How many actually use diver buoy or surface marker buoy?

[Basking Ridge Diver]

Dive Float -We have one dive area that is also a ski boat area so ALL dives require a float there.

SMB/DSMB - I carry one all the time, both instructing and personal dives. As an instructor I have never needed one, but have used the SMB and DSMB during instructional courses. Personal diving I have used the DSMB a few time for establishing a vertical reference and once as a lift bag to move an anchor. In Thailand diving the Similan Islands we would deploy them so the pickup boat could find us. Just one of those devices when you need one it is nice to have one rather than wishing you did.

I saw some earlier discussion on reels and finger spools. Here is my opinion for their primary use:

Float - Connect to a reel with a clutch so the line does not go everywhere.
Reels - Use for horizontal line laying.
Finger Spools - For vertical DSMB deployment.

Don't these two conflict - using a reel for vertical and horizontal for primary needs? And if they do work for vertical and horizontal purposes - why wouldn't you use it with a DSMB - although I never heard of horizontal deployment.
I generally only carry the dsmb and a finger spool - but if I have my reel - I dont bring my finger spool. I use a tool for multiple purposes when I can to cut down on the "crap" I need to carry.

 

[Dhboner]

Don't these two conflict - using a reel for vertical and horizontal needs? And if they do - can't you use it with a DSMB - although I never heard of horizontal deployment.

Laying a line in a cave or wreck would be horizontal line deployment

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

I thought of that - but then what is a Float? is that a different type of SMB that can only be used with a reel?
My thought was if it works for one vertical purpose why carry more gear?


**** Lol this is the horizontal vertical comment - "Finger Spools - For vertical DSMB deployment."

 

[dumpsterDiver]

I dive most often in Palm Beach County where we are constantly drifting and towing a dive float with a flag. We have strong currents, depths can be over 100 ft and we have a live boat following our float.

It is not that unusual for diver to get separated from the guy pulling the float, or even the guy pulling the float could set it down somewhere and have it pop loose and drift away. Now what?

The answer for me is to have a smb that I can deploy underwater. The sooner I get the float on the surface, the sooner I am likely to be located by the dive boat. If I have no means to deploy the float from underwater, then I would be motivated to rush my ascent and get to the surface ASAP, so I can waive my float in the air.

If you want to deal with the bother of a reel or a spool of line (in addition to carrying the SMB), then that is fine with me. In fact, if you can deploy from 90 feet deep (say the second you realize you lost the dive float (or the guy carrying it)..then this is probably the best response because you are drifting in a current.

HOWEVER, I do NOT carry a reel or spool for this type of situation. I use something that is simpler, smaller, cheaper, SAFER and more easily deployed. I wrap about 20 feet of string tightly around my smb, tie a metal clip to the end of the string and then secure everything with some elastic material.. thin bungi cord works well.

I cannot deploy the SMB from more than 20 ft or so, so I will drift some distance as I ascend from the bottom to this depth, but it is only going to be a few minutes. Once I get the smb on the surface, I can deflate my BC, hang on the string and know that the float is sticking up and the dive boat should be able to locate me soon.

In these situations, I prefer that the dive boat approach the float, gun the engine a few times – signaling me that they have located my float and then I can confidentially relax, complete my leisurely safety stop with no temptation to cut my safety stop time down to get to the surface and look around for the boat.

Even if they have to drive off and leave me to pick up another diver from the surface, I am still reasonably confident that they will be able to “remember” where I was when they left me.

In any regard, I have been using this configuration for like 20 years and have deployed the smb hundreds of times. Nobody teaches this configuration in a formal scuba class (that I know)..

