Diver killed by propeller in Cebu

[letterboy]

FYI "SMB" also stands for San Miguel Beer in the Philippines. I'm a strong proponent of having a nice cold SMB on hand after the dive...

Condolences to the family. While we may not have the full details, a few safety precautioned may have prevented this tragedy.

:mmmm: Beer . . . . Whats this thread about again . . .

 

[CODMAN]

I agree totally. SMB on a 100ft line on a finger spool (or reel if you prefer that). In places like PG, it's a must (your chances of getting run over without one are quite good!:cool2. And even in places where dive flags on your boat are respected (in other words other boats won't come within 100ft or more), what happens if you are separated from the boat? You are going to need to surface and when you do you should have something to let boats know you are there.

I learned to use one in PG as well, and now it's a part of my regular dive kit!!! Just in case...

I try to give you a serious answer too.

you should have a SMB just in case you are separated from your group and all other "what if..." cases.

you should learn to use it and shoot it up from safety stop depth. (many diver carry one but have no clue how to deploy it. pumping it up at the surface won't help much, when a boat comes in fast.

Make sure your line is long enough... 5 meter-lines are not even enough for simple bondage games, neither they are for divers. Why ? you will find out when a strong surface wind/current goes in another direction than the watercurremt at 5 meters depth. get a 30 meter spool, easy to carry, handle and no knots.

practice often, until you are sure that you don't shoot yourself up....entangled in line and SMB. ( i did it ... during my DM course from the Dry Dock in PG and video-Rob has it on video)


At the end of the day it's not my life, so I actually can't say if you should have one as I don't know how much you hang on your life...

another great recreational activity for real bravehearts ... bungeejumping- unplugged

cheers

Rhoody

 

[limirl]

Could someone post on how a SMB should be properly deployed from depth (50ft). I went through many posts on SMB's in the equipment threads yesterday and typically several turned into arguments, i.e this type is much better than yours, that reel sucks, etc. I was exhausted from reading too many opinions with very little instruction provided. I bought the DAN SMB a few months ago at a dive show as a result of my PG trip last year. My first dive in PG I was having problems equalizing descending to hole in the wall and subsequently myself and the DM were pulled way off course. When we surfaced the boat was a couple of hundred yards off with the boatman literally asleep over the wheel. Blowing a whistle didn't rouse him either it was another dive boat who spotted us and eventually drew his attention.

Anyway I am sort of clueless on how to rig this with a finger spool, from what I read yesterday it seems that you keep the SMB and spool separate on your BCD. Then unroll the smb, attach the spool, shoot a few puffs of air into the SMB and let it go while loosely holding the spool at arms length. My main concern is getting dragged up with it due to current or the line snagging. Any experts out there who can provide some instruction on how to properly use this...

 

[CODMAN]

No expert here... And everyone has their own tricks... You got the basic there... I keep the SMB permanently attached to the line. When deploying, very important to keep a visual on something to keep a sense of your depth (so you can tell if you're ascending or not...)! In Blue water, your buddy serves this purpose; he/she keeps a constant depth, you keep an eye on him/her...

I personally inflate using my octo.... But you can use your exhaust from your second stage in your mouth by leaning your head to one side and putting the SMB flap over the exhaust... When doing this, the trick is that as you empty your lungs into the SMB, the volume of air (lungs and or SMB) has varied very little (what was in your lungs is now in the SMB) and you maintain your buoyancy (so you don't ascend)... Untill you take a breath from your Reg! Doing it this way, since you aren't pulled up immediately, gives you a second or two more to extend your arms well away from your body and avoid tangles before the SMB starts pulling you up. If your second breath is quick, you can even exhale it into the SMB before it starts pulling you up (getting more air in the SMB).

Also important before deploying... Look up to make sure no one is above you. You don't want your SMB and line tangling soemone else up...

There are a lot of variations on this procedure. But that's the basics I believe. I think the important thing is to get the basics down well and find the exact way of doing it that suits you best (for me, it's the octo). Then practice every occasion you get and you'll become proficient at it!

At least that's what I think of it...

Could someone post on how a SMB should be properly deployed from depth (50ft). I went through many posts on SMB's in the equipment threads yesterday and typically several turned into arguments, i.e this type is much better than yours, that reel sucks, etc. I was exhausted from reading too many opinions with very little instruction provided. I bought the DAN SMB a few months ago at a dive show as a result of my PG trip last year. My first dive in PG I was having problems equalizing descending to hole in the wall and subsequently myself and the DM were pulled way off course. When we surfaced the boat was a couple of hundred yards off with the boatman literally asleep over the wheel. Blowing a whistle didn't rouse him either it was another dive boat who spotted us and eventually drew his attention.

Anyway I am sort of clueless on how to rig this with a finger spool, from what I read yesterday it seems that you keep the SMB and spool separate on your BCD. Then unroll the smb, attach the spool, shoot a few puffs of air into the SMB and let it go while loosely holding the spool at arms length. My main concern is getting dragged up with it due to current or the line snagging. Any experts out there who can provide some instruction on how to properly use this...

