expected to stay that way, and the boat requires all divers to have one, use the little one.

If you're sending up fish you've speared for your buddy in the boat to retrieve, a little one is fine.

But if there's any chance someone will be looking for me in waves bigger than my head, I carry the DAN beast-mode model (and have a signal mirror in the pouch). If you've ever conducted a search for a PIW, you know that spotting a human head in the ocean is very difficult--it looks like a dark volleyball, if the glare or sea state allows it to be seen at all. If I get lost, I want to make it easy to be found.
 
Also, the DAN one has a radar reflector in it.

You can also add SOLAS tape to any DSMB.
 
I've been using one of the 'H' pink slim DSMBs for quite some time now. I've used it on many drift deco dives, a few captains have mentioned how easy it was to spot. If you're inflating the buoy with an LP BC hose I've found the 'H' brand connectors work best. I think you can buy those connectors and put them on other brands of DSMB.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

Back
Top Bottom