How to Effectively Deploy Your Surface Marker Buoy - Scuba Center Asia

[Scuba Center Asia]

Scuba Center Asia Lembongan

A DSMB (Delayed Surface Marker Buoy) is used by the diver to communicate with the boat of surface crew while the diver remains under the water. It is used for various reasons including:

• To mark a location
• To indicate distress
• Need for more air

A DSMB (Delayed Surface Marker Buoy) is a tubular buoy that is made from PVC or other materials that may be similar. They are attached to a spool or a line reel. They come in bright colors including yellow, red and orange and in some cases the colors may be used to pass on a different message.

Effective Deployment

It is important for you to learn how to properly deploy your delayed surface marker buoy when diving. Here is a guide that you can follow:

1. When you make a safety stop, DSMBs will often be launched. As such, you need to know how to deploy it mid-water. In order to do so, your buoyancy skills will need to be good. When the time comes to launch, first find your best hover point, then let out a little air so that you are a little bit negative in the H₂O.
2. Not remove the DSMB, unpack it and take care so that you don’t drop its reel. Since it does not come with a lock, should you drop it will unravel to its entire length before it can stop, coiling it up will be a mess.
3. Grasp the line spool and the DSMB with the left hand so that the right one is free to open up the DSMB at the bottom.
4. Now turn your head to a slight tilt so that on or off, the regulator exhaust valve is near the DSMBs opening. You should take care so that you do not have the line getting wrapped up in the regulator or its hose.
5. Breathe in moderately and then bring the DSMBs opening and position it above the valve, then exhale. The gas you exhale will then move from your exhaust valve to the DSMB.
6. You may need to repeat this one or two times until the DSMB gives a strong tug. (You will need to counter the DSMBs positive buoyancy using your breathing. Alternatively, you can let out a little air from the BSC.) Now release the DSMB while holding the spool with your left and right index fingers. Give it room to unreel as needed.

 

[rongoodman]

Your instructions only make sense for an open bottom SMB. Not all are.

 

[Scuba Center Asia]

Your instructions only make sense for an open bottom SMB. Not all are.

Al least for the beginers, this information good for them bro...

 

[Scott]

Al least for the beginers, this information good for them bro...

How is the beginner going to deploy a sealed bottom dSMB based on your instructions? That's what Ron is getting at.

 

[Scuba Center Asia]

How is the beginner going to deploy a sealed bottom dSMB based on your instructions? That's what Ron is getting at.

they can imagine and visualization and ask their Instructor right... and practice at pool...

 

[Skulmoski]

I am nervous about a novice diver bringing the DSMB with the line that close to one's face. In December I witnessed a diver with about 22 dives get tangled and pulled up to the surface.

However, I have seen skilled divers use this technique flawlessly and effortlessly.

Perhaps a novice diver might first learn to deploy the DSMB with their octopus. This technique keeps both the reel and DSMB well away from their body and the diver can watch out for entanglement while using the octopus to inflate the DSMB.

GJS

 

[tursiops]

This thread clearly illustrates the problem of trying to learn a skill from written instructions on the internet.

 

[Edward3c]

Scuba Center Asia Lembongan

A DSMB (Delayed Surface Marker Buoy) is used by the diver to communicate with the boat of surface crew while the diver remains under the water. It is used for various reasons including:

• To mark a location
• To indicate distress
• Need for more air

A DSMB (Delayed Surface Marker Buoy) is a tubular buoy that is made from PVC or other materials that may be similar. They are attached to a spool or a line reel. They come in bright colors including yellow, red and orange and in some cases the colors may be used to pass on a different message.

Effective Deployment

It is important for you to learn how to properly deploy your delayed surface marker buoy when diving. Here is a guide that you can follow:

1. When you make a safety stop, DSMBs will often be launched. As such, you need to know how to deploy it mid-water. In order to do so, your buoyancy skills will need to be good. When the time comes to launch, first find your best hover point, then let out a little air so that you are a little bit negative in the H₂O.
2. Not remove the DSMB, unpack it and take care so that you don’t drop its reel. Since it does not come with a lock, should you drop it will unravel to its entire length before it can stop, coiling it up will be a mess.
3. Grasp the line spool and the DSMB with the left hand so that the right one is free to open up the DSMB at the bottom.
4. Now turn your head to a slight tilt so that on or off, the regulator exhaust valve is near the DSMBs opening. You should take care so that you do not have the line getting wrapped up in the regulator or its hose.
5. Breathe in moderately and then bring the DSMBs opening and position it above the valve, then exhale. The gas you exhale will then move from your exhaust valve to the DSMB.
6. You may need to repeat this one or two times until the DSMB gives a strong tug. (You will need to counter the DSMBs positive buoyancy using your breathing. Alternatively, you can let out a little air from the BSC.) Now release the DSMB while holding the spool with your left and right index fingers. Give it room to unreel as needed.

BSAC teach Sports Divers to deploy from the bottom at 10m. Dive Leaders then get taught to deploy mid-water, again at 10m with no reference points. Its not unusual for UK divers to launch their DSMBs from 30m.

 

[Steve_C]

Directions are for a spool. Even with a spool there is a way to lock it by using a metal clip.
I prefer to use a reel. That is very easy to lock.
I want it out away from me so I use the octo to shoot in some air.
I will shoot as soon as I decide to go up if drift diving. Never hurts to let the boats know where you are ahead of time.
Another advantage of shooting deeper is that you only have to add a small ammount of air which is easier to handle.

 

[Scott]

I am nervous about a novice diver bringing the DSMB with the line that close to one's face. In December I witnessed a diver with about 22 dives get tangled and pulled up to the surface.

However, I have seen skilled divers use this technique flawlessly and effortlessly.

Perhaps a novice diver might first learn to deploy the DSMB with their octopus. This technique keeps both the reel and DSMB well away from their body and the diver can watch out for entanglement while using the octopus to inflate the DSMB.

GJS

Valid concern.

One problem with using the octo is now your hand and a regulator are inside the loop that the reel is attached to.
Just as you've have witness entanglement from inflating from the primary, I've witness novices get entangled from using the octo. Common cause is over inflating it.