DSMB & spool purchase - my considerations.

[Jay]

Do you mean as opposed to a reel? You can let go of a reel too...

Yes, and I was assuming a reel wouldn't come back to you. I had also read somewhere that it was easier for newbies. With 15m I wouldn't have too much to wind-in after a let go.

That seems short, but maybe I'm missing something. I'm trying to figure out your deployment scenario. Is this for drift diving? Or in case you can't find the anchor line? Will you not need to deploy from depth?

I guess all of your cases are valid for possible use, but my regular use will be when you've got smaller boats zipping across on the surface reasonably regularly.

 

[doctormike]

Yes, and I was assuming a reel wouldn't come back to you. I had also read somewhere that it was easier for newbies. With 15m I wouldn't have too much to wind-in after a let go.

Yeah, for 15 m probably not worth the extra weight...

I guess all of your cases are valid for possible use, but my regular use will be when you've got smaller boats zipping across on the surface reasonably regularly.

Gotcha. So basically you just deploy it before you ascend from your safety stop. Are you boat diving or shore diving?

 

[decompression]

I assume you haven’t deployed an smb yet? So, my recommendation for a newbie is......stick with a smaller size (3.3 ft or abouts) as they inflate easy, stow easy and are simple to learn. Closed bottom is preferred as you can’t use exhaled breath or alt to inflate but you gain the fact they will never spill/Deflate. Using your mouth to inflate is the simplest, fastest and safest way to deploy. Dsmbs that match this criteria are the Halcyon, the HOG, the OMS, the DSS, the UTD. All are similar price except the Halcyon which is double.
My preference is delrin for spools as metal will fall like a rock when you drop it. And you will drop it........takes practice.

 

[Jay]

Are you boat diving or shore diving?

Boat.

I assume you haven’t deployed an smb yet? .

Correct.

Thanks for the info guys!

 

[wildbill9]

Good and timely topic, I need one for my trip to Indonesia. Keep the suggestions and advice coming

 

[KenGordon]

I don't believe it can be, kind of a compromise I went for.



Yes it appears to be much smaller - pic below. Was also a compromise ...

Hopefully these compromises work out well - I'll soon find out

View attachment 447814

I suggest you but a normal spool too. For £15 you will get one suitable for most deployments. The bag itself is a fairly large thing and difference between a very small spool and a normal one will not matter much.

I use that bag with the inflation cylinder and a reel. In my pocket I have a spool with a smaller co2 bag in case I have to let go of the main bag.

 

[Jay]

I suggest you but a normal spool too .

Can I check what you mean by normal spool, is it regarding the length of it or the material it's made out of?

 

[doctormike]

Boat.

Drift diving or are you anchored to a dive site? I'm just curious since deploying an SMB at depth (especially from mid water) is a non-trivial task, and while it's something that may be necessary in some circumstances, I'm wondering about your situation.

If you are ascending an anchor line, boat traffic shouldn't be the issue, since your dive boat is the SMB in that case. Zipping surface traffic is much less likely to run over your dive boat than a bag on the surface.

If you are drift diving, you shouldn't wait until you are at 10m to deploy, since the boat needs to know where you are. And if the problem is that you are worried about losing dive boat and needing to ascend away from the planned exit point, you should have enough line to deploy the SMB from the bottom, where it's safer (easy to get pulled up if you are trying to do this in mid water) and where the boat will see it sooner.

 

[EireDiver606]

Good and timely topic, I need one for my trip to Indonesia. Keep the suggestions and advice coming

Your profile says you have at least 500 dives and you don’t own an smb yet?

 

[KenGordon]

Can I check what you mean by normal spool, is it regarding the length of it or the material it's made out of?

Longer line, say 30 to 50m. So as to deploy from a reasonable depth and so have to add less volume of gas and also have use of the line sooner. I find that all easier.