 

[Gilligan]

Could someone post on how a SMB should be properly deployed from depth (50ft). I went through many posts on SMB's in the equipment threads yesterday and typically several turned into arguments, i.e this type is much better than yours, that reel sucks, etc. I was exhausted from reading too many opinions with very little instruction provided. I bought the DAN SMB a few months ago at a dive show as a result of my PG trip last year. My first dive in PG I was having problems equalizing descending to hole in the wall and subsequently myself and the DM were pulled way off course. When we surfaced the boat was a couple of hundred yards off with the boatman literally asleep over the wheel. Blowing a whistle didn't rouse him either it was another dive boat who spotted us and eventually drew his attention.

Anyway I am sort of clueless on how to rig this with a finger spool, from what I read yesterday it seems that you keep the SMB and spool separate on your BCD. Then unroll the smb, attach the spool, shoot a few puffs of air into the SMB and let it go while loosely holding the spool at arms length. My main concern is getting dragged up with it due to current or the line snagging. Any experts out there who can provide some instruction on how to properly use this...

The most important thing is not to let it take you up with it when you inflate it.

You don't need to send it up until you are at about 20 feet just short of your 15 foot safety stop. If you fully inflate it too deep, depending on the type, it may explode on ascent.

 

[CODMAN]

I forgot to add I also have the DAN SMB and love it. It has an overpressure flap, so it won't explode on the way up (good point Gili).

 

[chip104]

The one time I did not have my SMB and reel was the only time I've actually needed it.

Coconut point, Apo Island - getting caught in a down current and separated from the guide and my buddy. Never dived without it since. While it's nice to have, many divers don't use one.

Condolences to the family.

 

[Zeeman]

First of all, condolences to the family.

Few followblach blahcompared to Europe, US and many places.

Deploying an SMB blah blach

Surfacing in blah blah the US and Europe (for example) hold the dive operator liable for manslaughter.

However, here in PI's, this means nothing, as the 'poor' DM/guides are easily manipulated/controlled by the 'rich' local divers who simply do not care.

OK, let me, as someone who has dived once, perhaps twice, in the PI's, explain what I enjoy about it. And why I will go back. Lots.

Responsibility for self. When I dive here in Aus, especially Queensland, there are a plethora of legislative texts, written by people with sweet bugger all knowledge of the industry, dictating what we can and can't do. The country in which I live has becomne a "Nanny State" in pretty much every way I can think of (not just diving), all to protect the stupid from themselves.

I actually like taking repsonsibility for myself, unlike the nationals of some other democracies. There are benefits to this. 4 dives a day, maybe even 5 if you are really wanting to risk being called a "dangerous diver", who is "going to die". I also, at times, enjoy reverse profile dives, solo diving (well, I guess the 400D and Inon Z-240's are pretty good buddies), it also means I run across the road, exceed the speed limit by small amounts on occasion, walk across structures at great heights without ropes attached, climb trees, swim in the ocean outside the flags, and other, similarly anarchistic activities.

In PI, I can actually do most of this stuff without worrying about some bureaucrat dipping his grubby mitts into my wallet because he thinks I am acting in an unsafe manner. For me, the dive shop offers a few services. They offer air, they offer, a guide (please note - "guide" - NOT "nanny". For those unfimilar - please visit Dictionary.com), sometimes they also offer a boat, and perhaps one or two other bits of gear I may need to enjoy my dive.

As stated - it's a guide, not a nanny. They show me cool stuff in their backyard, and I don't need them holding my hand. I have been through training, I have practiced my drills, my gear is serviced and checked by me before the dive.The money in my wallet, or, more accurately, what is left available on my heavily abused credit card, should have nothing to do with how a dive guide treats me. Also, I do care - I value my life, I value my dive time, and I have the training that helps me ensure I can do 3 or 4 dives a day, in various conditions, safely.

All the "rich local divers" I have had the opportunity to dive with, have also cared. Personally, if you don't have the sense of self preservation to take your own safety seriously enough to equip yourself with a dive sausage, or whatever safety gear may be appropriate for your particular diving conditions, then it's your own fault.

Z...

 

[AndyT]

Like chip the only time I have needed my SMB was when I didn't have one on me.

Dived on a buoyed dive site from a RIB. There was a strong surface current, nothing on the bottom. I managed to surface at the buoy but just couldn't stay there. RIB nowhere in sight (actually picking up divers a few hundred meters away). The skipper had a hard time locating us, if we had an SMB it would have helped greatly. The point is that it is about self preservation.

I personally find them a PITA to deploy, recover and pack away ready for use again. My usual trick is to look at my buddy, point at my camera and strobes, look a bit helpless and let them deploy theirs ! It helps to dive with someone who likes playing with stuff underwater.

Agree with Zeemans comments except the bit about great heights and no ropes ......

 

[kosmonooit]

Yea, me three Zeeman and AndyT, lucky tho we are, not to live in a nany state here in ZA lol. The UK is the same with all the health & safety there, its absurd at times. Here anything goes, well almost.

I got one of those surfacemarker.com goodies whilst diving in Phils, that I always dive with now. It has a lanyard, not a rope and I think its only about 5m, but its a good product. Practiced it once at Subic, and I did find whilst I was fidling to get it inflated, I ascended about 2m unintentionally, so thats something to look out for. Also it takes a long time to dry, thats a bit of hassle when travelling since I certainly dont like niffy dive kit.

Also got a high pitched screamer device in-line on the LP BCD hose, that just another insurance policy, and yes, I am a believer in insurance! Got that on line at LeisurePro.