SMB type

While doing some day boat diving in Sharm ... noticed that French divers used DSMB's without a reel.
Saw 2 variants .. both were in very neat rolls which as well as rolling up the SMB also included the line.

The first had the SMB connected via a long length of flat woven tape, held in to 2 rubber loops ... and the tape snaked out (like a static line on a parachute) when deployed.
The second was attached to a braided nylon line, this was kept in a neat 'plait' / lanyard style ... and again auto unwound itself as deployed.

Both were neatly rolled up and clipped to BCD when not in use, and seemed to be deployed with ease.

Anybody know of manufacturer of such items ?

For those that only need a DSMB for sending up form 5m, they seem a neat solution.

I would have thought the bits you noticed were the divers own set up? You buy the DSMB and instead of attaching a reel you attach .................

I have seen a diver off one of the UK boats do similar. He attached a 10(ish) mtr line to his DSMB with a lead fishing weight on the end (folded up very compactly). When he got to 9 mtrs he opened the DSMB, dropped the line and inflated his DSMB and let the line run up through his hand as theDSMB ascended.

Personally, I prefer to know the bag is on the surface before I leave the wreck as we can have strong tides running after the slack and I like to know the skipper can follow me as I drift off the wreck. Sending the line up from 40 or 30 mtrs requires a decent sized reel (IMO). I just clip the reel and bag to the cylinder D ring on my twin set before getting in and I never notice it is there. I've never got it caught up on anything yet.

DIR divers prefer to use a spool but what a pain in the arse to wind the line in again.

If need be, I reckon I could winch myself to the surface with my reel and DSMB.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Finless

I would have thought the bits you noticed were the divers own set up? You buy the DSMB and instead of attaching a reel you attach ..................

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The ones I saw - one was similar to http://www.surfacemarker.com/Webbing...entSystem.html

but the smb & webbibng were all ion a nice compact pouch.

I've seen similar setups on sale in the dive shops here in oz. Didn't take much notice because, like Finless, I used to dive in the UK where boat skippers prefer you to 'bag off' as you start the ascent so I use a 50m reel for my blob.

I'm meeting up for a dive or two at the LDS tomorrow morning so will look for the manufacturers and post it here, if somebody else doesn't beat me to it!:)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Finless

Personally, I prefer to know the bag is on the surface before I leave the wreck as we can have strong tides running after the slack and I like to know the skipper can follow me as I drift off the wreck. Sending the line up from 40 or 30 mtrs requires a decent sized reel (IMO). I just clip the reel and bag to the cylinder D ring on my twin set before getting in and I never notice it is there. I've never got it caught up on anything yet.

DIR divers prefer to use a spool but what a pain in the arse to wind the line in again.

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Oh, I don't know about difficult to wind up the line. I use a 1 or 2 meter SMB (3' or 5' for the US crowd) and pre-load a spool with about 150' (45 m.) of line. I place that in my left pocket, and when I leave the wreck, inflate the SMB, and release. The SMB has been clipped or secured to the reel, so let Boyle's Law do it's thing. Then as I ascend, I take in the line. It is not difficult, and is a great reference during deco. At the surface, either roll up the SMB, or clip the reel to it. Once on the boat, then you can "make it pretty". No muss, no fuss.

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Originally Posted by amtrosie

Oh, I don't know about difficult to wind up the line. I use a 1 or 2 meter SMB (3' or 5' for the US crowd) and pre-load a spool with about 150' (45 m.) of line. I place that in my left pocket, and when I leave the wreck, inflate the SMB, and release. The SMB has been clipped or secured to the reel, so let Boyle's Law do it's thing. Then as I ascend, I take in the line. It is not difficult, and is a great reference during deco. At the surface, either roll up the SMB, or clip the reel to it. Once on the boat, then you can "make it pretty". No muss, no fuss.

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I didn't say 'difficult', I said 'PITA' which is not the same thing! :):):p IMO, of course.

I too use a sizeable DSMB as I wan't to know it is visible in the swell or waves and because it can support my weight if required. I like a nice big sturdy reel so I can winch myself up if need be.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Finless

I too use a sizeable DSMB as I wan't to know it is visible in the swell or waves and because it can support my weight if required. I like a nice big sturdy reel so I can winch myself up if need be.

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HUH???? How much weight are running with anyhow? If you have to "winch" yourself up, don't you think a little less weight will go better for you on the dive? Or is this a language thing between the ponds?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by amtrosie

HUH???? How much weight are running with anyhow? If you have to "winch" yourself up, don't you think a little less weight will go better for you on the dive? Or is this a language thing between the ponds?

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It's a language thing. The "if need be" on the end of my sentence indicates that the 'winching' is not a normal occurrence but rather that "if it really hits the fan" during a dive then I should be able to winch myself up should I have no other option.

I suppose that "if it really hits the fan" might be another language thing? No, I'm sure that "sh*t hits the fan" was an import into the UK.

:)

Scubapro and beaver both have a product that sounds similar, a small pouch that contains an DSMB, with 9 metres of line attached.

Personally, I'm happier with a reel and seperate SMB, means I can deploy as and when I need to, or as per the skippers requirements. As suggested in other threads, you can clip them on to one of the billy's on your BC when not in use, it doesn't cause any probs or get in the way.