SMB Question

[dumpsterDiver]

Look at the one from DAN. Very durable (mine has over 500 dives on it) and provide additional lift. OPV valve, LP hose inflation plus std bottom inflate. https://www.diversalertnetwork.org/dive-store/?id=117

I have one from Dan but it is a little different .. older maybe? It has an open bottom with a duck bill closure.

This video shows me using it as a lift bag to send up a hook with some very nice stainless chain. Skip to 2:30 or so..

They definitely work as a lift bag.

[video=youtube;pxdCYapX7Qc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxdCYapX7Qc[/video]

 

[TSandM]

If you're going to be diving the Great Lakes, I'd HIGHLY recommend one of the Halcyon bags. The fitting they have admits an LP hose, or permits oral inflation, but the big flange around the fitting is ideal for oral inflation with cold, numb lips. I am not a big Halcyon promoter, but theirs are the only SMBs I will buy.

 

[PfcAJ]

Or turned upside down.

the lifting strap thingie is typically fixed in my experience.

 

[Redshift]

This video shows me using it as a lift bag to send up a hook with some very nice stainless chain. Skip to 2:30 or so..

They definitely work as a lift bag.

They work to send stuff up, but on uncontrolled ascents due to not having a dump valve on the top.

If you're going to be diving the Great Lakes, I'd HIGHLY recommend one of the Halcyon bags. The fitting they have admits an LP hose, or permits oral inflation, but the big flange around the fitting is ideal for oral inflation with cold, numb lips. I am not a big Halcyon promoter, but theirs are the only SMBs I will buy.

But do you orally inflate the large SMBs? Seems like I'd be there for ever.

I think that if the OP truly wants a large SMB then these are the best.

The Mother Buoy
AP 3m Self-sealing SMB with Easifil | AP Diving

Both brands also have lift bags, and some with a "tubular" shape that could function as an SMB, although smaller than the examples on the links.


And talking about dual purpose DSMB / lift bag, Halcyon website has this photo of what looks to be an SMB with a dump valve on the top, but I don't think it's available?

 

[Rich Keller]

All, I'm interested in purchasing a long, high quality SMB. Size matters. Do any double as a lift bag? Alternate buoyancy? Suggestions.

This is what you want. Carter is a lift bag company. Their largest SMB will lift 75lbs.

Personal Floats Safety Sausage Tubes

 

[Rusty Roo]

in my personal experience i would advise against having a huge smb with huge amounts of lift. one reason being storage and the second reason is due to my own incompetence, but the reason i sold my alternate smb and bought a narrower but just as tall smb. the reason being, i wasn't concentrating, sent up my smb without noticing a bit of line got wrapped around my finger and dragged me to the surface, i was about 1 metre under before i got my finger out - I was moments away from cutting the line.

i carry two of these
http://www.divelife.co.uk/scuba-manufacturers/DIRZone/7045/DIRZone-Closed-Circuit-SMB-120cm

essentially the same as the halcyon (my buddy has the halcyon) but a third of the price. not sure how easy it is to get dirzone stuff in the states but frog also make a copy of the halcyon smb.

 

[tbone1004]

that's why you need a DSMB which is small and deployed from depth for informing the boat of stuff, then a SMB which is the big sucker you inflate at the surface when you are lost and need someone to come find you....

 

[Diver0001]

All, I'm interested in purchasing a long, high quality SMB. Size matters. Do any double as a lift bag? Alternate buoyancy? Suggestions.

Why? What do you have in mind?

R..

 

[Edward3c]

All, I'm interested in purchasing a long, high quality SMB. Size matters. Do any double as a lift bag? Alternate buoyancy? Suggestions.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My suggestion is buy the tool for the job.

A DSMB for end of dive deployment, a lift-bag for recovering things.

The AP DSMB is OK, but I found I needed three hands to operate it properly. I've now ditched the bottle and just inflate using the self-seal bottom – much more control.

 

[Diving Dubai]

My suggestion is buy the tool for the job.

A DSMB for end of dive deployment, a lift-bag for recovering things.

The AP DSMB is OK, but I found I needed three hands to operate it properly. I've now ditched the bottle and just inflate using the self-seal bottom – much more control.

Couldnt agree more. I do use the AP DSMB with crack bottle with no issues, I also carry a spare DSMB (inflated via second stage) and the mother of all SMBS for big swells on the surface. On top of these I carry a lift bag at all times (normally used for collecting anchors lost by inept boat owners) but as emergency buoyancy.

Main DSMB in side pocket, alternative of rear D ring. Everything else stashed on my plate