Is the PADI SMB specialty a waste of money?

[blac86]

Very much so. Diving in nearly the same area, I once (unbelievably) had a private dive boat decide that my dive flag was the one their diver had abandoned earlier. They came by, grabbed it, gunned the engine to break it loose from where it was supposedly hooked to the reef, and drove off with it while my dive boat was blowing its horn, shouting over the loudspeaker, and heading for them at full speed. When I felt myself heading to the surface with the flag, I decided to let go of the flag rather than take an unexpected ride in their wake. With no flag, I simply sent up my DSMB and went on with the dive.

Wtflol

 

[Chavodel8en]

With just in time learning, you determine that the diver is unlikely to need the skill at that time, and when the diver needs it in the future, the diver should be able to predict it and be able to learn it just in time to use it. As an example, the OW book gives only the briefest mention of tides. It does give some information, but it mostly tells the diver to get local knowledge if diving in an area where tides affect diving. I personally went nearly 900 dives before I was in a situation where tides made even the slightest difference in my dive planning--Puget Sound. I learned about them from local people before I did those dives. In contrast, someone who lives in Seattle and dives locally needs to know about tides from the very beginning.

PADI has made the decision that deploying a SMB is now important enough to make it a requirement for OW training. As for a DSMB, many divers will go hundreds of dives without ever seeing one deployed, so it makes sense to teach it only to people who will find themselves in a situation where it could be important to them.

I certified 12-14 years ago, with no training in DSMB. I was instructed on using a SMB on the surface. Since most of my dives were local shore dives, I didn't ever run across a DSMB, and really basically was ignorant of the need or ability to launch a buoy from depth through 100+ dives. Even the vacation boat dives I did didn't feature a need for a DSMB.

I credit this forum for alerting me to the need for DSMB - and just in time. Anticipating a trip to the Costa Maya this past December, I bought a DSMB, looked at some videos and practiced locally (w/o ever successfully launching) several times. On a drift dive in Cancun, I asked the DM if I could launch my DSMB. He was very helpful (Alberto from Cancun Scuba Diving), and I launched it successful -- the boat was there when we reached the surface, so I will call it a success.

Since then Ive tried to lauch again locally twice for practice, and failed, once resulting in getting completely tangled in line.

Launching a DSMB is not easy! I believe that it is a skill that would benefit from practice in an instructional setting. But its true, not every diver needs that skill - I went 14 years and 100+ dives without needing it.

 

[boulderjohn]

Since then Ive tried to lauch again locally twice for practice, and failed, once resulting in getting completely tangled in line.

Launching a DSMB is not easy!

I agree. I have had tech students struggle with it.

 

[Patoux01]

I find it odd. Shooting a DSMB boils down to buoyancy control IMO. Really not something a technical diver should have the slightest issue with...

 

[Chavodel8en]

I find it odd. Shooting a DSMB boils down to buoyancy control IMO. Really not something a technical diver should have the slightest issue with...

Im not a tech diver -- but add current and/or surge, and thick gloves to the list of factors that one has to deal with.
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The gloves may especially be my downfall. I have yet to launch successfully in our local cold water, while I launched successfully my first time in Cancun, despite the high current.

 

[boulderjohn]

I find it odd. Shooting a DSMB boils down to buoyancy control IMO. Really not something a technical diver should have the slightest issue with...

There is a difference between beginning tech diving students and tech divers. Frequently tech diving students come to you with pretty decent buoyancy skills but with little to no experience shooting bags. They will sometimes drop things or get the line tangled, all while holding their buoyancy beautifully. Thick gloves do make a difference.

 

[scubadada]

There is a difference between beginning tech diving students and tech divers. Frequently tech diving students come to you with pretty decent buoyancy skills but with little to no experience shooting bags. They will sometimes drop things or get the line tangled, all while holding their buoyancy beautifully. Thick gloves do make a difference.

It's been a while, but I have done that, I would imagine most have. The reel makes a difference too, spool, vs free spinning reel, vs braked reel.

 

[Doby45]

I shoot them all the time, so far not out of need. The one time I think the DSMB would have been a need was when we did a dive on the Lady Luck and had to do our safety stop on the drift. We had a Florida required dive flag though, so the DSMB was not even needed.

 

[Zeagle Eagle]

Here is the latest PADI specialty dive. I heard they are really cleaning up on this one.

 

[Sidemount_Ben]

I think PADI should include DSMB training in OW-- it is a very important skill that I believe should be taught as a matter of course. a safety sausage was one of my first purchases because my instructor believed it was important and made sure I knew how to deploy one

I include in my OW courses. There is also a spot for it as well where you can, but the DSMB course with a solid instructor will provide a lot more information than the basic W course.