In the Philipinnes for one month diving. Should I buy an SMB?

[*dave*]

Carter has a nice 8' or 9' model that you can clip your weights to on the surface. It will stand upright by itself and is visible for a tremendous distance even in rough water.

Terry

One other very important distinction between a DSMB and SMB: a DSMB is typically much smaller than a SMB. You would not want to attempt deploying a 8' SMB from depth. In order to get enough gas into it to be rigid at the surface would require some rather extreme feats of buoyancy control.

The DSMB I use has about 5 lbs of buoyancy. The SMB Web Monkey writes of likely has at least 40lbs of buoyancy.

 

[Web Monkey]

One other very important distinction between a DSMB and SMB: a DSMB is typically much smaller than a SMB. You would not want to attempt deploying a 8' SMB from depth. In order to get enough gas into it to be rigid at the surface would require some rather extreme feats of buoyancy control.

The DSMB I use has about 5 lbs of buoyancy. The SMB Web Monkey writes of likely has at least 40lbs of buoyancy.

It actually is deployable at depth, however it's not easy.

In fact, I've sent up the 75Lb model, although you need to do it from close to 100'.

In any case, the model I recommended has about 35 Lbs lift, and although it's not too difficult to deploy underwater, I recommend that the OP only use it on the surface until he's had training and quite a bit of practice deploying it in the pool. When deploying it underwater, it's very easy to get tangled and find yourself on the surface a lot sooner and a lot faster than anticipated.

Terry

 

[Hank49]

The Philippines has strong currents. Anything to help your boatman find you is a plus. I wouldn't dive there without one.

 

[ushipb00]

Thanks for the input everyone.

 

[Web Monkey]

Thanks for the input everyone.

Just a quick note.

Some divers and divemasters tend to make fun of divers that carry large SMBs and extra safety equipment.

Ignore them.

You'll be the most popular guy in the water when you and your buddy or group surfaces to find that the boat isn't there, and you can pull out a huge fluorescent yellow marker. There's no such thing as "too visible".

Also, you should carry a medium sized bright LED light in a pocket even on day dives, since getting lost or left can mean that you'll be out at night.

Terry

 

[swisstrav]

erm, SMBs you're supposed to pop after you surface and enjoy every drop. (sorry couldnt resist, this is PPD after all)

100% with you jigo. the more the better.
after all contends it's about 95% water only

a surface marker should be standard equipment for every diver. especially in the philippines. and no, unless you are lost, you do not inflate on surface nor at safety stop dephth. i prefere to deploy deeper. it takes experience - but a swimming pool is not the right place to practice.

you do not need any valves on a sausage or other high tec gimmicks. a cheep one will do. i do not use a reel. just a loose line which i store inside the sausage when not used.

go out and practice - usually they come open and are served with a smile. an other thing is the tower. but this is for real experienced divers only

 

[Roz]

Custom Divers makes this Radar Detectable SMB called the seeker I am thinking about buying. Any opinions would be helpful.

Quality Diving Equipment by Custom Divers - SEEKER - RADAR DETECTABLE SMB

Until recently there was one DSMB that got very heavily used/advocated in the UK and that was by AP Valves. Custom Divers has taken that DSMB and updated it, so that you have four ways to fill it (very handy)! Oral inflation blowing down a tube, you can connect the same tube to your low pressure inflator, a crack bottle or the traditional method of purging a reg into the bottom of the DSMB.

I've played with both DSMB's by AP Valves and Custom Divers. I actively choose to dive the Seeker because it's also radar detectable. The people that I dive with will send up a blob (DSMB) at the end of every dive as a matter of course. It keeps your skill sweet and as the majority of our diving is done in the seas around the UK, it's necessary. (As an aside we've abandoned cheap DSMB's because they start leaking and don't last).

The Custom Divers DSMB is well made, robust and should last you years. It's worth writing your name on it in black marker pen, (with the letters running down the length of the blob) then the boat can see who is decompressing underneath. This DSMB is sensibly sized. Whilst it might seem a brilliant idea to have a huge DSMB, they are not always that easy to successfully deploy.

One person advocated Finger Reels. I prefer a well made reel from someone like Kent Tooling or Custom Divers. I've tried a Finger Reel once and didn't like it. That doesn't make it a bad piece of kit, just something that I didn't really get on with.

In my opnion, pretty much every diver ought to have a strong core set of skills and included in this suite should be DSMB deployment. As someone else wrote in this post, you can't always rely on another diver or the Guide's DSMB.

If you are a member of dive club, go and play in the deep end of a swimming pool to get the basics and practice deploying this. Ask someone to sit on the surface who can empty it of air so that you can reel it back underwater and have another go. The blob is not going to be fully filled as it's only got a short way to travel, but it does allow you to start building muscle memory in benign conditions.

Or if you can't do that, then ask someone to mentor you and slowly build this skill up so that you can do it. That's what happened to me. And once you are competent and happy, then pass this skill onto someone else.

 

[ushipb00]

Wow!! Thanks for all the great advice. Could you guys take a look and tell me could I deploy this one from depth:

http://resources.customdivers.com/SEEKER_SMB_0709.pdf

Also, once I buy one I will practice in the pool. Youtube has some great tech video's on how to deploy DSMB in a pool and at depth. I am a little worried about location placement on my BCD. I have Scubapro Knighthawk BCD with very few pockts. If I attach the DSMB with reel to my lower d ring will it throw off my bouyancy?

 

[Arizona]

I dive a Knighthawk and attach my DSMB on the lower D-ring along with a finger spool on a different D-Ring. As long as it is wrapped tightly and not tangling about no real change in your trim should be noticed.

I agree with the others, don't dive without one. The pool may be a bit too shallow, practice in the open water. Just let your buddy know what you are planning. No substitute for practice. I would deploy on every dive when practical to build up your skills. Using oral inflate helps to keep you less buoyant. Perhaps try it first with a DM or instructor to be on the safe side.

I prefer to deploy at depth and then use the spool to assist especially in current or when working with OW students. Having a reel or finger spool makes things a lot easier when in current as opposed to just having a string with a light fishing weight on the end. I see a lot of divers and DMs in my local area relying on such a set up. Take the time to learn how to use a finger spool, they are fantastic.

Safe diving,

 

[shugar]

not to diss anyone's advice but generally for philippine diving you won't need a mega-jee-whiz-hunka-hunka-burnin' love SMB...

a D or no-D smb will suit you just fine for MOST of the diving you will do here... it's a piece of safety equipment, not a deployable dive bell for your next 200-meter dive

learn to use it - YES

spend $$$$$ for some 10-foot, can-be-seen-from-outer-space thing? - NO

jeez - the only aircraft in the country that have radars fly commercial anyway...

my smb cost me $10... can be seen on the surface and has worked like a charm...

i use a finger spool...

an instructor friend taught me how to deploy it at his shop...

i tried it in the water when the conditions were relatively safe (simple reef dive)...

i'm still alive...

if you hear a lot of boat traffic deploy at your stop or when you're 1 minute away from your safety stop requirment

if you don't then deploying at the surface will do IF you don't see your boat or group or buddy...

won't do anyone any good to whip out your sausage and wave it around when you're 2 feet from the boat... it's bad form

Jag