Riding Blind with your DSMB reel

[Remy B.]

I see the reel and DSMB as your tool to do a Deco blind, worse case scenario, you lost your buddy and both of your masks, so there is no reference of depth.

Do you have knots in your reel line to indicate at what depth you are and when to stop to Deco, or how do you mark the line with another way that will not make stuck the line in it self and make the reel not spool out smoothly.

Knots suppose to be bad as the line can brake at the knot with the pull between the SMB and your self.

 

[PfcAJ]

I've seen an SMB line shoot off at a 45 degree angle due to staunch currents.

I wouldn't rely on knots to accurately indicate my depth.

 

[northernone]

If you consider it likely enough to plan you will lose your buddy, your primary mask and your back up mask all at the same time on the same dive I recommend not doing dives requiring deco stops.

Alternatively, get comfortable with no mask underwater. You'll likely be surprised how well you can see (assuming decent eyesight and dive conditions).

Regards,
Cameron

 

[Remy B.]

I've seen an SMB line shoot off at a 45 degree angle due to staunch currents.

I wouldn't rely on knots to accurately indicate my depth.

I was under the impression that once your weight in on the SMB, both move at very same axis, I assume you will start at the very end of your line, and use the SMB at that moment as your buoyancy, to not ascent uncontrolled and overrun your Deco stop.

 

[Remy B.]

If you consider it likely enough to plan you will lose your buddy, your primary mask and your back up mask all at the same time on the same dive I recommend not doing dives requiring deco stops.

Alternatively, get comfortable with no mask underwater. You'll likely be surprised how well you can see (assuming decent eyesight and dive conditions).

Regards,
Cameron

It was just one scenario that I put out don't limit it to that.

it can be that your DC go south on you, and your second DC was on your Buddy that you lost as well, now you don't have a reference of depth even with your mask on.

 

[northernone]

I've seen guys with a knot at 15ft. Others with a black section colored for visual reference.

But as already stated, the line isn't always straight above you and could be a very inaccurate depth reference. I'd trust my back up gauge (on me, not my buddy) surface color, redshift and my ears equalization before I'd blindly trust a line mark when the current is strong.

 

[Michael Guerrero]

I have knots in my spool w/ my SMB from 60ft to 10ft. Based on the GFs I use, that gets me out of dives around 200ft. These knots are of course +- 5ft based on how inflated the SMB is and how hard I'm pulling on the line. But deco depths aren't a precise thing physiologically, so +- 5 ft isn't an issue--and don't let someone tell you different.

Yes, having knots in rope weakens it (by about 50% I think, but might be more), but I don't hang on them with any significant weight. I think cave line is at least 100lb test, so I'm not worried about it breaking.

Also, I have 6 knots at 60 ft, and 1 knot at 10 ft so I know where I am in the water column.

 

[Michael Guerrero]

Alternatively, get comfortable with no mask underwater. You'll likely be surprised how well you can see (assuming decent eyesight and dive conditions).

I was surprised that I actually couldn't see anything, even when trying to trap a bubble in my eye sockets. And I'm pretty comfortable under water with 15:20 vision. So...yeah, no mask = sucks, hopefully you have a buddy, but if not, knots aren't bad--especially on a tech dive where you (gasp) didn't bring a backup mask.

 

[northernone]

As a side topic on line tensile strength. Busted! - Sail Magazine

Wonder why our underwater vision varies between divers? I can make out a regular SPG and depth gauge fine no mask as long as it isn't 0 viz like the river at home.

Heartily agree no mask sucks, I hate water sloshing around my nostrils and salt water/sandy muck stings real bad!

 

[Diving Dubai]

I have the last 15' as white string, my other line is orange. So I can see when I get to my SS stop if I'm being lazy or task loaded. If the current is blowing then I'll come up a bit more. Generally though at 15' the line straightens with someone on it.

Knots definitely no