How to use surface marker buoy SMB ?

[Splitlip]

Why am I not surprised ... ... what's next, a distinctive specialty in snorkel clearing?

It's a basic skill that should be getting bundled into an existing class (like AOW).

DSMB deployment isn't very difficult ... not even for the larger, semi-closed bags.

You don't NEED to be part of an "advanced cult" ... you just need some basic buoyancy skills so that you don't accidentally change depth while you're working on deploying it.

It takes about 10 minutes, dryland, to go through the what, how, why of different types of bags and lines that you can choose ... about 2 minutes underwater to demonstrate the skill ... and a few minutes to shoot the bag. For people new to the skill I prefer to start them with the small, 6-lb. bag because (a) it's the easiest to deploy (one breath, on change in buoyancy during deployment), and (b) if you want to give the students multiple chances to shoot the bag, you can simply pull it back down, deflate, and shoot it again.

There is absolutely no justification for turning this exercise into a separate, specialty class.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

+1
My LDS, Jupiter Dive Center, teaches their use as matter of course during Advanced Open Water and the exercise is undertaken during the Deep and/or Nav dives.

Students discuss options of different types with the instructor. A bag is chosen, briefing and dry runs take place and then devise is deployed during the dive.

 

[ivobj]

I am afraid I don't get the logic. This diver had an open ended SMB which most likely he could only deploy at 5 meters. Assuming there were 2 knots current it would have spent a couple of minutes to get to 5 meters and at that point be further away 120 meters.

Didn't understand, why can't you deploy an open SMB deeper than 5 meters? When I go for practice dives I do it from any depth, with both open and closed SMBs, using a spool (this is a mather of preference, in my case I use the spool, unless I am too deep and the spool does not have enough cable, in this case I go for a reel). As I mentioned before, immediately when realizing I'm separated from the group and caught in a current I would deploy SMB, so the boat would be able to start following as early as possible.

 

[Scott L]

Some people may prefer a training class and PADI offers a distinctive specialty, it is entirely subjective, at the end is a choice and is good to have choice.
if you are not happy with this maybe you can contact PADI directly and make a complain?

In terms of putting that in a open water training class I think that this is not at all a common skill required for all divers and also quite tricky for someone that has just started diving.
Being realistic that is something a divemaster would need to do, as in that case you will be deploying SMBs for the whole group of divers you are guiding
The reality is that if you dive with a guide the likelihood of having to use your own SMB is really low

+1
My LDS, Jupiter Dive Center, teaches their use as matter of course during Advanced Open Water and the exercise is undertaken during the Deep and/or Nav dives.

Students discuss options of different types with the instructor. A bag is chosen, briefing and dry runs take place and then devise is deployed during the dive.

No SMB in Jupiter = a free trip to Bermuda...

 

[Splitlip]

no smb in jupiter = a free trip to bermuda...

lol
. .

 

[LowVizWiz]

I certainly wish they would do that....but if it had been a skill in my AOW class, I would have learned to do it while kneeling, which certainly isn't how I want to shoot a bag.

What electives did you choose when you did your AOW? Depending on when you did your AOW you had to complete Deep + Navigation and possibly night, but that left you with 2 electives. During Search and Recovery you learn to deploy a lift bag which is essentially the same skill.

Why am I not surprised ... ... what's next, a distinctive specialty in snorkel clearing?

There is absolutely no justification for turning this exercise into a separate, specialty class.
... Bob (Grateful Diver)

I agree... but I have never seen any literature or ever heard of this being a separate class. I say this is bunk! And If someone debunks it, that would be a shame.

It's a basic skill that should be getting bundled into an existing class (like AOW).

DSMB deployment isn't very difficult ... not even for the larger, semi-closed bags.

Once again agree... And it is taught during AOW - sort of - the problem is that it's not a required part of the AOW class and that is also a shame.

 

[deepstops]

No SMB in Jupiter = a free trip to Bermuda...

And if you miss that, Ireland is just 10-14 days up the "road".....

 

[Monkey_Gland]

C02 canister sealed SMB attached to a spool. Secured and attached to the back of my wing. Unclip, unclip, pop, wooosh. No bother. No messing about. Buy the canisters bulk and they cost buttons.

 

[Splitlip]

C02 canister sealed SMB attached to a spool. Secured and attached to the back of my wing. Unclip, unclip, pop, wooosh. No bother. No messing about. Buy the canisters bulk and they cost buttons.

Good point yoiu bring up. That is SOP for you guys in the UK and I looked into the AP Valves. Next to impossible to find here.

A.P.Valves

But now Carter offers these bags for hunters. They are closed but have an oral inflator and use a CO2 cartridge.

Spear Fishing Bouys Safety Sausage

 

[Monkey_Gland]

Good point yoiu bring up. That is SOP for you guys in the UK and I looked into the AP Valves. Next to impossible to find here.

A.P.Valves

But now Carter offers these bags for hunters. They are closed but have an oral inflator and use a CO2 cartridge.

Spear Fishing Bouys Safety Sausage

Yup, those AP Valves SMBci's are pretty common. They are quite big when packed up and consequently tricky to stow. The Co2 Cartridge with oral inflate bag looks about right - company called Aqua Elevation make one in the UK - comes 1.5 or 2m and in red and it packs up very neatly. Halcyon do an oral inflate only too, but it's pricey.

 

[Selachimorpha]

I always teach my AOW students SMB deployment, I usually practice with them in shallow water on our house reef, before they get to try it out for real and call the boat during the drift dive. I leave selection of the Modules they want to the students, but an advanced course with me usually ends up being either Peak Performance Buoyancy or Search and Recovery (depends how well their Open Water instructor taught them, or if he just packed on the weight to make them sink), Nav, Deep, Night and Drift, as drift if pretty well suited to a lot of the diving we get here, but the student always learns how to deploy an SMB.
Teaching it in the Open Water course depends on the student is doing, some are ready for it, some are not.