SMB Inflation Method of Choice

[Lorenzoid]

Tilt head to one side and use exhaust gas from 2nd stage into open ended DSMB.

This is how an instructor encouraged me to do it, as opposed to oral inflation through the valve, the reasoning being that things never get worse by keeping your reg in your mouth. However, I was often unable to keep my head tilted in an orientation in which the bulk of the exhaust bubbles entered the SMB as intended--in other words, it was sloppy. Eventually I gave up and went to oral inflation through the valve. With my lips around the valve, all the air goes where I want it to, and it's as easy as blowing up a balloon to control how much air goes in.

 

[Michael Guerrero]

I voted oral, but I also use LP hose from my bailout on rebreather. Mine are closed bottom with LPI / oral inflator and OPV

Same.

 

[Topper133]

In cold UK waters I use an AP crack bottle DSMB on a kent tooling reel. Warmer waters but still require a large surface signal I have a 6' AP open ended self sealing, but this is a pain when on the rebreather, so I have LPI inflation ones too.

Basically I take the best tool for the job, inflation choice is secondary as you should be proficient in all methods while maintaining buoyancy.

 

[rivers]

The best method that allows you to control your depth with precision in Mid Water is Oral Inflation.

The tool of choice is a 3.3 ft closed-end DSMB with an OPV and dual use inflator (Oral and LPI) tied to a 100-150 ft line that's rolled up in a wide Delrin Spool (non metal).

Anything bigger (6 ft or 10 ft) can be unforgiving of deployment mistakes and harder to control making it susceptible to large depth changes at best and at worse, a high speed ride to the surface. 6 or 10 ft SMBs are for surface deployment.

See video

A 3.3ft DSMB would be useless in the UK because of swell. 4.5ft is the minimum, which is what I have. I know a few people with a 6ft. We can all deploy mid-water without any issue or buoyancy change...

 

[Gareth J]

I actually normally carry 3.

The standard AP self sealing version on the bottom of the backplate. This is my back up (And a reel).
A CO2 red, with an oral inflation option. Attached to a spool. This is my primary. Much easier on CCR.
A CO2 Yellow - my emergency SMB (It also has tear off notes - Out of gas etc).

Gareth

 

[w3dge]

The best method that allows you to control your depth with precision in Mid Water is Oral Inflation.

The tool of choice is a 3.3 ft closed-end DSMB with an OPV and dual use inflator (Oral and LPI) tied to a 100-150 ft line that's rolled up in a wide Delrin Spool (non metal).

Anything bigger (6 ft or 10 ft) can be unforgiving of deployment mistakes and harder to control making it susceptible to large depth changes at best and at worse, a high speed ride to the surface. 6 or 10 ft SMBs are for surface deployment.[/MEDIA]

You forgot to caveat all that with 'In the conditions I dive and the equipment I use'.

Personally, I'd prefer to practice until I can use equipment best suited to my environment. A 3.3ft sausage would be next to useless as a marker buoy in UK waters.

A crack bottle 6ft is my weapon of choice, with an LP fitting off dry suit/deco cylinder as a backup.

 

[CosbySweater]

Restarting this older thread because I was curious if anyone does it the way I do it.

I primarily drift dive and shoot an SMB on nearly every dive from the bottom (typically >60 feet). I have a self sealing open bottom, 7 foot XS-Scuba SMB. It's big but I'm not getting lost or run over. The easiest way I have found to shoot it is to use the exhaust valve on my BCD. I dump gas from my BCD in to the SMB. I can usually get it between 1/3 - 1/2 full. No change in buoyancy. I let the SMB go to the surface (attached to reel) and reinflate my BCD at the same time. I can do this while maintaining +-2 feet. SMB is fully inflated at the surface. I use my reel and line to time my ascent. Works every time. If my inflator vale failed for whatever reason I could still reach the surface by reeling myself up.

Anyone else do it this way? This is for single cylinder open circuit.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Restarting this older thread because I was curious if anyone does it the way I do it.

I primarily drift dive and shoot an SMB on nearly every dive from the bottom (typically >60 feet). I have a self sealing open bottom, 7 foot XS-Scuba SMB. It's big but I'm not getting lost or run over. The easiest way I have found to shoot it is to use the exhaust valve on my BCD. I dump gas from my BCD in to the SMB. I can usually get it between 1/3 - 1/2 full. No change in buoyancy. I let the SMB go to the surface (attached to reel) and reinflate my BCD at the same time. I can do this while maintaining +-2 feet. SMB is fully inflated at the surface. I use my reel and line to time my ascent. Works every time. If my inflator vale failed for whatever reason I could still reach the surface by reeling myself up.

Anyone else do it this way? This is for single cylinder open circuit.

That's the way I inflate now that I'm on a rebreather as I dive with a gag strap for safety.

For OC, I orally inflate.

Somewhere on SB, someone mentioned marking one's DSMB (starting from the top). At 1/4 from the top of the DSMB, they mark 100'/30 meters, 1/3 66'/20 meters, and 1/2 33'/10 meters so they know based on depth how much they need to fill their DSMB and have a visual confirmation prior to release.

For methods other than oral/BCD inflation, buoyancy changes, so you must release quickly, and hopefully inflate enough to be fully inflated at the surface. I own a small bottle for inflation as has been discussed. Crack that valve open and let go to minimize the pull to the surface. I'm not in favor of inflating from another reg from shallow depths as it takes too much time (my opinion and I'm sure people will argue against stating they have no problem).

 

[hroark2112]

I do that way too. Simple & quick.

 

[azstinger11]

Yeah I do this as well CCR. OC I usually just switch to my necklace and use my primary and purge (haven't tried it shallow tbh). I've seen a few of those DSMB with their own little bottles, i'm sort of intrigues by those.