shooting smb from depth

[Jax]

Chiming in, gbray, because I'm seeing "don't do" without the why.

One - don't practice in deep water until you have it pretty much flawless in shallow (12-15') water. If something gets snagged, you will ascend FAR too quickly. I had a loop catch around my thumb of my glove, for example, and it can also catch on gear.

Two - never clip off an SMB - if a boat goes by and catches your smb, it will jerk you up FAST. For the same reason, never put a thumb or finger all the way through a finger spool. You must be able to release it in case of emergency.

 

[Carolina_Mike]

I'm a follower of what Ron said above. A drysuit hose with an inflator keeps everything out in front of you and keeps the reg in your mouth where it belongs. This how I was taught by TDI in the open ocean. It is simple, convenient and safe.

Oh yeah - NEVER, ever clip your reel to your body. Mr. Murphy loves stuff like that!

 

[down4fun]

Why do you need a wreck reel, to deploy a DSMB on your ANDP course?

Just get a bigger capacity finger spool....

Because it's a perfect time to learn the skill and if he continues to progress he may one day be shooting a SMB from the deck of a wreck 200-300 feet deep so the captain can follow you as you drift for the next 70 minutes doing decompression. A common practice here in the Florida tech community.

 

[Jax]

I have practiced using a smb with a finger reel and it is not difficult. I have recently tried using a small cave type reel in preparation for my ANDP class and find it to be a whole different situation. I am not sure how to hold it and almost got tangled trying to exhaust air into my smb ( as opposed to using my secondary reg). when it gets enough air in it it tries to take me with it before I can situate the reel which I am trying to hold away from me so I don't get in the way.
Can someone tell me the correct procedure for this or give me a you tube link to see how it is done?

Thanks
G

Google "youtube deploy smb" - you'll see lots of examples.

I finally put the spool / reel in my left hand, and my reg + SMB in my right - it's a bit awkward - then I punch the purge - when there is enough air to yank up, it pulls loose from my fingers and then unwinds the spool. Of course, my SMB is HUGE. :blinking:

Have a thumb or forefinger lightly on the reel so it doesn't continue to spin once the SMB is on the surface.

 

[DevonDiver]

Because it's a perfect time to learn the skill and if he continues to progress he may one day be shooting a SMB from the deck of a wreck 200-300 feet deep so the captain can follow you as you drift for the next 70 minutes doing decompression. A common practice here in the Florida tech community.

I fully understand that there are depths where even the biggest finger spool is insufficient for DSMB deployment. Those circumstances aren't localized to Florida. However, those depths aren't at ANDP level.

I assumed that he would be taking the course in the immediate future. As such, I wouldn't recommend that he shifted from a known technique (finger spool) to an unknown technique (wreck reel) for that course. Plenty of time afterwards to build up to that.

 

[down4fun]

I prefer a reel and why not take advantage of the class to learn with a reel. As for depths and the need for a reel when I did my ANDP it was helitrox so we were makin dives to 150 feet add in some current and you could easily lay out 200-250 feet of line deploying a SMB from the deck. nice to have a reel at that point. Just my two cents. There is more than one way to get things done.

 

[Deefstes]

First off as has been said never clip the reel off to yourself when deploying an SMB. Start practicing in shallow water where the penalty for screwing up is less.

One - don't practice in deep water until you have it pretty much flawless in shallow (12-15') water. If something gets snagged, you will ascend FAR too quickly. I had a loop catch around my thumb of my glove, for example, and it can also catch on gear.

I can't agree with this. The penalty of screwing up in shallow water is far worse than in deep water. The deployment of an SMB is perhaps the one skill that is easier and safer at depth.

I recently experienced what Jax described above (loop catching around my thumb) and I think I was lucky that it happened at depth and not in shallow water.

1. At depth, you can send the SMB up using a smaller amount of air and still have it fully inflated at the surface. This means the "launch" is far less violent.

2. A rapid ascent of 5m or so at depth where the pressure differential is lower is far less hazardous than a rapid ascent of 5m in shallow water.

 

[James R]

Another piece of advice if you use the spool: Do not clip the double-ender to your spool when you go to inflate the SMB or lift bag. It will repeatedly smack your hand wrist and anything else in the way as the SMB or bag goes up. You'll likely let go at this point and if the line snags the double-ender as it spins around and around it goes bye-bye.

I have not done this myself...just hearing the story was enough

 

[down4fun]

Easier yes, safer no. It is harder in shallow water but if he can master it there then the deeper deployments will be all the easier. Bouyancy is easier at depth too it we start of shallow. As for the penalty yes the greatest pressure differential is shallow but chances are if he pops to the surface from 20 feet as long as he exhales he will be ok. Not at depth. We lost a local diver that f'd up and rode his bag to the surface from 200+ feet because he was entangled. Capt got him back on the boat and as he gasped his last breath all he could say was "I f..... Up" over and over.

I stand by my statement the penalties are less severe shallow.

 

[mikemill]

Easier yes, safer no. It is harder in shallow water but if he can master it there then the deeper deployments will be all the easier. Bouyancy is easier at depth too it we start of shallow. As for the penalty yes the greatest pressure differential is shallow but chances are if he pops to the surface from 20 feet as long as he exhales he will be ok. Not at depth. We lost a local diver that f'd up and rode his bag to the surface from 200+ feet because he was entangled. Capt got him back on the boat and as he gasped his last breath all he could say was "I f..... Up" over and over.

I stand by my statement the penalties are less severe shallow.

For practicing don't use such a big bag. The bag I carry with me has a 5lb lift on it. It works for the majority of the situations that I am currently diving. I can fill it with one breath and hold on to it without it dragging me up. Personally, I would practice in the 40-60' range as it makes controlling depth easier and you only need to fill the bag about half way.