How do you wind up DSMB while ascending?

[happyharris]

There is a lot of information about how to inflate a DSMB at depth, and how to release it so that it ascends without taking you up with it. Very important, and all that is fine.

However, I can't find anything about the procedure for ascending after the DSMB is deployed. It seems like I'll need three hands: one to hold my BCD valve so that I can deflate it while ascending, and two to wind in the excess string as I ascend. Or is the standard procedure to wait until I reach the surface before winding it up? That seems like a tangling hazard to me.

Thanks for your advice.

 

[tursiops]

Don't try and do everything all at once or quickly. Let out a air from the BCD, get a little heavy, pull/kick up a bit while winding up, repeat. Keep tension on the DSMB and never get buoyant.

 

[boulderjohn]

If you are having to let air out often on your ascent, that suggests that you have a lot of air in the BCD at the end of the dive. That suggests that you are overweighted. If you are properly weighted on a normal, NDL dive, you should have very little air in the BCD at the end of the dive. A little puff to expel excess air every now and then should be all you will need.

 

[flymolo]

i think you are overthinking it.

just wind up while ascending. occasionally you'll feel like you need to dump air from your bcd at which point you can use the hand that isn't holding the spool to do it.

i wouldn't bother dumping gas and becoming negative before ascending unless you want to swim the entire way up. just let your buoyancy do the work for you.

 

[boulderjohn]

wouldn't bother dumping gas and becoming negative before ascending unless you want to swim the entire way up. just let your buoyancy do the work for you.

I agree with this. I would also like to warn that some instructors and boat divemasters do tell people to dump all their air before beginning their ascent. That is not a good idea. If you are properly weighted with a 3mm suit, it will work out OK. If you are overweighted or properly weighted with a thick wetsuit, you could suddenly find yourself plummeting to the abyss below.

 

[scubadada]

Yes, you should have vented the majority of gas out of your BC as you consumed your gas and became lighter during the dive. I usually stop once or twice during the ascent to judge my buoyancy and release gas as needed. I make the final adjustment as I near the safety stop depth. My BC should be empty, or nearly so, at that point.

Winding up your DSMB gives you a very nice ascent rate.

 

[flymolo]

I agree with this. I would also like to warn that some instructors and boat divemasters do tell people to dump all their air before beginning their ascent. That is not a good idea. If you are properly weighted with a 3mm suit, it will work out OK. If you are overweighted or properly weighted with a thick wetsuit, you could suddenly find yourself plummeting to the abyss below.

yea, not to mention greatly slowing the ascent, which is not ideal

 

[Badger7]

Slow and steady, one thing at a time. Ascend a few feet while winding in the slack. Decent exhale to slow your ascent. Dump some gas from your bcd/suit/wing as appropriate. Put your both hands back on the line. Take a larger inhale to resume ascent, winding in the slack. Rinse and repeat 'til you hit your stop. Trying to do two or three things at once is madness, breaking a goal up into little bitesize tasks and doing each one at a time is much easier.

 

[34109411]

There is a lot of information about how to inflate a DSMB at depth, and how to release it so that it ascends without taking you up with it. Very important, and all that is fine.

However, I can't find anything about the procedure for ascending after the DSMB is deployed. It seems like I'll need three hands: one to hold my BCD valve so that I can deflate it while ascending, and two to wind in the excess string as I ascend. Or is the standard procedure to wait until I reach the surface before winding it up? That seems like a tangling hazard to me.

Thanks for your advice.

 

[34109411]