How many actually use diver buoy or surface marker buoy?

[dirkadirk]

I carry 3 DSMBs with me on pretty much every dive except when in a quarry. 2x Orange and 1x Yellow along with a reel and a spool. This is for redundancy - Orange are the ones I use most, have only ever used my Yellow once and that was to test the firing mechanism on it.

Have I ever used them in anger - yes many many times. Have I ever had to use them because of an incident/my own stupidity? no, never.

As a BSAC diver the Dive Manager will usually dictate whether we need to use one or not on club dives. If they say we need one they will also dictate when we are to deploy as well. For anything other than a drift dive that is usually at the end of the diving phase and somewhen during the ascent (The worst I had was to shoot it off at 40m and then reel it all back in again on a micro-reel ). If we are boat-diving with a shot then a fairly common practice is to return to the shot. If this is not possible the brief (and common sense) usually states to shoot off a DSMB and make a free ascent.

When multiple wave are diving a (in my opinion) common sense practice would be for the last pair of the last wave to descend the shot fills the lift bag and sends the shot topside, the last wave would then make free ascents at the end of their bottom time underneath DSMBs. I find this streamlines departure because we arent faffing around with a full boat of wet divers trying to retrieve the shot and exerting those involved (clubs usually have the divers act as crew to maximise the premium space on the boats), helping remove the risk of exertion based DCI. All is packed away and as soon as the last pair have been retrieved and gear is stowed then the boat can be heading back to the pub.

It is law in the UK for all diving operations to fly Signal Flag 'Alpha' (Compass Marine | Signal Flags for those who dont know), although people do get relaxed slightly when shore diving in places where boat traffic is non-existent in all but the rarest of circumstances.

For an (relatively) inexpensive piece of kit, the implications of not carrying one make the choice for me. I may never in my entire diving career get separated from my boat/be unable to return to the shot, however I will always carry a DSMB just in case, along with my emergency strobe and an old CD (for heliographing). As the saying goes: better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.

Safe diving everyone

Merlin

 

[BDSC]

I have never had to use one in all the years I have been diving. I typically wear one in high current areas like Cozumel and I took one on trips to Cocos, the Socorro Islands, and I wear one when diving off our coast. Other than those specific places, I've never seen the need to carry one. Just extra clutter.

 

[Dizzi Lizzi]

This is the way I store my spools for use. I used to clip them as per pic 1 but often when I jumped in I would lose my reel and it would spool 45m of line off into the water. I was shown this new method by someone and its great. I ensure all my spools are set this way before I dive.

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Ok newbie question, is there a special knot used?

NM. Seems it's just a granny knot.

 

[Peter69_56]

In the line? no, no special knot to make the initial loop

 

[BFRedrocks]

Whenever I dive in my local lake, I always set a dive float up at my descent/ascent point, more so that folks know there's someone in the water near that spot. As for a DSMB, I always carry a 6-footer with me, but I have only deployed it a few times during training classes; never when diving on my own because I'm concerned that someone will assume I am in trouble because I shot the SMB.

My question for folks is, how do you distinguish between a diver shooting an SMB for purposes of normal safety stop/ascending location, versus a diver who's shooting one because they're in trouble and in need of assistance? If I knew that my fellow divers understood I was only shooting it for the former reason (without being able to tell anyone beforehand), I would probably do it more often.

 

[Littlerayray]

Whenever I dive in my local lake, I always set a dive float up at my descent/ascent point, more so that folks know there's someone in the water near that spot. As for a DSMB, I always carry a 6-footer with me, but I have only deployed it a few times during training classes; never when diving on my own because I'm concerned that someone will assume I am in trouble because I shot the SMB.

My question for folks is, how do you distinguish between a diver shooting an SMB for purposes of normal safety stop/ascending location, versus a diver who's shooting one because they're in trouble and in need of assistance? If I knew that my fellow divers understood I was only shooting it for the former reason (without being able to tell anyone beforehand), I would probably do it more often.

You could carry 2 discerning colors orange for standard hey this is where I'm coming up and another color ie green for come get me quick and part of your dive plan would be mentioning this to the DM as well as boat captain but if it is because you are doing a deco stop and need more gas a writing slate mounted to an smb would also help to get your message across

 

[BFRedrocks]

You could carry 2 discerning colors orange for standard hey this is where I'm coming up and another color ie green for come get me quick and part of your dive plan would be mentioning this to the DM as well as boat captain but if it is because you are doing a deco stop and need more gas a writing slate mounted to an smb would also help to get your message across

That's a good idea, but I guess I should have clarified that I was talking about when I'm shore diving on my own (i.e. solo diving) where there is no DM or boat captain.

I really just want to do it for practice, but I'm afraid someone will alert the 911 authorities if they see a SMB pop up and don't know why. Maybe I just shouldn't care about that.

 

[Littlerayray]

No you shouldn't worry about it tbh we launch SMB's from shore dives all the time most boaters who see one pop up will be drawn to it but will also aproached it caution and once they figure it out will leave immediately boaters aren't stupid their just curious and here in canada they cover dive flags but I never heard mention an smb and I spoke to an instructor about it and he was clueless as for landlubbers calling for help they too will just normally watch with interest

 

[Diving Dubai]

I carry 3 DSMB (2 orange & 1 yellow) on every dive. But we dive in a remote location and can easily get pulled off the site by currents, we also don't returned to the anchored boat, the fast boat comes to pick us up. So every dive requires one of the buddy pair to launch an DSMB. One of my DSMB is a 12' really used on the surface - the others are 6'. a small 3' oral inflate while compact doesn't really cut it in any kind of swell.

All my spools, reels have a different colour of line for the last 5m so even if your're in murk, task loaded or just plain lazy you know your SS depth.

I also carry an air horn on my LP inflator, a Strobe as well as a small mirror and whistle (tucked neatly away on a shoulder strap. I've had to use the Air horn before now to attract the dive boat attention (including on vacation with a guide who wasn't equipped for the surprise current that pulled us away from the boat)

I firmly believe you're primarily responsibly for yourself being seen, heard and found.

 

[BB`]

That's a good idea, but I guess I should have clarified that I was talking about when I'm shore diving on my own (i.e. solo diving) where there is no DM or boat captain.

I really just want to do it for practice, but I'm afraid someone will alert the 911 authorities if they see a SMB pop up and don't know why. Maybe I just shouldn't care about that.

If you ever want some practice shooting them I am always up for a trip to lake pleasant.


If you ever see a yellow one that says "THOM" on it that is the sign I am in desperate need of a beer and you should do everything in your power to have one moved to the water as quickly as possible.