Using DSMB as an anchor

[Sbiriguda]

I read a comment of a guy who explains this technique. When the current is strong and brings him away from the boat he uses the DSMB like this. He ties the reel up to the weights belt and release the belt itself. Then he can hold the line. Once on the surface he inflates the DSMB to make a signal.
Does it make any sense to you? Never heard before

 

[boulderjohn]

I read a comment of a guy who explains this technique. When the current is strong and brings him away from the boat he uses the DSMB like this. He ties the reel up to the weights belt and release the belt itself. Then he can hold the line. Once on the surface he inflates the DSMB to make a signal.
Does it make any sense to you? Never heard before

I honestly don't understand what is happening here and could use a more complete description before I can respond.

 

[Sbiriguda]

The idea is that if the diver is dragged way from the boat attaches the reel/spool to the weight belt and drops the belt in order to be anchored in place. Once on the surface the DSMB is used like a balloon to inflate just as a signal to attract attention. Very strange and I am wondering if this makes any sense

 

[Bowers]

the problem i immediately think of is that he is relying on holding the line to maintain his safety stop. if he lets go/slips for any reason he would have no control over his bouyant ascent.
I have deployed my smb to the surface and hung my spool at target depth to give some visual reference while hanging out. the downside is that it does not keep you from drifting away in current and has some play with any amount of wave action..

 

[Sbiriguda]

if he lets go/slips for any reason he would have no control over his bouyant ascent.

That's it... also, I am not sure about it, but the weight belt could even be so heavy that it cuts the line, am I wrong?

 

[Stoo]

I've kind of done this when we were a ways away from our boat and the current was taking us in the wrong direction. We were only in about 30' of water, so I popped back down and tied my spool off on a big rock, then Mrs Stoo and I hung onto the line at the surface. It wasn't a strong current but we likely waited 15 or even 20 minutes to be picked up so we would have drifted a long way.

I suppose using your weight-belt as an anchor could work, but it wouldn't be my preference. (When I'm south I only use 7 pounds of lead in trim pockets anyway so it's not really an option for me anyway.

 

[boulderjohn]

The idea is that if the diver is dragged way from the boat attaches the reel/spool to the weight belt and drops the belt in order to be anchored in place. Once on the surface the DSMB is used like a balloon to inflate just as a signal to attract attention. Very strange and I am wondering if this makes any sense

How is the boat staying in place?

 

[PfcAJ]

Is this how a jersey upline works?

 

[kelemvor]

I read a comment of a guy who explains this technique. When the current is strong and brings him away from the boat he uses the DSMB like this. He ties the reel up to the weights belt and release the belt itself. Then he can hold the line. Once on the surface he inflates the DSMB to make a signal.
Does it make any sense to you? Never heard before

Is he taking his weight belt off for this purpose or using a second belt exclusively as the "person anchor".

It seems like a reef hook might work better, but I've never done it either way.

 

[Addicted2H2O]

My thought would be that you likely wouldn't have enough weight tied to the spool to keep you from drifting away and just dragging the spool on the bottom. Now if the spool/line were tied to say a rock or some other very large stationary object then it might be plausible. But unless you're diving 50 lbs of weight (exaggeration) I don't see a weight belt keeping you in one spot on the surface in moderate current/choppy conditions.