SMB Reel Setup

[JohnnyC]

Buy a Halcyon DAM and you'll never want for another DSMB of any type for the rest of your life. They're expensive but they last.

Get a 3 foot for normal calm days and a 6 foot for the wavy bits. If you're diving in a sea state where the waves are too big for a 6 footer you probably shouldn't be diving. If you are diving in those conditions, you're probably experienced enough to be carrying one of the gigantic Carter 10 footers. You need a k-bottle to fill it, but it will sure as hell get you seen.

Keep them together, preferably in a thigh pocket. If you've got the loop tied properly, you can pull the excess through one of the holes and do the bolt snap clippy wrappy clippy thing and it will stay secure.

 

[deepsea21]

I will add and perhaps others can comment - As I don't have BC pockets other than what takes my weights I have to clip mine to D ring on my BC. I went with the lowest ring at the bottom of my BC to keep it out of my way. The one issue I have with that (and I'd probably have it in a BC pocket as well) is with a mask on I really can't look down and see the clip to the SMB so I have to reach down and un-clip it by feel, Then when I un-clip the other end of the clip from the SMB I have to clip that to my chest D-ring by feel as well as I can't really look down and see that either with my mask on. One of the keys is to keep the thing out in front of you at about an arms length and be mindful not to let line come off the finger spool while your holding the spool so you don't get a hand tangled in it. Holding the spool with a finger and thumb in the center of the spool with one hand use your other to give it a shot of air to the bottom with your octo at 1/2 full for my 4' SMB at 33 it pretty much pulls away or it will be pulling me and you let the finger spool spin while maybe holding a light tension on it but the holes cut in it do add some drag in addition to serving as clip points so when it hits the surface you won't have a bird nest form at your spool. This is another reason I went with a lighter composite spool over a heavier stainless steel one as I think the heavier stainless "could" be prone to doing a little free-wheeling when the SMB hits the surface and the spool is still spinning in your fingers but this was just a theory of mine - I've never shot an SMB from a heavier metal finger spool so I can't comment on if this could happen.

 

[Brules]

Does anyone know of a SMD/Reel combo that is decent, IE: it comes all together? SMD doesnt need to be big. Any suggestions?

 

[noj3333]

Does anyone know of a SMD/Reel combo that is decent, IE: it comes all together? SMD doesnt need to be big. Any suggestions?

Reel or spool?

 

[noj3333]

Buy a Halcyon DAM and you'll never want for another DSMB of any type for the rest of your life. They're expensive but they last.

Get a 3 foot for normal calm days and a 6 foot for the wavy bits. If you're diving in a sea state where the waves are too big for a 6 footer you probably shouldn't be diving. If you are diving in those conditions, you're probably experienced enough to be carrying one of the gigantic Carter 10 footers. You need a k-bottle to fill it, but it will sure as hell get you seen.

Keep them together, preferably in a thigh pocket. If you've got the loop tied properly, you can pull the excess through one of the holes and do the bolt snap clippy wrappy clippy thing and it will stay secure.

+1 for this... I own two Halcyon DSMB's... a 3.3' and a slim 6'. The 3.3' is super easy to shoot even from shallow depths, and the 6' one should be sufficient fro 99% of the dives I plan on doing in the future...

Should I even get to travel to some far off locations I'd plan on adding a massive one (in addition to some other SAR equipment), just as insurance from being lost at sea...

 

[Brules]

Good question, I am not sure?

I see most people using/rec spools. But for planning on ONLY using it if I have to surface apart from DM - would a reel be better?

Why do people prefer spools over reels?

And to add to this - I have been diving since 1996 lol and never really felt the need for this as I come up with DM 99.9% of the time, BUT I have had 2 dives where I surfaced without (tormentos current was riiiiipping and we all got seperated) and felt the need for one.

I would prefer as small and compact setup as possible.

Thanks!

 

[noj3333]

I know why I picked a spool (again) when I wanted to add another setup to my collection.
Spools are...
-Cheaper
-Simple
-More robust/ durable (I buy SS spools)
-I will not have to tow the DSMB for a prolonged amount of time (like a DM may have to). As soon as the DSMB is shot, I'll be surfacing within 5 or 6 minutes... If I do need to tow it, I lock the spool off with a double ender...

Right now I have a Small SS DGX spool (shipped with 50' of line, but reduced to maybe 35') and a Large SS DGX spool (shipped with 125' of line, but will be reduced to 85' or 90' of line).

 

[deepsea21]

Reel or spool?

Yes.. I had to edit my last post as I used "reel" instead of "spool" and I have a spool. One reels or cranks a reel. One "spools" a spool? I personally went with this finger spool that comes with the brass double ended clip for securing the line & DSB to the spool and the other end for securing the whole thing to my BCD. Tough to go wrong with this one for the price which I personally have been using with 80' of orange line (have never used more than 40' of the line it but one never knows). I prefer the orange line over the white... far more visible but it does fade over time. I will also add that someone told me to pull all the line off the spool and make sure the line is tied to the spool... I did this and the line was tied to this spool.

Blue Reef Finger Spool Reel

 

[deepsea21]

Why do people prefer spools over reels?

Cheaper, smaller & lighter for me.

 

[deepsea21]

Does anyone know of a SMD/Reel combo that is decent, IE: it comes all together? SMD doesnt need to be big. Any suggestions?

I don't know of any "combos" as when it comes to SMB's and reel/spool options there's no "one size fits all".