Have you ever deployed a delayed surface marker buoy or been taught how to?

[Storker]

Lift bags are for lifting.

Surface markers are for marking.

You can tell because of the name.

I got something that was originally produced as a dSMB, but with the pretty large diameter compared to the length, it wasn't particularly suitable for the job. I added a double ender, renamed it to "my lift bag" and am now using it to deploy my catch bag when it's full of scallops so I won't have to overfill my wing to drag it to the surface.

You can tell because of the name.

 

[gcarter]

Maybe it is a West Coast thing but a towed buoy with a flag is virtually unknown and unusable here because of kelp. When a friend first told me about DSMBs he defined them a Deployable Surface Marker Buoys, which made sense because you could deploy them from depth. They can also serve the function of the CO2 inflated Marker Buoys from the 1950s and 60s -- the balloons that Mike Nelson used on Sea Hunt.

This has always been my understanding as well, with the key differentiator being the presence or absence of an OPV, something that is required if you are going to deploy at depth. When I read SMB I understand no OPV.

 

[kelemvor]

Maybe it is a West Coast thing but a towed buoy with a flag is virtually unknown and unusable here because of kelp. When a friend first told me about DSMBs he defined them a Deployable Surface Marker Buoys, which made sense because you could deploy them from depth. They can also serve the function of the CO2 inflated Marker Buoys from the 1950s and 60s -- the balloons that Mike Nelson used on Sea Hunt.

I'd never heard them called "delayed" smb either. I was all ready to post a comment asking what it was when I googled it. Apparently just a nomenclature variation on deployable smb/smb. Maybe it's rooted in some regioal dialect thing (like how Europans and Europeans refer to gear as "kit").

 

[Dizzi Lizzi]

So I said yes, but it has only been in a pool situation. I am looking forward to practicing this at the Surge in Bonaire. Having a house reef will give me ample opportunity to practice skills in the ocean. I would say it should be part of OW training but it is important to have some sort of handle on your buoyancy otherwise it could be a nightmare for the instructors...imagine all the entanglements, and corks!!

 

[Akimbo]

While we're on the subject, some of you may find this useful. I got tired of hauling around and messing with reels and spools on most dives. It finally dawned on me that 80-90% of my dives never require a stop more than a few minutes below 20'. I also hate dealing with small line (string) in cold water. I did some experimenting and found that 1" webbing was much easier to handle and stored nicely. I now carry this most of the time.

 

[boulderjohn]

This has always been my understanding as well, with the key differentiator being the presence or absence of an OPV, something that is required if you are going to deploy at depth. When I read SMB I understand no OPV.

I bought my first SMB long before I ever thought of deploying one at depth. I bought it to inflate at the surface in case I was ever separated from a dive group in a place like Cozumel. I bought the only model sold at the shop, a cheap red bag with no OPV.

When I started tech training, I bought a new SMB with an OPV, but I still often used the original one because it rolled up smaller and was easier to carry. I have deployed it from depth many, many times over the years, although probably no deeper than 70-80 feet. I try to put in just enough air to do the job, but I have reached the surface many times to find it rock hard because of overinflation. It has never leaked. It is faded now and certainly looks like it has been around the block many a time, but it still holds air just fine, and it is still the one I prefer for routine dives when I might have to shoot a bag from relatively shallow depths.

 

[Edward3c]

BSAC teach DSMB deployment from the bottom at 10m at Sports Diver and midwater (15m) at Dive Leader grades. These are mandatory lessons and have been in our core training programme since 2007.

 

[scubadada]

While we're on the subject, some of you may find this useful. I got tired of hauling around and messing with reels and spools on most dives. It finally dawned on me that 80-90% of my dives never require a stop more than a few minutes below 20'. I also hate dealing with small line (string) in cold water. I did some experimenting and found that 1" webbing was much easier to handle and stored nicely. I now carry this most of the time.

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Hi @Akimbo

How much webbing to you use? What do you do with it on ascent and until you have a chance to wind it back up on the bag?

 

[yle]

I'm sure this depends on the situation. No shop in Coz wants everyone in a group deploying a bunch of SMBs, because there's usually no need. If you're near the guide/DM, his marker takes care of the entire group.

I would bet this is why, if you ask the shop "hey, can I send up my own SMB at the end of the dive?", they'll tell you "no!!" Unnecessary lines around a group of divers can cause more problems than they solve.

But if you get separated from the group, I would think every shop would want you to send up your own SMB near the end of the dive. It's a serious safety issue, considering the number of boats around, and helps the crew figure out how to reunite the group.

Simple solution: don't ask for permission, but only do it when necessary.

Huh?

Perhaps I represent a very small sample size, but when I asked that at 3P or Aldora, the answer was an affirmative "yes". I'll find out what Liquid Blue says in a few days.

You took my quote out of context. My post (above) was in response to an earlier post that claimed the shop the poster dove with did not allow divers to deploy a SMB. My post simply offered an explanation from the shop's point of view: a default policy of "no" is easier for them to handle than a default policy of "yes".

No doubt there are differences from shop to shop and even how each shop treats individual divers (i.e. if they know you're competent, you'll be told "yes" while if they think you're going to tangle yourself in a line they'd probably tell you to just stay near the guide.)

 

[kelemvor]

While we're on the subject, some of you may find this useful. I got tired of hauling around and messing with reels and spools on most dives. It finally dawned on me that 80-90% of my dives never require a stop more than a few minutes below 20'. I also hate dealing with small line (string) in cold water. I did some experimenting and found that 1" webbing was much easier to handle and stored nicely. I now carry this most of the time.

I like having regular line on a spool because I've found other uses for the line. Several times, I've needed to tie some piece of gear to another and I've cut a section from my finger spool to do it. I can definitely see the appeal in a small section of flat webbing, but line has been very handy to have around. Now, I do keep extra line in my SAD bag - but occasionally I've had to leave it on shore due to limited space.