@Dan_T
Piece of advice, ditch that plastic spool and go buy an Apex spool. Where you like diving, with currents you'll benefit from the fact it is easy to grip and has a very large finger hole.
Just last week I was on a dive that went to rat sh1t in a hurry. On my way out of dodge, I launched my dsmb at 10m, on my way to 5m for the stop. The current emptied my 50m spool. The line was near horizontal (and I was like Mary Poppins being dragged) Had I had a plastic spool with a little finger hole, I would have abandoned it (or it would have cut through my finger.
Also don't mince about with knots or silly sharpie marks on the line. if you need a lazy marker (I admit to having one on my line spool) just loop on a different colour cord for the last 15' or whatever. when teh cord changed colour, you're at you stop depth.
I'm also a big advocate of the AP valves crack bottle dsmb. Yes it's expensive, but I can (and have) launched mine in a washing machine current. Open teh valve and let it fly, no faffing with using a reg or oral inflate. You refill the cylinder off your main tank chose either A clamp or Din depending.
I'm only just replacing my tube after over 400 dives (and almost that many deployments) in 4 years as the inner membrane is giving way an it's starting to leak air. Given it's exposed to the Middle East environment I'd say that's good going.
Piece of advice, ditch that plastic spool and go buy an Apex spool. Where you like diving, with currents you'll benefit from the fact it is easy to grip and has a very large finger hole.
Just last week I was on a dive that went to rat sh1t in a hurry. On my way out of dodge, I launched my dsmb at 10m, on my way to 5m for the stop. The current emptied my 50m spool. The line was near horizontal (and I was like Mary Poppins being dragged) Had I had a plastic spool with a little finger hole, I would have abandoned it (or it would have cut through my finger.
Also don't mince about with knots or silly sharpie marks on the line. if you need a lazy marker (I admit to having one on my line spool) just loop on a different colour cord for the last 15' or whatever. when teh cord changed colour, you're at you stop depth.
I'm also a big advocate of the AP valves crack bottle dsmb. Yes it's expensive, but I can (and have) launched mine in a washing machine current. Open teh valve and let it fly, no faffing with using a reg or oral inflate. You refill the cylinder off your main tank chose either A clamp or Din depending.
I'm only just replacing my tube after over 400 dives (and almost that many deployments) in 4 years as the inner membrane is giving way an it's starting to leak air. Given it's exposed to the Middle East environment I'd say that's good going.
