Ken, what CO2 SMB do you use?
Self-inflating SMBs
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Ken, what CO2 SMB do you use?
I think deploying an SMB.. if you're a regular open circuit diver not on some deep tech dive or other complicated thing... is not all that difficult.
Last summer I did it for the first time in Cozumel. The very first time I did it, I was a little uneasy and ended up deploying it at about 45' or so. I learned that you have a LOT of line to spool in on your way up if you do that. Beyond that, no problems at all. I don't think I'm particularly skilled, I just think it's sometimes people seem to make a mountain out of a molehill here.
I got a 6' one with a valve that you press to blow air into with your mouth rather than an open ended one. It came with a spool and double ender at a LDS sale for $25.
2air, I recommend you complete your OW class and try it for yourself before investing in an expensive solution to something you might not even find to be a problem in the first place. If you try it and really do have trouble, then spend the cash at that time. There's tens of thousands of dollars worth of other gear you can spend money on for recreational diving in the meantime
Also, although I'm no expert I've got a good number of OW dives under my belt. Cozumel is (so far) the only place I've needed to use one. Usually (in Florida where I dive) it's tow a flag, or dive near a boat, or dive in a spring cavern. Actually there was one exception when I briefly got left in the ocean in KL. In that case we inflated the SMB at the surface so all of the details about how to inflate it are a non issue. Except that it might have been very difficult to inflate one of those "open ended" smb's at the surface.. I'm not sure how you'd do that.
Last summer I did it for the first time in Cozumel. The very first time I did it, I was a little uneasy and ended up deploying it at about 45' or so. I learned that you have a LOT of line to spool in on your way up if you do that. Beyond that, no problems at all. I don't think I'm particularly skilled, I just think it's sometimes people seem to make a mountain out of a molehill here.
I got a 6' one with a valve that you press to blow air into with your mouth rather than an open ended one. It came with a spool and double ender at a LDS sale for $25.
2air, I recommend you complete your OW class and try it for yourself before investing in an expensive solution to something you might not even find to be a problem in the first place. If you try it and really do have trouble, then spend the cash at that time. There's tens of thousands of dollars worth of other gear you can spend money on for recreational diving in the meantime
Also, although I'm no expert I've got a good number of OW dives under my belt. Cozumel is (so far) the only place I've needed to use one. Usually (in Florida where I dive) it's tow a flag, or dive near a boat, or dive in a spring cavern. Actually there was one exception when I briefly got left in the ocean in KL. In that case we inflated the SMB at the surface so all of the details about how to inflate it are a non issue. Except that it might have been very difficult to inflate one of those "open ended" smb's at the surface.. I'm not sure how you'd do that.
A normal dsmb has a flap which acts as a non return valve. Filling those at the surface is not a problem. Some are just a tube with one end sealed. They don't need an over pressure valve and are cheaper but need to be pulled down to keep the gas inside.
The skill filling an SMB has three parts:
Getting enough gas in.
Not loose control of buoyancy while focusing on the DSMB
Not getting tangled up and being dragged up.
It is not terribly hard on its own but without half decent buoyancy control becomes a challenge.
The skill filling an SMB has three parts:
Getting enough gas in.
Not loose control of buoyancy while focusing on the DSMB
Not getting tangled up and being dragged up.
It is not terribly hard on its own but without half decent buoyancy control becomes a challenge.
@PfcAJ @guyharrisonphoto
As someone who's used a crack bottle DSMB for over 200 dives...
No the bottle can't be accidentally opened. as pointed out its wrapped in the DSMB during storage and is fairly tight (needs a good twist to open)
The big advantage over a CO2 bottle is that you don't need to buy consumables you just fill the bottle from your (full) tank.
There is really no risk from it pulling you to the surface, you crack open the bottle and hear it start to inflate you have about 5 seconds to let go. They are no more difficult (less so ) than filling from a 2nd stage regarding holding onto the DSMB and reel etc.
The only malfunction I have ever had was when I inflated it and I was surrounded by a ton of bubbles as I hadn't fully screwed the bottle home - not an issue as I filled from my 2nd stage and took abuse on the boat. Operator error doh!
One advantage is that they are 6' and always end up on the surface fully inflated. A few times I've been able to hold it by the bottle over my head so the boat can see us. If launched from 6m or less - again its on the surface fully inflated where as a traditional DSMB may not be - again this has proved beneficial when the dive guides DSMB wasn't fully inflated and not easy to spot.
I dive in Blue water and the boats don't anchor generally you want something bigger at the surface because of the waves so a small 3' oral inflate doesn't suit the conditions. It's easy to deploy in currents too.
That said I carry a spare orange and a yellow conventional DSMB (both oral and 2nd stage inflate) as well as a spare finger spool.
I also carry what we call the "tent" which is 12' long but really only deployed on the surface if you're blown off the site.
Guy - As a tip for yours. They are negative. So make sure it's attached to your spool as you start to deploy it other wise you might find yourself letting it fall to the bottom. I hold my spool between 2 fingers and the rest of my left hand grips the bottle while my right hand cracks open the bottle. I travel with mine too I used to take the valve off not I just leave it open and never had an issue
As someone who's used a crack bottle DSMB for over 200 dives...
No the bottle can't be accidentally opened. as pointed out its wrapped in the DSMB during storage and is fairly tight (needs a good twist to open)
The big advantage over a CO2 bottle is that you don't need to buy consumables you just fill the bottle from your (full) tank.
There is really no risk from it pulling you to the surface, you crack open the bottle and hear it start to inflate you have about 5 seconds to let go. They are no more difficult (less so ) than filling from a 2nd stage regarding holding onto the DSMB and reel etc.
The only malfunction I have ever had was when I inflated it and I was surrounded by a ton of bubbles as I hadn't fully screwed the bottle home - not an issue as I filled from my 2nd stage and took abuse on the boat. Operator error doh!
One advantage is that they are 6' and always end up on the surface fully inflated. A few times I've been able to hold it by the bottle over my head so the boat can see us. If launched from 6m or less - again its on the surface fully inflated where as a traditional DSMB may not be - again this has proved beneficial when the dive guides DSMB wasn't fully inflated and not easy to spot.
I dive in Blue water and the boats don't anchor generally you want something bigger at the surface because of the waves so a small 3' oral inflate doesn't suit the conditions. It's easy to deploy in currents too.
That said I carry a spare orange and a yellow conventional DSMB (both oral and 2nd stage inflate) as well as a spare finger spool.
I also carry what we call the "tent" which is 12' long but really only deployed on the surface if you're blown off the site.
Guy - As a tip for yours. They are negative. So make sure it's attached to your spool as you start to deploy it other wise you might find yourself letting it fall to the bottom. I hold my spool between 2 fingers and the rest of my left hand grips the bottle while my right hand cracks open the bottle. I travel with mine too I used to take the valve off not I just leave it open and never had an issue
eelnoraa
Contributor
At $300, I guess I will pass
I got mine for US$199 from Northeast Scuba Supply. A good Halcyon DSMB is $150.00, so I don't think the price was outrageous.
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