Super Lightweight DSMB Setup

[Johnoly]

... Mine also has a mono stringer,...

Very interesting stringer storage.....

I'm using almost the exact same setup except with an SS eyebolt instead of your pipe. But to get to my stringer, I have to unroll my SMB----which works for me since I have one hand in the fish's throat and my free hand to inflate the SMB. I could see that by not unrolling the SMB, yet still having use of the spike would allow you to sting multiple fish on the same spike without dragging around an un-rolled SMB while you are stringing.

*) Do you find the spike ever falls out, or does the crimp/mono wedge it in place?

*) What's the pipe made of ? Sometimes the string on my line sticks about half way down and I have to jerk the line, using the weight of the bolt to get it to unwind the remainder.

*) I don't see any swivels on your line, how to you handle line twisting as your wrap it?

 

[CuzzA]

Very interesting stringer storage.....

I'm using almost the exact same setup except with an SS eyebolt instead of your pipe. But to get to my stringer, I have to unroll my SMB----which works for me since I have one hand in the fish's throat and my free hand to inflate the SMB. I could see that by not unrolling the SMB, yet still having use of the spike would allow you to sting multiple fish on the same spike without dragging around an un-rolled SMB while you are stringing.

*) Do you find the spike ever falls out, or does the crimp/mono wedge it in place?

*) What's the pipe made of ? Sometimes the string on my line sticks about half way down and I have to jerk the line, using the weight of the bolt to get it to unwind the remainder.

*) I don't see any swivels on your line, how to you handle line twisting as your wrap it?

I use a typical one handed stainless steel stringer, but wanted the ability to send up fish if the tax man showed up. Also wanted the ability to send up a really big fish so I don't have to haul it around the rest of the dive.

The problem with wrapping line around the SMB is you can't use it for anything else unless you're going to deal with the line first. The other problem with just using a double ender is it has a tendency to snag on the gate lever. So the pipe was the solution. The pipe also allows me to store the stringer spike inside it. I have not had an issue with it coming out. The mono stringer is wrapped around the SMB with the shock cord securing it. So when I deploy the SMB I have to unwrap the mono stringer then I can either send up one big fish, clip off the whole stringer or unclip the pipe which will deploy the 10 meters of line for shallow deco or safety stops. Basically I have a lot of utility with one compact tool. You could definitely set it the way I did and string all your fish without having to deploy the SMB, then when you're ready unroll it and send it up.

To answer your questions specifically.

The spike doesn't fall out.

Pipe is made of aluminum (around 7/8" OD) and could likely be found in the scrap bin of any local metal distribution company.

There are no swivels. Adding a swivel would probably be a good idea. Since there's not a lot of line I usually just have someone pull the SMB up on the boat and then re-wrap it around the pipe.

 

[Peter Bomberg]

Just wrap the line around the rolled-up DSMB with a brass/steel clip at the end. The weight of the clip is plenty to let the line hang down below you. Paracord works better than cave-line for this.

That's not a bad idea, if I put a loop every 2m it would allow it to be clipped if needed yet still be smaller and lighter than a reel, and if I use a double ended clip rather than my normal aluminum or plastic it will work as a weight for the line and enable a simple way to clip and hold all excess line (in terms of shooting it from a depth of less than 10m assuming 15m of line), I would have wind the line but that is not hard)

 

[tursiops]

if I put a loop every 2m it would allow it to be clipped if needed

What would you clip it to?

 

[decompression]

I’ve got many, including the halcyon and the HOGs.......certainly the HOG is lighter and smaller than the H....also 3 times cheaper, pair it with a 100’ spool at $10 and you’re all in for $35.

 

[Divectionist]

The only thing that bugs me about the Halcyon is that it will always have water in it after a dive where it was not deployed. Due to salt water, this means I have to blow it up, purge it in fresh water to get some in to slosh it around, and then drain and dry the whole thing every time.

Do some of the alternatives stay dry or is there always some water making it in past the valve?

 

[decompression]

The only thing that bugs me about the Halcyon is that it will always have water in it after a dive where it was not deployed. Due to salt water, this means I have to blow it up, purge it in fresh water to get some in to slosh it around, and then drain and dry the whole thing every time.

Do some of the alternatives stay dry or is there always some water making it in past the valve?

I can’t recall ever having an smb completely dry after using it......

 

[Divectionist]

I can’t recall ever having an smb completely dry after using it......

My question relates to when it has not been used. I don't deploy it on most dives but it always has a bit of water in it that I can't stand leaving in there to make sure nothing crusts up.

 

[decompression]

My question relates to when it has not been used. I don't deploy it on most dives but it always has a bit of water in it that I can't stand leaving in there to make sure nothing crusts up.

Gotcha......really, it takes seconds to inflate to rinse and dry so I don’t really worry about it,