SMB Question

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Mudd

Registered
Messages
57
Reaction score
8
Location
Queens, NY
# of dives
200 - 499
For those of you that carry and practice with an SMB, do you deploy with a finger spool or a reel?

I've been using a finger spool but I've heard from some other divers that I should be using a reel (which I do not own yet and think may be overkill).
 
I've used delayed SMB's with both spools and reels and find that reel is slightly easier when I have gloves on just because it is easier to hold and I am less likely to drop or fumble it as the line plays out. But I really can't say I have noticed any difference in the effectiveness of one over the other.

The only time I really prefer a reel over a spool is when I am towing an SMB - then I find a reel so much easier.

P
 
I deploy an SMB at 70' or shallower, and use a spool, because it works fine for those kinds of depths. Spools don't jam, and they're much easier to put in your pockets.
 
Spool. I just release the spool completely in front of me as the SMB heads to the surface and watch it will twirl as the line unwinds. I have never had the spool jam and take the spool up, however I normally deploy at less than 40'. Kinda cool to watch the reel spin in the water right in front of me.
 
Shallow I use a smaller SMB and spool. Deeper I use a larger DSMB and a reel. But there's really no right or wrong but what you feel comfortable with.
 
For me, it's depth dependent. I'll typically use a spool, as preference, for recreational depth dives - allowing rule of halves/thirds (depending on current) in respect of the necessary line length versus distance to surface. If I need to deploy from depth, either deep rec or on a technical dive, then I'll use a primary reel (200m+ length of line).

I consider the spool (if drills are well rehearsed and ingrained) to be the easier and safer option.
 
deep deploy - spool. I don't have a reel and have no reason to buy one for SMB, huge overkill. Hard to explain but I use another bolt clip to wind the SMB in as I ascent. much easier than hands.

holiday diving - I keep a ~7m piece cut from my spool clipped on to the SMB (and carry my spool as well). given most of the diving I used to do in Australia was classes where if a student had a problem I may need to deep deploy it was logical. Holiday diving, I rarely deploy one unless I lose the tender or need to surface on my own. For that instance I just do a blue water ascent and deploy at 5m, extra length for current.
 
To all you spool users...do you ever encounter any curling of the line after winding in greater lengths of line. I have seen
the double ender used to wrap the line and also just hand over hand. The one problem with hand looping something onto a spool
is it can cause curling of the line. The reels of course bring the line in without any looping effect. The reason I'm asking,
I was on a boat one time and someone had what looked like freshly spooled line on a spool and had a terrible tangled mess
when reboarding the boat without taking in all the line.
 
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