How do you wind up DSMB while ascending?

[Wibble]

Use a big reel and self-inflating SMB. So much easier.

To the OP: I take your post at face value; also you're showing your experience as a novice -- we were all novices once

It's practice that makes things easier. Ascents are always busy and you need to practice to learn how to keep in control as you ascend; not to fast, not too slow. A good measure is to ascend as fast as the smaller (but not tiny) bubbles.

You must predict what's coming, so as you ascend you'll know that you'll need to periodically dump from your BCD (and drysuit if applicable). Then you learn to not dump too much!!! Of course we've all done that and change from a fast ascent to... descending, needing some gas in the BCD! Dump little and often and keep flat in the water; being in horizontal trim is far more comfortable when ascending and your aquadynamics of a flat body is greater than if you're in vertical trim (missiles are launched vertically).

Adding a SMB to wind the line in is just more work to do. Easy enough to wind in the string especially if you're not ascending too fast.

No discussion on ascending can be complete without a mention of overweighting; the great sin of scuba diving and early-days. The more excess weight you carry, the more your BCD is filled with gas to compensate giving more work for you to do as that surplus gas expands on ascent. Correct weighting means everything is simple. Yes, correct weighting takes time to dial in.


In summary:

• Get your weighting sorted. Just enough to counteract any consumable weight (that's gas in your cylinders and the wet weight of your SMB).
• Practice your ascents. Lots of practice. Even more practice; do several ascents on a single dive, the more you practice the easier it'll get.
• Use a decent sized reel with your SMB; life's easier. Practice inflating your SMB as many times as you can, for example in a pool. You should be able to inflate it without hitting the bottom or surfacing.

Have fun!

 

[boulderjohn]

Thanks for the replies, everyone. It seems my initial understanding of having to hold the BCD valve the whole time I ascend was wrong. That clears up the whole misunderstanding for me.

Your initial understanding is natural, since that is how it is generally taught in beginning OW classes. In those beginning OW classes, they don't teach you to ascend while reeling up a DSMB. in fact, there is a very good chance your instructor had never done it.