Why not attach spool to DSMB before the dive?

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Always carry two SMBs (dive in tidal waters). Use proper "man-sized" Halcyon SMBs which are inflated using the suit inflate hose. Used to use spools which were connected prior to the dive. Kept one SMB in each pocket.

Since moving to CCR I've realised that this is too fiddly as there's way too much going on during an ascent. Also need the gas and don't like spools if you drop them - they're off and unless you go back down to pick them up, they're a load of work to recover.

Now use a large heavy Kent Tooling reel with a CO2 bottle inflated SMB. This is trivially easy to deploy; unclip, un-bungee, unravel, clearup, look around, tug the inflator string. CO2 cylinder goes off but only has enough gas for the inflation at the surface so at 30m/100' its 1/4 inflated, so doesn't yank out of your hand and you can easily handle it, even hold it until you're ready.

The big reel is easy to wind up during the ascent. Small reels are fiddly, especially with winter gloves.

The backup SMB still lives in my pocket, but I've replaced the spools with the small Custom Divers reel.

When at the deco stops, I tend to let the reel bounce free and use it as a reference. Can squeeze the line if ascending/descending rather than change the gas in my wing.

Need to learn how to knit the double ender so it doesn't shake off the spool:
7 - twist, clip, twirl, twirl again.jpg




Then there's the "cave tie" to keep the thing all together, especially if clipped off to an SMB:

8g - done.jpg
 
If you have double ender, it would be half the work :wink:

Just hope the max depth is more than half the length of the line on the spool.

the incident that was the final straw was dropping the spool twice on the same dive. Descended both times to grab it (5m & 8m), but it was clear that Neptune was shouting at me "use a reel you bloody muppet". When he shouts, I listen.

Now I’ve moved to the reels, it’s so much easier, not least the crazy double ender knitting required to stop the spool escaping when the waves bounce it around. Reels have ratchets. Why on earth I stuck with that DIR nonsense for so many years…. Yes, spools have their place, but not in cold rough tidal waters.
 
Why not? I always have the DSMB attached to the line & spool and put them with my flashlight in my BCD right pocket, the rest of signaling devices on my left pocket, as shown below.

View attachment 656469
I know this is an old post, but did the PLB come with that canister?
 
I know this is an old post, but did the PLB come with that canister?
No. I specifically made it to fit into my BCD pocket like DSMB.
Hi Dan, what's it made from, if you don't mind me asking? I'm looking at doing something similar, and would like to hear how you did it, and what materials you used.
 
Hi Dan, what's it made from, if you don't mind me asking? I'm looking at doing something similar, and would like to hear how you did it, and what materials you used.
It’s made out of Acrylic with polyethylene (PE) lid to avoid thread locking. I made a sketch as shown below and gave the drawing to plastic machine shop to custom made for me. It costed me $125.

The machinist had a problem to machine and make a good seal of the radial groove o-ring as the Acrylic tube ID was not quite round. The runout tolerance was outside the o-ring compression specifications. So he changed the sealing design to axial o-ring seal with big-fat o-ring sealing the PE lid bottom face against the top of the Acrylic 1/4” thick wall.

2” ID turned out to be a bit smaller that the OD of PLB1. So, I shaved the PLB1 antennae tab and rounding off the PLB1 case a bit. If you want to make one for your PLB1, use Acrylic tube with ID a wee bit bigger, like 2-1/8”.

It works well. I tested it down to 130’ (40m) and for over 400 dives.

For easy deployment without fumbling and losing it to the abyss, I have the PLB1 floating pouch tether to the PLB1. The canister & its lid are also leash to my BCD waist pocket D-ring. The threads and O-ring are heavily silicone greased and tightened just enough to seal and to be loosened with wet & slippery fingers.

Good luck with making one for yourself. Just holler back if you need more info / help.

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Totally do-able
There is no need for me to carry DSMB and reel/spool unattached. I’ve always carried them already rigged together and I see no need to change at this point. My regular buddies also carry them already attached.
 

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