Smb & Bp

[bashan]

HI,
I'm not a DIR diver, but I know were I will get my best answers so I'm posting it here

What are the common concepts for connecting the SMB?
I know some people put it on the Stage Cylinders other attached it to back plate
I connect it in the back of my waist pouch,
Which one is the recommended why, and what are the benefits of this or the other?
Thanks,
YB—
"A complete tech' Newbie"

 

[Doc Intrepid]

What are the common concepts for connecting the SMB?

Which one is the recommended why, and what are the benefits of this or the other?

YB,

Generally there are three locations most often used:

* Thigh pockets
* folded and tucked into an MC storage pack attached to backplate
* rolled and attached to the bottom of the backplate with bungee

There are several considerations, some of which are as follows:

* Size of the surface marker bouy
* Configuration for the dive - e.g. is the diver carrying two sling tanks and a scooter? (SMB are easier/faster to deploy from some locations than others)
* Drysuit or Wetsuit (many wetsuits don't offer thigh pockets, tropics, other environmental parameters, etc.)

There is no particular 'recommended' location of these three - it's situationally dependent - e.g. determined by what you're doing, where, how, etc.

Some divers carry two, a long sausage type SMB in a thigh pocket, and a second device somewhere else. Open versus closed circuit bags or other factors could also figure into where a diver elects to put the SMB, if the diver has more than one.

In at least one other case its dictated by the size of the SMB - Halcyon has a nifty inflatable raft. Its good on liveaboards for drifting off the stern when the boat gets too small, as well as trying to flash low flying planes when you fail to surface on a drift dive in Fiji and wind up downcurrent somewhere for some unscheduled relaxation. But its a tad large for storing anywhere but beneath the backplate - so, in some cases the size of the device will dictate how its carried.

There are a few other options, however, that are emphatically NOT recommended.

Hope this helps.

Doc

 

[lord1234]

A small SMB is usually placed in a pocket. A large SMB is folded and tucked in the MC Pack. Both of these solutions provide the best place that promotes streamlining and avoids entanglement hazards.

 

[detroit diver]

I've got a 6ft Halcyon SMB, and I keep it pre-loaded in my thigh bellows pocket.

 

[double80s]

I keep my lift bag attached to the bottom of my backplate with a bungee loop at each end. If I'm drift diving or in current, sometimes I'll remove one backup lights and take a small rolled SMB and pass the end under the loop of tire tube and clip it off on the D-ring on the shoulder strap. It stays snug and streamline this way.

I also have a pocket glued to my wetsuit which can hold a small SMB. Adding a pocket to your wetsuit is one of the best things you can do.

Will

 

[Spoon]

i only use one smb and its stowed in my mc storage pack.

 

[Meng_Tze]

Just one smb, not preloaded in thigh pocket. If we need it, assemble and shoot it. I like the practice it brings to assemble under water. Personally do not see the need to carry two smb's/lif bags. if the waves are higher, I take a bigger one. (my buddy has backup) No need for lift bag, seems not appropriate since I am not lifting anything..... and it is basically too small to see over distance in even minor chop.

Bring what you need, what you dont need stays on surface.

 

[Taipeidiver]

I use two SMB, one orange one for regular use and a yellow emergency SMB for use in, well, the event of an emergency.

The orange SMB is bungeed to the bottom of my BP and the yellow one one the right hand side, both can be removed with a good firm tug. Deployment spools are clipped off onto my crotch strap rearmost D-ring and I assemble the bag and line when needed.

Everything is nice and out of the way until needed.