DSMB Technique

[dmaziuk]

Was waiting for somebody to bring up crack bottles.

May I refer the gentleman to post #28?

 

[BlueTrin]

It’s always this debate between oral and crack bottles.

 

[Blackcrusader]

You can 100% deploy a marker from 70' or more while neutrally buoyant without changing depth more than 5'. Being properly weighted is not a drawback here and anyone giving you different advice needs practice. This is a very basic intro- to- tech- level skill.

45m?
I don't do it from 150' because my spool isn't that long, plus I'd rather do it while off gassing.

OK there are some dives I do in South Lombok Indonesia. It's to a cleaning station at depth I won't write how deep lets say 40m or more lol.. The current is generally 2 knots or more. So after exiting the bottom to do our deco obligation we launch the DSMB as we need to have the boat captain spot where we are. We often end up a mile or 1.6km away from the boat. Also swells are normally 3m plus. You definitely want a very long line as the DSMB will be dragged by the current.

Although deployment of DSMB is used for deco or safety stops it is also deployed for fast drift dives.

 

[Wibble]

Memories of one wreck where we'd finished our time and the current was running. Being on the wreck shielded us from the current, until I launched my SMB and it flew sideways. Nothing for it but follow it until it and I was out of the "backdraft" of the wreck and it went upwards, so released the reel to let it surface with me drifting under it.

Such fun.

Tend to end the dive at the top of the wreck these days and deploy from there as, by definition, there's nothing for it or me to snag on. Once launched wait for the reel to stop, or even stop it and let the bag pull me up for a few metres/feet to start the ascent.

One old salty diver I know ties a 10m/33ft rope to his SMB with a lead weight on the end. He deploys his bag and holds on to the weight and it pulls him up to his stop at 10m/33ft. Bit too brave for me I'm afraid!

 

[steinbil]

One old salty diver I know ties a 10m/33ft rope to his SMB with a lead weight on the end. He deploys his bag and holds on to the weight and it pulls him up to his stop at 10m/33ft. Bit to brave for me I'm afraid!

Haha, talk about taking the elevator to the surface Those old salts sure have balls...

 

[Brett down under]

I guess I cheat.

I inflate my monster OMS tube with my octopus, I ask a friend to maintain buoyancy at 20 feet - I gauge my depth off of him.

I start the process a titch negative (2#?) so i am doing a minor bit of finning. Better to sink 4’ than pop up.

I inflate the sausage and let it fly with a 30 foot length of 550 cord on it. Seems to work OK for me.

/END BLASPHEMY

A lot of people practice this only once per each dive it’s really better to find a 30 foot depth or whatever you want to use and do it for 45 minutes or an hour ….until you get it right.

that many people do not bother to do this …that’s the only way to get it …keep practicing.

Most students I’ve had find more difficulty in not strangling themselves in the tether line, rather than losing buoyancy.

Repetition.

You’re using an open dsmb I take it?

 

[Doc]

You’re using an open dsmb I take it?

No, i just cram the SMB inflator widget into the octo mouthpiece and hit the go button.

 

[Wibble]

No, i just cram the SMB inflator widget into the octo mouthpiece and hit the go button.

Where does that adapter live when not in use? Is it permanently stashed in the DSMB's "throat"?

 

[Doc]

Where does that adapter live when not in use? Is it permanently stashed in the DSMB's "throat"?

No “adapter”. Use the Mouthpiece on reg, stuff the black rubber inflator from SMB into the mouth piece airway, hit purge button.

Lotta people been doing this since safe-second octos got popular.

 

[Wibble]

The only thing we need when sending up a DSMB is a pair of extra arms. Even one extra arm would do to hold the inflator, hold the reel/spool, hold the SMB mouth open...