DSMB Requirements

[MacLir]

Hi all. I am hoping for some clarification from experienced folks regarding required use of DSMBs on Red Sea liveaboards. We are planning a family trip next year for either the North/Wrecks or St Johns routes. Due to experience levels in the group (1 entry level Tech, 2 PADI AOW, 2 PADI OW), we are not considering the BDE route as we consider it beyond our collective skill level.

This will be our first trip to the Red Sea. We have not picked a boat yet. Prior liveaboard/land based diving has been New England US, Carrib., Hawaii and similar. All have boat diving experience well in excess of 30 dives.

I have seen conflicting posts on SB and elsewhere as to whether deployment of a DSMB at depth is required for the above itineraries. I have some experience with DSMB deployment, but only in limited training contexts; the rest of my group has no experience. All of us are, of course, familiar and comfortable with inflating and using SMBs at the surface.

Can anyone advise on what the standard practice/expectation is regarding use of DSMBs on Red Sea liveaboards?

Thanks!

 

[Subcooled]

Would anybody expect DSMB deployment skill from an OW or AOW diver??? No?
Sure, it's great to deploy a buoy when there is a lot of boat traffic, but one is enough, right?

My comments are only general. Local advice is always better!

 

[Alekseolsen]

Fairly sure both liveaboards I've done in Red Sea had everyone shooting DSMB's for the checkout dives.

I'll also point out that the local diveshop does have DSMB Deployment as part of their (SSI) Open water course, so shouldn't be that hard to get confident with prior to the trip

Edit: As per FF/EMT's comment below, the local diveshop does not have DSMB's on payroll

 

[BoltSnap]

Would anybody expect DSMB deployment skill from an OW or AOW diver??? No?

Yes, I would. Why wouldn't you? DSMB use and deployment is required in OW and AOW training with NAUI (and other agencies I believe).

but one is enough, right?

No, it isn't. What if one is separated from the group or there is current and they are drifting away? I would NOT go anywhere without an appropriately sized DSMB and be qualified to use it. I have been on dive trips where by the time we ended the dive and came up towards the surface for precautionary stop and then on the surface, there was strong current and the dive boat was far away picking up other divers. I had to deploy the DSMB to make the precautionary/safety stop and while floating on the surface hoping for the dive boat to see it to come and pick me up.

 

[Subcooled]

Hence: Local advice!

Where I do live we have no surface traffic and no currents. We only have quarries, lakes, ponds and small rivers.
DSMB is quite irrelevant here. Not quite so in the Red Sea though, as we can see!
Our problem here is the extremely cold water, two to four degrees above freezing.
Hence, woollen socks are more important than a DSMB!
And thank you for informing me!!!

Local advice, again!

 

[BoltSnap]

Hence: Local advice!

Where I do live we have no surface traffic. We only have quarries, lakes, ponds and mall rivers.
DSMB is quite irrelevant here. Not quite so in the Red Sea though, as we can see!

It isn't about "surface traffic" only. It is about being seen and located by your own dive boat/Liveaboard and not drifting away and getting lost from your boat.

 

[JustSurfaceInterval]

I remember pretty well my last 2-3 stays in Egypt: 1 DSMB per diver, esp. on day trips, hence it will be the same on LOB.
Indeed it is enough to have one up to get picked up by the zodiac. But it does not harm to have the other one(s) as backup.
If you have the opportunity do some training at home, even if it is a "dry training" to get familiar with the handling and in what order you have to do what.

 

[FF / EMT]

Fairly sure both liveaboards I've done in Red Sea had everyone shooting DSMB's for the checkout dives.

I'll also point out that the local diveshop does have DSMB employment as part of their (SSI) Open water course, so shouldn't be that hard to get confident with prior to the trip

They hire DSMB’s?
Still probably smarter than some of the instructors out there…

I think everyone should carry a dsmb that’s doing open water diving, and it should be taught in OW, I’m sure ASD will disagree, but idc…

 

[Subcooled]

It isn't about "surface traffic" only. It is about being seeing and located by your own dive boat/Liveaboard and not drifting away and lost from your boat.

Thank you for pointing this out!
It's not obvious when the dive site is 300 yards in diameter!
A valuable lesson, indeed!

 

[Pressurehead]

If not for SMBs diving the GBR last week the dive boat would be still trying to find some divers, and only 16 onboard, 'air hogs' sucking gas and having to come up early, underwater nav 'in the crapper' for some, drifting away in the current, rough on the surface and can't be seen , any number of reasons.
You are not allowed on the boat without one.