Dangling bits

[johndiver999]

Either oral inflate or use the long hose primary to inflate the SMB.

I guess I was not clear, if you have a problem and no longer have use of the primary, then being forced to use the necklaced reg presents some challenges if you want to inflate it from the bottom.

If you are orally inflating it, then it really doesn't matter which second stage you are using at the time.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

I guess I was not clear, if you have a problem and no longer have use of the primary, then being forced to use the necklaced reg presents some challenges if you want to inflate it from the bottom.

If you are orally inflating it, then it really doesn't matter which second stage you are using at the time.

For an opened bottomer DSMB you can capture bubbles from your exhalation.

 

[johndiver999]

For an opened bottomer DSMB you can capture bubbles from your exhalation.

Not so convenient in my experience, and slow, Maybe something to practice?

 

[Jcp2]

Why not oral inflate?

 

[rongoodman]

I guess I was not clear, if you have a problem and no longer have use of the primary, then being forced to use the necklaced reg presents some challenges if you want to inflate it from the bottom.

If you are orally inflating it, then it really doesn't matter which second stage you are using at the time.

The solution you're looking for is to avoid depending on your regulator to inflate the SMB. Either do it orally or with an LP hose. If you've lost the use of your primary you hopefully aren't going to be hanging around on the bottom playing with an SMB anyway.

 

[BlueTrin]

Couldn’t you just switch to the necklace first?

Edit: I misread, he said in case you lost the primary

 

[johndiver999]

The solution you're looking for is to avoid depending on your regulator to inflate the SMB. Either do it orally or with an LP hose. If you've lost the use of your primary you hopefully aren't going to be hanging around on the bottom playing with an SMB anyway.

Why would you assume that in an emergency and loss of a primary second stage that you would not have to also use the SMB? That is how real problems develop, multiple little things happen simultaneously or in series.

It's not that big of a deal, just something to think about before you are presented with the task of smb deployment while you are already somewhat stressed by the situation that caused you to go to a back up regulator.

 

[rongoodman]

I wasn't assuming you wouldn't need an SMB, I was pointing out that losing your primary is a dive ending failure(you could no longer donate gas) and you would hopefully be headed for the surface, not hanging around on the bottom to inflate it as you normally might.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Not so convenient in my experience, and slow, Maybe something to practice?

All DSMB deployments take practice.

I don't like inflating an open bottomed DSMB with a reg, as then I become positively buoyant. I prefer a method that buoyancy doesn't change.

Regardless of the method chose, practice is warranted. I found the exhalation method quite easy to perform. You just hold it next to one side of your reg. I did have to dump gas in between exhalations to maintain buoyancy, which was annoying to me. Hence my preference for constant buoyancy methods.

 

[Jonn]

I was as bad as anyone in the early days. Then I looked at some video from my buddy and there I was looking dumb with my lousy finning kicking up mud and all my dangly bits dragging over the rocks! My shiny new rig worked so well practicing in my bedroom, I knew right where everything was and how it worked, I felt so cool and collected in the water too but there’s no mirrors in the ocean; that outside perspective was jarring and motivating.

Danglies, lousy buoyancy, being a mess gearing up on the boat, even gas management are all experience and training things. Not everyone is as into it as you are, most of them never will be.