Clipping Reel To Bc During Dsmb Use Question...

[eelnoraa]

If you are reasonably in trim (short of vertical), any where you clip the spool, line will run across your body and most likely create some kind of entanglement. Shoulder d-ring: line can caught on regulator, valve knob, mask adjustment clip. Left clip d-ring: spg, stage bottle.

I have never clip off spool after deploy. Even that, I have seen or encountered line from smb caught on valve knob and mask clip even without clip off the spool just because current. I can only imagine this will get worse if spool is clipped off.

In some of my class, instructor will throw in sceneiro when we are ascending. I can have always been able to get away by passing the spool from one hand to the other, or pass it to a team mate. I don't remember at one moment, we need 4 hands together. I guess if that happen, we are OK to drop the spool. BTW, mask replacement can definitely be done with one hand.

 

[lerpy]

Personally I use a thumb spool for my SMB and I prefer plastic spools. The plastic spools will actually float in front of you as they unspool, might drop a bit. I have inflated my SMB and let it go and the spool will spin but remain in front or very close to me. In the event I have to let go of the spool for a second it will be in the area and I am able to grab it back. The other option I have used is wrap the line around a double end bolt snap to secure it, then hook it to the reel and let go. This will stop your real from sinking and again with the marker on the surface should keep it floating right in front of you or close to you.

 

[vixtor]

When you need to use both hands, you can just drop the reel/spool. It will continue to hang in front of you, as both you and the spool will be taken in the same direction by the current. There is a very small chance to have a different surface current than the one at your depth, but even in that case, you will notice in time and grab it back.

I normally do this during gas switching and since the first time somebody told me to do it, I still find it pretty amazing how the reel dangles in front of me, by its own.

 

[CuzzA]

Thanks for the replies. I've decided not to worry about it. I bought the AP valves pocket reel which wasn't cheap and I would hate to lose it, thus, my concern. (Excellent reel, btw.)

In all honesty, my biggest concern is having to manage a shark(s) during DSMB deploment. However, my birthday is in a couple weeks and I made the mistake (or good decision, depending on how you look at it) of telling my better half about a recent shark incident and so I believe there's a Shark Shield Freedom 7 waiting to be unwrapped.

 

[Caveeagle]

... The plastic spools will actually float in front of you as they unspool, might drop a bit. I have inflated my SMB and let it go and the spool will spin but remain in front or very close to me. ...

When you need to use both hands, you can just drop the reel/spool. It will continue to hang in front of you, ....

Interesting... but this has not been my experience. I was diving SW Fla recently had had loaned a plastic finger spool /SMB to friends from out of town. Just before they were ready to decend, I noticed that (somehow) my spool got unclipped and was sinking. Just the SMB and line end still clipped to my friend, the spool was un reeling and headed south. Our divemaster was already at ~15-20' and grabbed it while I untagled my friend. ....Minor issue, but potentially dangerous.

FWIW, this was a molded plastic spool of the 100' variety, not the fancy delrin type. Maybe Trident?

 

[Reku]

I have a big din O ring tied to my reel with cave line and I just connect my jon line to the O ring and if something grabs it - the O ring snaps and the reel + dsmb breaks free. I also use o rings on my regs for breakaway.

When I need two hands (rarely) I screw down my reel and the dsmb supports it in the water.

cave line and O rings are the duct tapes of undersea adventure.

 

[KenGordon]

I use a reel with a loop of bungee to secure the DSMB before deployment. Once it is deployed rather than holds my on to the reel itself I hold onto the bungee. This is a bit mor comfortable as it rides out some of the wave action. You can also choose to hold on in many different ways so that fingers are free to do other stuff.

 

[vixtor]

Interesting... but this has not been my experience. I was diving SW Fla recently had had loaned a plastic finger spool /SMB to friends from out of town. Just before they were ready to decend, I noticed that (somehow) my spool got unclipped and was sinking. Just the SMB and line end still clipped to my friend, the spool was un reeling and headed south. Our divemaster was already at ~15-20' and grabbed it while I untagled my friend. ....Minor issue, but potentially dangerous.

FWIW, this was a molded plastic spool of the 100' variety, not the fancy delrin type. Maybe Trident?

Just to make it clear:

a) it is not about the spool material. I do it also with a heavy steel Kent Tooling reel. In fact it's even better, because will create more tension in the line.

b) maybe not obvious, but you can drop it from your hands only if locked. If it's a ratchet reel, this is the default, nothing to do. If it's a basic spool, this means you first clip the double-ended bolt snap so it forbids unreeling, and only then you let it float in front of you. Otherwise it will obviously unreel. So, if the bolt snap holds the line in place, the spool will hang from the line.

c) this trick requires a SMB with closed bottom (from which the air cannot escape). A plain smb with open bottom will deflate when you will not keep the line under tension by your weight, as it will lay flat on the water's surface. But i think these days all SMBs have the closed bottom anyway.

 

[Rusty Roo]

i'll confess to my great crimes. i never clip it off whilst i'm under, however if i surface swim to the boat / shore, i will pull in all the line and clip it off. often my smb will reach my feet, so if it gets snagged on a boat's prop then said boat has probably just run over my legs,if that is the case then i have greater issues at that point.

 

[Rusty Roo]

In all honesty, my biggest concern is having to manage a shark(s) during DSMB deploment. However, my birthday is in a couple weeks and I made the mistake (or good decision, depending on how you look at it) of telling my better half about a recent shark incident and so I believe there's a Shark Shield Freedom 7 waiting to be unwrapped.

what?

why are so worried about sharks, do you spear fish whilst on scuba? why are you complaining about the cost of a reel when you just spent USD 600 on what appears to be the biggest scuba novelty i've ever seen?
FREEDOM7 - Shark Shield