Closed SMB depoyment with medium pressure hose

[Jim Lapenta]

I prefer to just use a smaller DSMB from depth. Mine is a 36 inch (1 meter) that is a closed oral or LP hose inflate. It only has about ten pounds of lift total on the surface. So it's easy to inflate at depth with little risk of being dragged to the surface. I've actually had some of my 9 and 10 yr. old snorkeling students deploy it at depth with little effort.

 

[rivers]

I prefer to just use a smaller DSMB from depth. Mine is a 36 inch (1 meter) that is a closed oral or LP hose inflate. It only has about ten pounds of lift total on the surface. So it's easy to inflate at depth with little risk of being dragged to the surface. I've actually had some of my 9 and 10 yr. old snorkeling students deploy it at depth with little effort.

But in some places (like the North Sea, UK), a small DSMB is no good. A boat wouldn't see it if there were a massive swell. 4.5ft/1.4m are the norm around these parts.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

One thing i like to do, which is cheap and easy.. is to get some "crime Scene" yellow tape or ribbons, or caution tape and tie a few streamers to the top of the SMB. If there is no wind, they will hang down, but when it is rough and visibility is compromised, the streamers provide better visibility of the marker.. I think anyway..

 

[Freewillow]

That's what I did. FYI, I have no dry suit

 

[rivers]

to answer your questions about hands....
I hold my dsmb in my left hand, my spool in my right hand, with the line in between my middle and ring fingers. I disconnect my drysuit hose with my right hand, and push it onto my dsmb (still holding the dsmb in my left hand), let it get some air in, and let the dsmb go with my left hand/disconnect it from the LP hose (although it doesn't lock onto the lp hose for obvious reasons). I open my right hand face down so the lp hose drops and the line keeps running out, but my palm stops the spool from going away. Once the line stops running and my dsmb in on the surface, I pass it off to one of my teammates and reconnect my drysuit hose.
It takes a bit of practice in the shallows to get it right. I normally send my blob up from between 21 and 30m, so it doesn't need loads of gas. Your lp hose won't lock onto the nipple on a halcyon blob, so it will start to take off on it's own. Make sure you're clear of any line as you fill it. It's by far the easiest blob i've used (except in winter when my hands are numb)

Edit: you must pull back the collar on the LP hose, or there will be no inflation

 

[Freewillow]

" It's by far the easiest blob i've used". I have to agree, darn simple. And of course, the bigger the depth, the easier is the process