Who Uses their SMB and Deploys it At Depth Before Ascending to the surface

[aprivetera]

Just used one on yesterday's second dive. We were doing our safety stop and heard some boats passing really close by, so we decided to shoot up the SMB just in case. After hearing the boats pass so close, I felt much better knowing it was up on the surface. As an added bonus, the boat was right next to us when we surfaced. Glad I bring mine on every dive.

A

 

[oldschoolto]

Ok.... Here is my SMB.... small and lightweight.... Spool has a lot of line and made of stainless steel.... I use it also a training aid in the pool.... Also if you get tangled in the line it will not drag you to the surface very fast... The only downside is it a little hard to use with gloves....:worried:



Jim.....

 

[Diving Dubai]

On a recent trip to the Maldives where everyone is given an SMB and Reel to carry - I was amazed out how many people didn't have a clue, Ye smost of the time the DM will shoot the reel, as Aow divers we were allowed to do our own thing in the area so would shoot our own at the start of the ascent - (normally at 10m or lower dependign on the reef top) NOT as the safety stop. We once had another group of divers (off a different boat) blindly follow us to the surface as they assumed that we were their DM's because we shot a SMB - even though they'd only been down an hour!

For those you haven't - PRACTISE! you should be able to shoot an SMB on your own (a second pair of hands helps) You're unwrapping the SMB - holding the reel then inflating it using either oral or spare (I know there are others) while doing this it's easy to forget your buoyancy and end up on the surface missing your safety stop (have done it myself at first)

As said above I prefer to shoot mine before the safety stop - I know some people just carry a reel with 5-6m line and shoot at the stop.


As for getting on the boat... if I'm waiting for my buddy to board - then I may lay back in my wing and deflate it at the surface maybe even roll it too if its calm and no current - otherwise it gets passed up inflated and sorted on the boat

 

[Griffo]

I carry an SMB on every ocean dive, even shore dives. In fact the only recent dive i've done without one was in a thermal lake in 104F water where I was diving in boardies only and there were definately no boats!

I deploy it almost every ocean dive except if there is a permanent line or the boat is anchored and I am ascending next to the anchor line. I deploy is as soon as practical during the ascent - sometimes right at the start. There is no point blowing an smb when you have already drifted out of sight! Besides, it's far easier to blow it from depth - the first time I tried to launch an SMB from a safety stop I ended up with a very limp sausage!

It's definately a skill that gets better with practice - both the actual launch of the DSMB and staying at the same depth while doing it.

 

[Dive Bug Bit Me]

+1 for deploying at depth. I always deploy before I lose sight of the sea floor / wreck I'm diving. Typically, I will move to the shallowest part of the structure / reef before deploying.

That way I know I haven't drifted away from the boat, and it easiest to do in deeper water.