Lift Capacity Question: HOG 4.5ft SMB

[Tortuga68]

So why would a smaller (less lift) DSMB be easier to deploy at depth?

I think any DSMB would only be as buoyant as the amount of air you get in it before you release it.....so any large lift bag could be "just" 25 lbs of lift.....

That's true, but the objective is to have the SMB fully inflated when it's at the surface, so it will stand up and be fully visible to boat traffic/dive boat/buddies etc

The smaller the SMB, the less air you have to put into it at depth to have it fully inflated on the surface, the easier it is to deploy

 

[g1138]

So why would a smaller (less lift) DSMB be easier to deploy at depth?

I think any DSMB would only be as buoyant as the amount of air you get in it before you release it.....so any large lift bag could be "just" 25 lbs of lift.....

A longer "thinner" DSMB might be harder to get air into "quickly" before it gets to buoyant and you need to release it......

I use a Carter 35 lb Personal Float with an open bottom which is very easy to fill (4" diameter), I put a small burp of air in it to extend the bag vertically and then a big exhale to shoot it to the surface....seems to work well for me......I never even take the reg out of my mouth......

Personal Floats Safety Sausage Tubes

My apologies if I didn't follow the thread correctly......

Just my thoughts.......M

This is a good point and something I thought of.
But my problem is I'm 5'6" and my SMB is 6'.
I feel kinda tiny when I'm rinsing that thing.
It's also a pain to stow, especially when you're only diving wet and have no pockets.

I'd like a smaller smb because:
1) It'll be easier to manage underwater when I unfurl it
2) Less of a hassle to rinse (I'm lazy =P)
3) When I'm TAing for the basic class I don't ever need a 6ft SMB.
We do shore dives for our checkouts, and there are some times when we need to do a midwater safety stop with no reference (keep in mind this is the student(s) 4th ocean dive max)
So I'd like a SMB and reel that you could deploy just to have a line of reference. And I'd like a small one so I could deflate and stow it on the surface quickly.

 

[Jorgy]

Tortuga68...

For a DSMB to provide any lift it needs to be submerged........you need to keep a certain amount of tension on it to have it stick out of the water......again I think a larger, fatter DSMB would be more upright and out of the water than a skinny shorter one.....once on the surface then a larger longer marker is better than a short one, one could argue you should have a 10 footer for the surface......

g1138......

No pockets? Are you diving a BP/W if so then right below the plate with bungees is a great place to stow a DSMB, easy and out of the way.....another option is bungeed to the tank........

Just my thoughts......M

 

[g1138]

In regards to the SMB length I think it would be easier to hold down a 3ft 6# smb upright VS a 6foot 40# SMB upright.
The taller it is, the easier it is to topple, in addition the taller it is the more lift capacity there is to deal with when you're hovering and trying to keep your smb up right.
I honestly couldn't hover and keep my SMB upright. I didn't have enough weight to hang from it (I know, shouldn't do this), and when I was neutral I only pulled myself up the line when I tried to snug it.

And no I'm wearing a Sherwood Axis back inflate. I wish I had a backplate, but I'm slowing saving up for one.
My SMB is too large to fit into any of my pockets, so i clip it with my finger spool onto my hip D-ring.
I managed to loop the SMB's bungee with the spool so the whole thing flops as one unit instead of two. But even still it's kind of an annoyance to have that big chunk hitting my leg during entries.

 

[Tortuga68]

For a DSMB to provide any lift it needs to be submerged........you need to keep a certain amount of tension on it to have it stick out of the water......again I think a larger, fatter DSMB would be more upright and out of the water than a skinny shorter one.....once on the surface then a larger longer marker is better than a short one, one could argue you should have a 10 footer for the surface......

Again true, but a DSMB isn't a lift device, it's a marker. The amount of tension required to keep one upright is minimal. Obviously a taller, fatter DSMB will be more visible, but only if it's fully inflated. The size required is a factor of how far you may be from the boat (whether it's picking you up or running you down) and what sort of sea is running, if any. For example, on a medium-sized, shallow lake, a 10' DSMB would be overkill - not to mention rather difficult to deploy!

 

[Tortuga68]

I'd like a smaller smb because:
1) It'll be easier to manage underwater when I unfurl it
2) Less of a hassle to rinse (I'm lazy =P)
3) When I'm TAing for the basic class I don't ever need a 6ft SMB.
We do shore dives for our checkouts, and there are some times when we need to do a midwater safety stop with no reference (keep in mind this is the student(s) 4th ocean dive max)
So I'd like a SMB and reel that you could deploy just to have a line of reference. And I'd like a small one so I could deflate and stow it on the surface quickly.

Assuming it meets your visibility requirements for where you dive, get one of these: ScubaZone :: SMBs & Lift Bags :: Halcyon Closed Alert Marker 3.3' SMB

1m tall, compact, easy to deploy, not too much lift so you can actually pull them back down again if you need to, oral inflate (one breath), OPV

 

[g1138]

Assuming it meets your visibility requirements for where you dive, get one of these: ScubaZone :: SMBs & Lift Bags :: Halcyon Closed Alert Marker 3.3' SMB

1m tall, compact, easy to deploy, not too much lift so you can actually pull them back down again if you need to, oral inflate (one breath), OPV

Halcyon is not in my budget =[
Really the HOG SMB isn't either, but I found a site that sells it for $40 which is about as much as I'm willing to pay for now.

 

[Jorgy]

OP lives in Cali......so this open ocean diving, a three foot marker is not worth much if there are any waves at all.....

Just my thoughts.....M

 

[Jorgy]

g1138...

You could put bungee cords high on the right shoulder strap and keep you marker there.....curved a bit to match the curve of your shoulder....

Put the finger spool in one of the zippered pockets....

M

 

[g1138]

Jorgy,
I've heard differently from various CA divers that a 6ft sausage is no easier to see than a 3ft sausage, unless you keep one standing tall. And I've heard and experienced that keeping a 6ft sausage standing is hard to do.

Could you give me some advice on how to keep one standing fully inflated? How much lift capacity does yours have when you fully inflate it?

In regards to securing it, I'd rather not have something that bulky near my head, or in the way of my D-ring. I have a pull dump and flash light there and would rather keep those areas clear. And I don't feel comfortable reaching over my shoulder to secure and unsecure my SMB.