Where do I put my (D)SMB?

[Kevrumbo]

Skip to 3:30 minute in video to see proper DSMB deployment, then watch from the beginning for full how to explanation:

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

I'm currently a warm water vacation diver and don't own a drysuit (yet), although I regularly wear a 5mm wetsuit. Likely getting some kind of bp/w setup, just not sure which one yet. So I suspect clipping onto a d-ring somewhere makes the most sense unless I buy a really big pocket to put it in, seeing how the dsmb plus spool is not small.

In the past, I had an Xdeep Ghost for warm water and I'd use one of those pockets that I mount to my leg and has webbing to go over my waist strap. They are fairly large (10 inches high, I think 6 inches wide and 2 inches deep) and I didn't have it completely full, but it took my spare mask, DSMB with reel. Now for travel, and this isn't useful to you, my configuration will be sidemount, so all that stuff would be in my butt pouch.

 

[ScottFL78]

Apeks cargo shorts pocket. I have clipped it off on my hip D-ring like my avatar, and I have also caught my spool unraveling towards the sea floor. If you run the end of the line through a hole in the spool and clip the D-Ring to the end you have less chance of the double-ender coming off. I am actually considering getting a small reel (with a lock) to replace the finger spool. All I do is drift dives in SE Florida and we deploy an SMB every dive.

 

[Snoweman]

I have mine clipped to a reel on my right side pocket d-ring. I have knots tied every five feet on the top twenty feet of line. It's been a little while, but I am pretty sure I am double knotted at 15', so I can use it as a depth gauge for my safety stop (and not focus on my computer).

It's been my experience that most DMs in Coz will deploy their SMBs for their guests' ascents. I would begin deploying at about 30 or 40 feet. It will give you plenty of time to get it deployed as you arrive at your safety stop.

 

[Dan]

I have mine clipped to a reel on my right side pocket d-ring. I have knots tied every five feet on the top twenty feet of line. It's been a little while, but I am pretty sure I am double knotted at 15', so I can use it as a depth gauge for my safety stop (and not focus on my computer).

It's been my experience that most DMs in Coz will deploy their SMBs for their guests' ascents. I would begin deploying at about 30 or 40 feet. It will give you plenty of time to get it deployed as you arrive at your safety stop.

The knots are an overkill to me, because:
1. It’s easy to glance over to my wrist dive computer (DC). I have the DC display on the inside (palm side) of my left wrist, so I don’t need to twist my wrist to check on the depth, just look down towards my left palm.
2. I need to keep checking my depth anyway while launching the DSMB to make sure that I’m not getting dragged up by it as it’s going up & be ready to deflate air out of my BCD to control buoyancy & depth.
3. The knots will mess up my neat & compact spool winding line
4. The end of my spool line is 20’ deep. So by a few turns of rewinding I’ll be there at the safety stop range.
5. If there is swift current, the 20 ft line will be at an angle. The actual depth will be shallower than 20 ft and within the safety stop range (15-18 ft). My SUUNTO D4 would automatically trigger the 3 minute safety stop countdown. So I just hold on to the spool stick like holding on a fishing pole handle while being dragged by the swift current. Once the safety stop countdown is done, then I can slowly wind the line back on the reel stick until I’m on surface.

 

[Snoweman]

The knots are an overkill to me, because:
1. It’s easy to glance over to my wrist dive computer (DC). I have the DC display on the inside (palm side) of my left wrist, so I don’t need to twist my wrist to check on the depth, just look down towards my left palm.
2. I need to keep checking my depth anyway while launching the DSMB to make sure that I’m not getting dragged up by it as it’s going up & be ready to deflate air out of my BCD to control buoyancy & depth.
3. The knots will mess up my neat & compact spool winding line
4. The end of my spool line is 20’ deep. So by a few turns of rewinding I’ll be there at the safety stop range.
5. If there is swift current, the 20 ft line will be at an angle. The actual depth will be shallower than 20 ft and within the safety stop range (15-18 ft). My SUUNTO D4 would automatically trigger the 3 minute safety stop countdown. So I just hold on to the spool stick like holding on a fishing pole handle while being dragged by the swift current. Once the safety stop countdown is done, then I can slowly wind the line back on the reel stick until I’m on surface.

!. I find myself constantly looking at my computer and not enjoying the scenery. Something I am holding onto at "about" 15' elevates this need.
2. I am using the knots to help me to stay at 15', not my ascent.
3. Wow. Talk about anal retentive. Or..., what size knots are you making???
4. My spool allows for about 50'. Someone else talked about deploying at 25m.
5. Do the geometry. How fast does the current have to be going (with you carried along) to make an angle difference to get you above 10 feet? Also, I am accounting for my pulling to bring the smb down a foot or two.

 

[stuartv]

If you get to the depth you want, you can clip off your spool or lock your reel to maintain a visual or tactile reference for your depth. You don't need knots for that and you don't have to stare at your computer.

 

[Snoweman]

If you get to the depth you want, you can clip off your spool or lock your reel to maintain a visual or tactile reference for your depth. You don't need knots for that and you don't have to stare at your computer.

Good point. To me, this is a preference sort of thing.

 

[stuartv]

When conditions permit, I like to lock my reel and just let it hang in front of me, not even touching it.

 

[Dan]

!. I find myself constantly looking at my computer and not enjoying the scenery. Something I am holding onto at "about" 15' elevates this need.
2. I am using the knots to help me to stay at 15', not my ascent.
3. Wow. Talk about anal retentive. Or..., what size knots are you making???
4. My spool allows for about 50'. Someone else talked about deploying at 25m.
5. Do the geometry. How fast does the current have to be going (with you carried along) to make an angle difference to get you above 10 feet? Also, I am accounting for my pulling to bring the smb down a foot or two.

1. I only need to waste the last 3 out of 60 minutes (5%) of my dive for the safety stop. After 12 years of diving, logging 600 dives, I rarely see anything interesting during safety stop. More importantly, I want to make sure that I will stay on the safety stop depth range during the last 3 minutes of my dive.

2. You do whatever you are comfortable to. If the knots help you, more power to you. I’m just saying what I rather control my depth by watching my dive computer and power inflator to control my BCD buoyancy.

3. I’m anal retentive when it comes to keeping my DSMB with spool neatly winded and compact to fit all inside my BCD pocket right below the BCD weight integrated pocket. See the DSMB & spool, below. So, no knots needed to mess up my spool & to stay at safety stop for measly & boring 3 minutes of the end of a dive.

4. Good for you. I have no need to deploy mine at any deeper than 20 feet deep.

5. No need to calculate it. If the current is so fast that would drag me to 10 feet deep, I just deflate the air from my BCD more. I just put a small mouthful puff into my DSMB anyway to have it go up to the surface. The puff of air will expand only about 60% at the surface from its original volume at 20 ft deep, not enough to lift me up with fully deflated BCD. Once my safety stop is up, then I just wind up the line back and add more air into the DSMB with my octo to make the DSMB stick straight 6 ft up from the sea surface to alert the boat. If the boat is way too far, I have Dive Alert air horn to blast loud sound or mirror to reflect sunlight towards the boat. If I don’t see any boat in the horizon, after an hour or so, then I’ll launch my PLB1 to beam the emergency alert straight up to Search and Rescue Satellites as the last resort. Hopefully it’ll never happen to me ever (knock on wood).