gcarter
Contributor
Keeping in mind that in a current, you may require more line than your depth, a bit extra does not go astray.
DSMB & spool purchase - my considerations.
- Thread starter Jay
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I need to change my profile to 1000 plus dives and no I do not have nor have ever needed a smb. I seldom dive in currents. Any other divers not have a smb? Hopeful!y padi won't revoke my license to dive. I am a minimalist diver, I don't want a bunch of equipment just in case something happens. I plan my dive, I dive my plan. Am I a bad diver?
gcarter
Contributor
Do you use split fins?
Dunno if you are a bad diver. When you say you have never needed an SMB, are you carrying an inflatable marker that isn't designed for deployment at depth (a "safety sausage")? Or are you just diving in relatively confined water?
I think that many experienced ocean divers carry an SMB, which has nothing to do with dive planning.
AdivingBel
Diver
LOL...I'm a "tidy bowl" vacation diver that also likes to dive a streamlined rig and I wouldn't consider you a bad diver for that reason. I don't want to be a Christmas tree either.
I have been on boats while dive traveling that require an smb, and it's a good idea to carry one in open water in case you need to signal the boat from the surface. As far as a dsmb & spool, I use mine in Cozumel when extending my dive after the main group surfaces, but otherwise I just carry an smb (surface signal only, no spool). As you've found out, you can log a lot of dives without ever needing one. All IMHO, YMMV.BTW, to the OP...When drift diving in Coz, I use a HOG 3 ft. (small) dsmb & spool with 100 ft. of line. I generally deploy below 30ft 'cause it's easier to inflate & control buoyancy (it's now a habit from when I was a newb and didn't want to magically find myself on the surface
). For most other diving, I carry a 6 ft. smb for surface use only (no spool).
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OP
Jay
Need to dive more!
For the smaller boat dives we will usually end up near the boat (calm, no surface current etc) and DM deploys on SS - this is for other small traffic often around. For the larger boat dives essentially as you say and they typically have high currents.
Having said that I would prefer to get a DSMB that covers more contingencies and I think the main weakness in my setup above is the line length.
Where do you dive?
I literally never get in the sea without a DSMB. How do you expect the boat to find you? How do you let other boats know to avoid you on stops and surfacing? If you are having a problem and need a stable reference what do you do?
When drift diving, divers can be spread out over a large area.
Dave Bevan
Contributor
Where I dive in KSA there are a lot more divers going in the water without an SMB than with one. As a DM I am pushing people to take one always but ultimately it is there decision.
I terms of buying an dSMB I would thoroughly recommend the Halcyon spool and 3.3ft Red SMB. The quality is really nice. Also another thing I like is that the dump valve fits my BCD which means I have a spare in my bag all the time. Honestly I bought a OMS reel and SMB and it does the job but the Halcyon is so much higher quality. Also the no lock one way valve is lovely rather than the OMS I have to push it with my teeth.
I have limited experience with the aluminium reels but I prefer to have my reel as close to neutral so it doesn't plummet to the bottom if I drop it. However they look lovely so I wouldn't blame you if you go for one. I'm not a fan of the stainless ones at all for the same reasons.
I would recommend the smallest finger spool they do and a red 3.3ft SMB for most types of diving. If you are doing tech or in rough sea and high current upgrade to a proper reel and the large SMB. Note unless you deploy from depth its very hard to fully fill the large SMBs.
Next get someone to teach you the proper method of deploying it and practice as much as possible. With the 3.3 you should only need half a breath to get it reasonably well inflated from about 10m depth.
I terms of buying an dSMB I would thoroughly recommend the Halcyon spool and 3.3ft Red SMB. The quality is really nice. Also another thing I like is that the dump valve fits my BCD which means I have a spare in my bag all the time. Honestly I bought a OMS reel and SMB and it does the job but the Halcyon is so much higher quality. Also the no lock one way valve is lovely rather than the OMS I have to push it with my teeth.
I have limited experience with the aluminium reels but I prefer to have my reel as close to neutral so it doesn't plummet to the bottom if I drop it. However they look lovely so I wouldn't blame you if you go for one. I'm not a fan of the stainless ones at all for the same reasons.
I would recommend the smallest finger spool they do and a red 3.3ft SMB for most types of diving. If you are doing tech or in rough sea and high current upgrade to a proper reel and the large SMB. Note unless you deploy from depth its very hard to fully fill the large SMBs.
Next get someone to teach you the proper method of deploying it and practice as much as possible. With the 3.3 you should only need half a breath to get it reasonably well inflated from about 10m depth.
Good idea!
I think that you should get a standard length spool (I prefer a reel, but either will work) and practice deploying it from the bottom. Once you have that down, practice deploying from mid-water. There is a potential for difficulty if it gets snagged on your gear, so usually we have someone standing by with a shears during practice.
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