What does it take to get you to carry (& use) an SMB & spool on every ocean dive?

[Rich Keller]

My vote was for too much stuff to carry as that was the closest to how I use it. I am a minimalist diver so I only carry it if I think there might be a need or it is required. As a surface marker to get attention in the right circumstances it is fine but I do not send one up from depth. I know that many boaters do not know what a dive flag means and almost none have any idea what a SMB is used for. In my opinion sending up a SMB from depth will attract boaters to your location not warn them off. I do carry a reel so if I am left behind I can attach it to my weight belt then drop it so the belt anchors me in the first place they will be looking for me and the SMB will make it easier to spot me when someone gets near.

---------- Post added August 16th, 2013 at 03:19 PM ----------

9' 75Lb monster from Carter that's a pain in the ass to deploy, but can be seen for miles.

I did not know that Carter made a SMB! They make great lift bags so I will have to look into that! The 75lb SMB is only 7.5' long though. Thanks for the info.

 

[James R]

I have mine on every dive in open water: finger spool with 100' of line, a SMB, and a lift bag (it lives in a sleeve hanging under my backplate).

 

[Dr. Lecter]

I have at least one CC bag with lift equal to my wing, plus more than enough line to get it to the surface, on every dive. I add a second set for certain dives.

 

[flots am]

I did not know that Carter made a SMB! They make great lift bags so I will have to look into that! The 75lb SMB is only 7.5' long though. Thanks for the info.

It's probably discontinued or might have been a special run. It's definitely more than 7 1/2' and it's marked "75" on the edge.

flots.

 

[lowviz]

I always have one too. Always deploy it, nah, it gets tangled in the upline...

 

[TMHeimer]

I'd have to check "I have one, know how to deploy it, and take it with me if I think the dive warrants having one" ... but that's not one of the poll options.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Same here. I seldom do charter boat dives but always take it there. Also if I'm diving an inlet where I may misjudge the tide change, etc. For "benign" shore dives to 20' no (I don't wander far afield as I'm prone to cramping and do a lot of these dives solo). I admit I don't carry a reel--perhaps I should.

 

[uncfnp]

I do a lot of drift dives in the southern Florida waters. The boat that I go out on requires every diver have at least a safety sausage that can be inflated at the surface if needed. They will even provided one to any diver that doesn't have one. I carry mine on all my dives but also carry a larger DSMB and reel that I shoot at depth if I am not with the guide.

 

[KeithG]

I would have to change the type and location of my dives.

We mostly do live aboards or Bonaire. No current, high viz. We carry safety sausages, but have never seen a SMB deployed and actually have never even seen a diver carrying one.

I understand their value and would definitely use one if I dove in different conditions - just like I would use the anchor line to descend and ascend if required (never done that either, but I have seen that done)

I also think they are not that practical on an ice dive....

 

[Centrals]

The title of this thread is ".....every ocean dive" while the poll is on every dive!!
On "ocean dive" I carry at least two or even three.
It depends on the type of dive and site that I am doing. Sometimes I might not carry one.
But I voted on "every dive" nevertheless.

 

[RJP]

After reading the article below, WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO GET YOU TO CARRY & USE AN SMB (surface marker buoy aka safety sausage) AND SPOOL ON EVERY OCEAN DIVE?

Adrift divers rescued | KeysNews.com


I bet none of these divers deployed a safety sausage...or even carried one.

I'm a fan of Nautilus Lifeline.

Please take the poll and tell us why.

You're missng a fair number of reasonable/obvious answers in your poll, and have several ridiculously leading/accusatory ones, so I'm not sure what you're actually looking to demonstrate with your poll results.

As for me, I carry an SMB and spool or reel on most open water dives. On many I carry an SMB and a lift bag and a reel and a spool. Fairly often, however, I will carry none of these. This is not because I do not know what an SMB is, nor because I don't know how to use one, nor because they are too much to carry, nor because the DM will handle it. The dives on which I do not carry an SMB are dives where the dive/conditions/environment don't warrant carrying one.

Didn't answer your poll, because none of your options were appropriate.