This is a video of my 12 yr old learning to do it. He doesn’t do perfect, because it still takes some skill to control buoyancy in the water column without a good reference, but I think it does show how simple it is. You allow the clip on the end of the string to completely deploy and hang below the diver. There is (nearly) zero chance for entanglement because there is never any slack line. When the line is hanging straight down, you put a puff or two of air in the marker and let go, you let the string slide through your hands and when it stops going up you grab the line. If you do it right, the weighted line will stop at the exact depth you are hanging at.. Simpler than a reel or spool.. by far…

Skip to time = 35 seconds to see the child practicing the deployment.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CE3cPJ40N7w

In this video, I film myself shooting the bag. This dive was a deco dive and I think my buddy was done with his deco earlier than me - so he goes up leaving me hanging.. so I send up my smb from 20 feet. You can see I am also carrying a large reel, which I CAN use to deploy a marker from the bottom, but my buddy had deployed a marker from the bottom on this dive.
Again, I have no problem with people using reels or spools to deploy from a depth of 50 or 100 or more than 150 ft, but it is NOT needed for most recreational divers.

Skip to time = 8:25

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZJ0byuTVqU

 

[Dhboner]

I thought of that - but then what is a Float? is that a different type of SMB that can only be used with a reel?
My thought was if it works for one vertical purpose why carry more gear?


**** Lol this is the horizontal vertical comment - "Finger Spools - For vertical DSMB deployment."

I think his point was if you are going to tow a flag on a float then the line should be attached to a reel with a clutch. If you are going to lay a line horizontally in a cave or a wreck you would use a spool.

 

[Rich Keller]

I think his point was if you are going to tow a flag on a float then the line should be attached to a reel with a clutch. If you are going to lay a line horizontally in a cave or a wreck you would use a spool.

For towing a dive flag & float I use a cheap reel and line like this clipped to my harness. 5/32 in. x 75 ft. Assorted Neon Diamond-Braid Poly Cord-14116 - The Home Depot If a boat runs over the float and the line starts wrapping around the prop pulling me towards the prop the handle will breakaway before I can be pulled more then a foot or so through the water.

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

I wrap about 20 feet of string tightly around my smb, tie a metal clip to the end of the string and then secure everything with some elastic material.. thin bungi cord works well.

Done - and will try it out on my next dive. Now that I look at it though I may still take a spool or reel for deeper needs. Generally in NJ I we are not drifting but going up and down the anchor line.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Done - and will try it out on my next dive. Now that I look at it though I may still take a spool or reel for deeper needs. Generally in NJ I we are not drifting but going up and down the anchor line.

Use this type of clip. tie the elastic bands so they are through the closed bottom ring of the clip and so they can not fall off. The idea is to wrap the string tightly, then use 2-3 elastic bands over the outside and the clip is on the outside available to clip off on your harness D-ring.

 

[Z Gear]

Thats great but I think they would use that when two or more boats are involved in the search. One will always start at your last known position to be sure that 100% of the search area is covered and the other could go to where they think you might be to start a separate search. So if you were in the water for 30 minutes boat 1 could start at your last known, boat 2 could start at where they think you might be at 45 minutes and both boats would run their search patterns towards each other to cover the most likely area in half the time.

---------- Post added May 10th, 2015 at 08:07 AM ----------



I have no experience diving or boating in kelp but I am assuming that you are leaving the kelp area before you surface if you expect to see these boats approaching you from underwater. IF these boats are less likely to go through the kelp would it not be a better idea to surface at the edge of that area rather then in open water?

I actually do usually surface just out side the kelp area. That is where the problem with fishing boats or jet skis can occur.

---------- Post added May 10th, 2015 at 10:30 AM ----------

Don't these two conflict - using a reel for vertical and horizontal for primary needs? And if they do work for vertical and horizontal purposes - why wouldn't you use it with a DSMB - although I never heard of horizontal deployment.
I generally only carry the dsmb and a finger spool - but if I have my reel - I dont bring my finger spool. I use a tool for multiple purposes when I can to cut down on the "crap" I need to carry.

I would think using the reel would be practical because you already have it and it probably easier to use.

 

[Peter69_56]

I dive most often in Palm Beach County where we are constantly drifting and towing a dive float with a flag. We have strong currents, depths can be over 100 ft and we have a live boat following our float.

