Shooting My First Bag. Tips on Ascent?

[Ojai Diver]

Hi,

Well, I have studied many videos and read nearly every relevant post on this forum regarding this. On my upcoming boat dive I am planning to use my Halcyon bright yellow 3.3 feet SMB for the first time.

I have read about the release, etc. but what most concerns me most is the ascent. If I am using both hands to wrap my spool on ascent, how can I best consult my computer and spg, which retract to my chest? Or do I just lock the line with the double ender, check, and then resume winding? Or is it better to ascend normally, and wind up at the surface? I am concerned about being able to monitor my ascent rate, as well as my task loading in general.

Any tips would be appreciated. Thank you.

 

[Doby45]

As I wind my SMB up on ascent I simply look at my wrist from time to time to monitor things. You can always stop winding for a second to dump air from your BCD and then go back to winding. It is much simpler than it would seem and it also highlights another great reason to have wrist mounted computers. Even with no computer you should be able to ascend your SMB line. I have knots every 10' on mine and a double knot at 15' for my safety stop.

 

[Pao]

Safety first. I suggest you do it in calm shallow water for the first time - say 5 meters/15-20 ft. Have someone watch you who is capable of helping you if things go wrong. One of the uses for the SMB is a reference for your safety or deco stop. Shoot it at the desired depth, reel it in a bit until there is tension on the line. Maintain this and you should be a able to hold your stop easily. You can lock it off, hold it with one hand and check your computer with the other hand. You ascend normally, reeling it in as you ascend. Ascend slooowly from your safety stop (at least 1 minute) to the surface because this is where the greatest relative change in pressure occurs.

 

[Ojai Diver]

Thanks, those are good ideas. I do wear a watch, so that, with my knots, will offer ascent info without the computer.

Do you put knots the entire length of your line, or just the first 10, 20, feet? Also, is there any additional way to mark this, like maybe with a Sharpie?

 

[kcprofessor]

Use knots in the top 40' to 50' of your line. Under normal circumstances you won't shoot a bag from greater than about 60 to 70 feet. Knots are reliable because you will feel them as you wind the line up. Markers or paint can wear off quickly. During your ascent, you will be keeping tension on the line, so the SMB will give you a little positive buoyancy. For that reason, I like to be a bit negative when starting my ascent so that I swim up rather than float up. I feel like I'm more in control. After a few dives, you will get a feel for your swimming ascent rate. There is such a thing as ascending too slowly as well as too quickly!

 

[Pao]

Others might disagree, but here is my 2 cents worth. I think you should still use your computer as the primary reference for depth. Use the line for reference only and not as a buoyancy aid.

 

[Doby45]

Others might disagree, but here is my 2 cents worth. I think you should still use your computer as the primary reference for depth.

I don't think anyone said that you should NOT use your computer. I simply stated that with knots you can "feel" your way up.

 

[Ojai Diver]

Well, did three dives on Saturday, and shot three bags successfully. It wasn't that difficult, at least with the low volume one I was using. In fact, I thought it was fun, and a great cap to any dive. (Not sure that my buddy shared my enthusiasm for it, though.)

I did at one point have trouble finding my d ring to clip my double ender to, but that is probably because of all the junk I seem to have on my d rings.

More important., I was able to check my instruments and vent my bc with my left hand, while clutching the spool with my right.

Anyway, thanks for all of the pointers.

 

[2airishuman]

I'm trying to think of how I do this since it's pretty much automatic.

Inflator hose in left hand. Dive computer on right wrist. Spool in right hand. Double-ender clipped to spool only (not line) on one end only. I don't try to wind and vent at the same time. When winding, I pass the spool to my left hand, without letting go of the inflator, just holding the spool with my fingertips. Then I can wind the line around the spool with my right hand. It doesn't matter if there are a few feet of slack. Computer is never out of view, hand never leaves inflator. When venting I think I usually pass the spool back to my right hand.