1st time deploying DSMB underwater. Need feedback on issue.

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here's the one I pretend to be an expert with

OTG Dive

blow it up fully with one breath, hold it until I disentangle myself and until knowone is watching
poof up it goes and I can pull it down again anytime I like
 
I saw this short training SMB that seemed useful. It’s a. It’s pricy but replicates the company’s full sized version.

AP Training SMB | AP Diving

If you have a sealed SMB with an overpressure relief valve, I suppose you could make something similar by folding it over and securing the fold with binder clips?
 
I saw this short training SMB that seemed useful. It’s a. It’s pricy but replicates the company’s full sized version.

AP Training SMB | AP Diving

If you have a sealed SMB with an overpressure relief valve, I suppose you could make something similar by folding it over and securing the fold with binder clips?

OR just take a DSMB and tie it in a knot...this reduces the amount of air that one can fill it with making it easier to pull back down to reset and relaunch.

-Z
 
A good indication of wind. The choppier the windier. The taller the waves, the more wind you are in. On top of that, both wind and waves are a great indication of a surface current which may or may not match deeper currents. The boat's anchor line is always pointed into the surface current and wind which (you guessed it) may or may not match deeper currents.

As a general rule currents are faster on the surface or in the middle, and slowest on the bottom or sides. In the ocean, sides are referred to as "walls". On the bottom you can escape currents almost entirely by ducking into the valleys and sticking to the lee side of structures. Of course, you can't escape that string in your hand if you're towing a flag or smb.

Now that you mentioned it, the anchor line angle was pretty acute and the pull on it did somehow undo the knot. There was a current at the anchor, but it wasn't strong, but we were only at about 45ft and I had to let out most of the spool to stay stationary while he was attaching his smb to the anchor line. The pull on it was surprising. I didn't expect that and as I said above, I had to let out more and more to keep my depth. This would suggest as you said above that the current was stronger near the surface, plus the wind, but to be honest because it was my 1st time ascending with this thing, that had my attention and I didn't take note of how fast we were drift while doing my safety stop.
We had to grab a line and be pulled in when we surface which were accompanied with some strong tugs of the line from the boat and the waves. Ended up with cuts on a couple of fingers as a result as I did have any gloves on. Again, this lines up with what you are saying.

SMBs are rarely needed for diving from a static boat. You should stay close to the boat and it's flag. SMBs are more suited to drift dives where you don't have to fight it: just ride it. Of course, you can train on it anywhere and learn it's limitations.

It seems he only used it because they thought it might have been possible that the anchor might not hold. It wasn't used on the second dive.
Yep, quite a learning experience for me. Looking forward to some practice with it.
 
One thing I'm curious about, would a DSMB of this size fully inflate from 45ft?
I'm wondering if it didn't, would that make it more susceptible to taking in water from the open bottom when I was holding it against the current?
I did blow in it twice. The 1st was to really just straighten it out, though I suspect I gave it a little more air than necessary for this purpose. The second I thought was a proper blow and it did start to affect my buoyancy just before I let it out.
 
because it was my 1st time ascending with this thing, that had my attention and I didn't take note of how fast we were drift while doing my safety stop.
Task loading. It's the most overlooked problem on the boat and in the water. The only way through is to keep going through it. Sry.

Ended up with cuts on a couple of fingers as a result as I did have any gloves on.
Diving is not for wimps. Wait till you first try the "pull 'n glide" in a cave system and then go eat hot wings. Woowee that's some fun for everyone else at the table. :D

Yep, quite a learning experience for me.
Learn or improve something on every dive. Learn to read currents and how to dodge them. The ocean is far, far, far stronger than you are. Dive smarter, not harder.

One thing I'm curious about, would a DSMB of this size fully inflate from 45ft?
Depends on how you inflate it. Mine never seems to need Viagra, but then I use an inflator hose and the special nipple found on a few SMBs. Unplug the inflator hose from my BC (if I'm using the bladder), prepare the spool & SMB, hold the package in my left hand, plug in the hose for 1, 2. 3 and let it all go. The spool will eventually fall back to you. All this while I'm drifting.
I suspect I gave it a little more air than necessary for this purpose.
All SMBs should have OPVs. And low pressure nipples that don't hold the hose.
 
2hcvm1.jpg
 
...The spool will eventually fall back to you. All this while I'm drifting.

This tends to be true for plastic spools, but tends to not be true for metal spools. With a metal spool the tendency is the spool just drops below you letting out all the line....if you didn't unwind all the line when the spool was new to check that the end of the line was securely tied to the spool, then goodbye spool.

-Z
 
I was a little worried about the spool while I was letting it out which was really unjust since the bottom was not too far. Good to know I don't have to be too concerned since I have the plastic spool.
Interestingly the guide was using a reel which he sometimes attached to his BC when he was using both his hands doing something.

Both dives were on the poor side, but having to shoot the DSMB made the trip for me and has given me lots to think about for a while.

Thanks for all the replies.
 
but tends to not be true for metal spools.
Keep your hand under a metal spool as it doesn't tend to ascend like a plastic spool (inertia).
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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