SMB deployment....

[mikeguerrero]

Hi all,

I had such a great return of feedback from my last post I wanted to see if I could get another question answered.

Yesterday I received my Halcyon SMB 3.3 ft with 100 ft cold/reel. I have watched on how several divers deploy the unit but have questions.

YouTube - SMB deployment v2

My question, should I have the reel pre-attached to the SMBl before I enter the water and if so, where do I clip it? I have the Halycon Eclipse 30 lb wing with backplate pocket, if that helps.

If I should not pre-attach it, where do you guys stow the SMB and the reel? Together or separate?

And last question in the video on youtube when he is attaching the reel to the SMB he twist his head to look up before he starts to inflate the SMB, is this to make sure he has no obstruction for the SMB?

Thanks,

MG

 

[Blackwood]

If you are on a dive where you may need a safety spool (e.g. to tie off an run a search pattern) and if the 100 footer you just bought is your only spool, keep them separate. Otherwise, no reason not to pre-rig.

Either way, clip it off in your pocket.

 

[rjack321]

If you are in GUEF class you will need to thread the line onto the SMB. Otherwise most recreational divers pre-rig the spool onto the SMB and stow the assembled system in their pocket.

For deco dives or times when you might need to use the spool to search for something (the wreck, lost buddy, etc) most people just bring an extra spool.

I am not a fan of the coldwater spools. I don't think they are any easier to use, but they are expensive and bulky.

 

[astrofunk]

My question, should I have the reel pre-attached to the SMBl before I enter the water and if so, where do I clip it? I have the Halycon Eclipse 30 lb wing with backplate pocket, if that helps.

I assume you're talking about a spool? Generally, if we intend to shoot the SMB on a dive, we pre-rig the SMB/spool and stow them in the left drysuit pocket.

If I should not pre-attach it, where do you guys stow the SMB and the reel? Together or separate?

Usually, we only refrain from pre-rigging the spool and SMB if we're thinking of SMB deployment as more of a drill, in which case rigging it all up is part of the fun. But we stow them in the same place: left drysuit pocket.

And last question in the video on youtube when he is attaching the reel to the SMB he twist his head to look up before he starts to inflate the SMB, is this to make sure he has no obstruction for the SMB?

Yup.

 

[SparticleBrane]

My question, should I have the reel pre-attached to the SMBl before I enter the water and if so, where do I clip it? I have the Halycon Eclipse 30 lb wing with backplate pocket, if that helps.

When I am diving, I usually have two different scenarios:

1: skills dive -- I usually don't have the spool attached to the SMB, and both are stored in a pocket. If you have a pocket on your drysuit, you can store them there. I also have the Halcyon "MC storage pocket" on my backplate, so I can put my SMB there before the dive (but can't stuff if back up there during the dive, obviously). I keep the SMB and spool separate, as it is just another 'step' to add to the task loading ot shooting the SMB for practice.

2: "real diving" -- I have the SMB + spool "pre-loaded" in thigh pocket. Take it out and launch it.

And last question in the video on youtube when he is attaching the reel to the SMB he twist his head to look up before he starts to inflate the SMB, is this to make sure he has no obstruction for the SMB?

Yes -- the idea is to make sure you aren't going to launch it with someone on top of you. That would make for an interesting surprise for them, yes?

 

[Blackwood]

And last question in the video on youtube when he is attaching the reel to the SMB he twist his head to look up before he starts to inflate the SMB, is this to make sure he has no obstruction for the SMB?

Thanks,

MG

Missed that part of your post.

No. That's to take aim at that jackass on the other team who keeps kicking you in the head while trying to maintain his depth on deco.

Or to make sure no one is above you.

Like so many things, it's situational

 

[mikeguerrero]

Just incredible how quickly you DIR guys get my questions completely answered. You guys are great...

Thanks,

MG

 

[SparticleBrane]

Personally I thought it was incredible that Astrofunk and I had almost exactly the same response, from opposite sides of the country, 1-minute apart. :shocked2:

 

[Gombessa]

Personally I thought it was incredible that Astrofunk and I had almost exactly the same response, from opposite sides of the country, 1-minute apart. :shocked2:

Two different people. Two different states. Two different time zones. Both hardly workin

OK, make that three. Is it lunchtime yet?

 

[scblade27]

In regards to #3, I happen to know a guy who deployed a lift bag in a class and shot his buddy to the surface...