How to use surface marker buoy SMB ?

[marmagi]

Hello,

what are the pro and cons of surface marker buoy SMB open circuit and close circuit?

which one is easier to use? why ?

what kind of reel is better to use?

what kind of clamp what type is better to use to tight the SMB to the reel ?

any web site or link that explain the techniques to use the SMB ?

what about DIR out there? what is the DIR way to use it?

thanks

Mario

 

[TSandM]

An open SMB will only remain inflated when it is upright. The advantage is that you can fill them from a purged regulator underwater (and something other than oral inflation pretty much becomes necessary if the bag is over a certain size). The disadvantage is that, if you lose tension on the line, the bag may fall over and dump gas. If you are only using a bag as a surface signaling device once YOU are on the surface, the open-ended bags are kind of hard to inflate (I think).

Closed SMBs usually have an inflation tube which can be blown into. Some also can be attached to an LP inflator hose. They will continue to hold gas until deliberately deflated -- but must have some kind of overpressure valve to avoid ripping if overfilled at depth.

Whether you use a reel or spool to shoot a bag can depend a little on how deep you are doing it. If you are shooting the bag while on deco (70 feet or above), a spool suffices, and is easier to manage and very unlikely to jam (depending on how well you re-spooled the line the last time ). Reels are better if you are going to have to play out a large amount of line (i.e. shooting from a deep wreck).

There was a thread not too long ago about how to attach a spool to an SMB -- look in the DIR forum.

It's a good idea to get somebody who knows how to show you how to shoot a bag. It's a simple procedure, but there are a number of ways to get into trouble doing it, and your first practices should be done on shallow, simple dives.

 

[Slonda828]

I would agree with TSandM. I use a an open SMB that can be deployed from depth versus a safety sausage. A sausage looks like a SMB, but lacks the overpressure valve which allows it to be shot from your deco stop. Drift dives are a handy time to have a SMB, because everyone with a safety sausage has to surface, blow it up, and wait a while for the boat to grab them. I shoot the SMB from 15 feet, and by the time I finish my deco stop the boat is usually on the way to get me. This comes in handy in choppy conditions. I also opt for a 100 foot finger spool. I've learned to keep my spool and bag on separate D-rings though, as one time I went to deploy my SMB and accidentally unhooked my finger spool which promptly deployed 100 feet of line all over me and fell straight to the sea floor. My course director then (lovingly) mocked me while I wound it all back on the spool.

 

[InkDiver]

if you are going to use a spool, be really careful with your fingers when deploying. if you are deploying from a significant depth, the SMB can get up a pretty good head of steam and if your finger gets stuck in the spool....well broken finger.

 

[Venus]

I hope Gledders does mind me posting this

this is one of the many types of dSMB and how to deploy it

 

[Venus]

.... and she demonstrated amazing bouyancy :worship:

 

[muddiver]

if you are going to use a spool, be really careful with your fingers when deploying. if you are deploying from a significant depth, the SMB can get up a pretty good head of steam and if your finger gets stuck in the spool....well broken finger.

Holly cow! What are you using, a 100 lb lift bag?!?

 

[rongoodman]

I always enjoy watching that video. Amazing how nice she looks in the water.

 

[ivobj]

To use in the surface, I would definitely go for the closed one, under water I believe that besides all that was already posted is important to consider one more detail, which IMO should be considered when choosing between the 2 of them. Are you using a drysuit? If you use a drysuit usually you have 2 available LP Hoses, so you can temporarily disconect the suit to inflate the SMB and still have the wing functional, but if you are using a wetsuit, you only have the wing inflator hose, in that case I prefer the open one (I switch to backup and use the purge of the long hose second stage), because I don't like the idea to be at a certain moment without any buoyancy device properly functional, and if something goes wrong (and if you are having to deploy a SMB probably something is not 100%), the adrenalin may make it a little more difficult to reattach the hose to the wing inflator (remember, when pressurized is not the same as in the surface) and contribute to build an excessive task load that can initiate a panic cycle...

About reel TSandM already mentioned, usually the spool, unless you are so deep that you don't have enough cable in the spool, IMO best way to handle is putting 2 fingers in the middle hole, an even if it leaves your hand, as the SMB quickly ascent, the spool tends to stay stationary, sppining right in front of you.

 

[FishOutUvH2O]

There are also closed circuit SMBs with a "duckbill" valve that gives you the best of both worlds. The ability to fill the bag by purging your 2nd stage into the bottom of the SMB, while not having to worry about the bag deflating if it falls over on the surface.