Using DSMB as an anchor

[mmerriman]

You'll always get the reel back. You may need to buy new line, which is a few cents per meter at an climbing shop.

R..

of course you're right. I meant the line.

 

[jjardin]

I sometimes clip my weight off to the bottom of the smb while at the surface--makes it much easier to keep the big SMB upright. I find it very difficult to keep a large (Halcyon fat 6') SMB upright in any real wave/wind combination and tend to have to pull it down--this gets tiring after 20 or 30 minutes. 6 or so lbs at the end of the helps tremendously. Added bonus is that it is slightly easier to keep my head above water--although not sure it helps the scenario mentioned where you need to dodge shipping traffic. I know I run the risk of losing a weight, but they are usually the dive ops weights and I am willing to risk their weights especially since the op has misplaced their divers.

 

[Rich Keller]

I read a comment of a guy who explains this technique. When the current is strong and brings him away from the boat he uses the DSMB like this. He ties the reel up to the weights belt and release the belt itself. Then he can hold the line. Once on the surface he inflates the DSMB to make a signal.
Does it make any sense to you? Never heard before

I have made that suggestion many times for a person who gets left behind by a dive boat. The idea being that when they come back to look for you they will start the search at your last known position then expand the search out from there. You want to be in the first place they will be looking. I would not drop the weights while you are on the bottom though, i would do it from the surface.