It is not that unusual for diver to get separated from the guy pulling the float, or even the guy pulling the float could set it down somewhere and have it pop loose and drift away. Now what?

The answer for me is to have a smb that I can deploy underwater. The sooner I get the float on the surface, the sooner I am likely to be located by the dive boat. If I have no means to deploy the float from underwater, then I would be motivated to rush my ascent and get to the surface ASAP, so I can waive my float in the air.

If you want to deal with the bother of a reel or a spool of line (in addition to carrying the SMB), then that is fine with me. In fact, if you can deploy from 90 feet deep (say the second you realize you lost the dive float (or the guy carrying it)..then this is probably the best response because you are drifting in a current.

HOWEVER, I do NOT carry a reel or spool for this type of situation. I use something that is simpler, smaller, cheaper, SAFER and more easily deployed. I wrap about 20 feet of string tightly around my smb, tie a metal clip to the end of the string and then secure everything with some elastic material.. thin bungi cord works well.

I cannot deploy the SMB from more than 20 ft or so, so I will drift some distance as I ascend from the bottom to this depth, but it is only going to be a few minutes. Once I get the smb on the surface, I can deflate my BC, hang on the string and know that the float is sticking up and the dive boat should be able to locate me soon.

In these situations, I prefer that the dive boat approach the float, gun the engine a few times – signaling me that they have located my float and then I can confidentially relax, complete my leisurely safety stop with no temptation to cut my safety stop time down to get to the surface and look around for the boat.

Even if they have to drive off and leave me to pick up another diver from the surface, I am still reasonably confident that they will be able to “remember” where I was when they left me.

In any regard, I have been using this configuration for like 20 years and have deployed the smb hundreds of times. Nobody teaches this configuration in a formal scuba class (that I know)..

This is a video of my 12 yr old learning to do it. He doesn’t do perfect, because it still takes some skill to control buoyancy in the water column without a good reference, but I think it does show how simple it is. You allow the clip on the end of the string to completely deploy and hang below the diver. There is (nearly) zero chance for entanglement because there is never any slack line. When the line is hanging straight down, you put a puff or two of air in the marker and let go, you let the string slide through your hands and when it stops going up you grab the line. If you do it right, the weighted line will stop at the exact depth you are hanging at.. Simpler than a reel or spool.. by far…

Skip to time = 35 seconds to see the child practicing the deployment.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CE3cPJ40N7w

In this video, I film myself shooting the bag. This dive was a deco dive and I think my buddy was done with his deco earlier than me - so he goes up leaving me hanging.. so I send up my smb from 20 feet. You can see I am also carrying a large reel, which I CAN use to deploy a marker from the bottom, but my buddy had deployed a marker from the bottom on this dive.
Again, I have no problem with people using reels or spools to deploy from a depth of 50 or 100 or more than 150 ft, but it is NOT needed for most recreational divers.

Skip to time = 8:25

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZJ0byuTVqU

You are right, as soon as you start doing decompression diving the risks go way up. I a 45 minute deco you could be 5 km away in some of the currents I have faced. On that basis, you deploy as soon as you either realise you cannot find the up line, or if you come off the up line. The sooner you do the better chance the dive boat staff will see you. In strong currents they will jump in an inflatable and chase after you.

In regards to recreational diving, I have had strong currents particularly in Bali where it is prudent to pop a DSMB. As you say mainly from around 10-15 metres, but in the more challenging areas to dive it is always prudent to have a line the depth of the dive you propose. In this way, should something untoward happen you are prepared. I have been on a 30m wreck doing a NDL dive and not found the up line, thus deployed from the sand.

I think people just need to be a bit cautious, just because it hasn't happened to them doesn't mean it wont.

I think of the number of divers lost in areas I have dived, often they are taken away by currents and not found immediately. I know we have to minimise gear we carry and I agree with that too, but its a balance between one risk or the other, after all we don't want to look like this guy (redundancy at its best) - sorry for stealing the pic but I love it.