How to deploy SMB w/ spool at depth?

[Puffer Fish]

Originally Posted by DivingCRNA

I use a reel, not a finger spool. Not sure I would want my FINGER attached to a rising, and ever more buoyant SMB...

You can practice what that feels like by tyeing a string to a 50 lb weight, and the other end of the string to your finger, and then go to any nearby bridge and drop the weight...I understand the pain goes away after a month or so.

[Gombessa]

A smaller, 3-4ft smb with ~6lb lift wouldn't be a bad choice to start with, and would be much easier to carry. I'm sure in the open ocean you'd want to carry one a bit more visible.

[cshel]

Boris and I bought SMBs right before out wreck trip ... then the trip got canceled. We haven't had a chance to practice yet. That is our first order of business as soon as spring comes.

[cshel]

Our LDC usually holds a pool party around the first of April. Practicing in the pool would be a great idea. Lots of other experienced divers around to give us pointers!

[cummings66]

To be honest the pool won't show you what it's like, IMO.

15 to 20 feet deep isn't too bad, but the deeper you go with a spool the more fun it can get. The second time I did it I was about 40 feet deep and let her go. It went well at first but the thing seemed to get faster and faster to a point where I wondered if my dryglove was going to melt from friction, then somehow or other the thing breached the surface like a Polaris missile and when it went slack for a second I dropped the spool, now I had a slack SMB and a missing spool with about 10 feet of vis to find it in.

I did by the way, but it was fun. The part that got me was it seemed to start slow and really speed up then stabilize near the end. I didn't expect that part. At 15 feet it isn't too much of a challenge and you don't get that type of reaction to the same extent.

All I know is it took a couple more tries to get it right, but I still honestly worry about friction burning my glove away over time. Probably can't happen but you'll see what I mean when you use a spool. I'm not sure exactly how it happened, but once I got the spool stuck on my finger during a shoot and it did pull me up, I was a bit surprised at how easy it is to be pulled along if you're unprepared for it. I think I hooked my finger to keep from losing the spool or something like that, at any rate it quit turning and still had a ways to go.

Another lesson I learned, if you're going to shoot the SMB where other divers are, be sure to inform them before you do it so that they don't think you have an emergency and come looking for you, yup, happened to me too. A class was on the beach when I got in and I forgot to tell their DM what I was going to do, he's a buddy of mine now by the way.

[texdiveguy]

Originally Posted by cummings66

To be honest the pool won't show you what it's like, IMO.

15 to 20 feet deep isn't too bad, but the deeper you go with a spool the more fun it can get. The second time I did it I was about 40 feet deep and let her go. It went well at first but the thing seemed to get faster and faster to a point where I wondered if my dryglove was going to melt from friction, then somehow or other the thing breached the surface like a Polaris missile and when it went slack for a second I dropped the spool, now I had a slack SMB and a missing spool with about 10 feet of vis to find it in.

I did by the way, but it was fun. The part that got me was it seemed to start slow and really speed up then stabilize near the end. I didn't expect that part. At 15 feet it isn't too much of a challenge and you don't get that type of reaction to the same extent.

All I know is it took a couple more tries to get it right, but I still honestly worry about friction burning my glove away over time. Probably can't happen but you'll see what I mean when you use a spool. I'm not sure exactly how it happened, but once I got the spool stuck on my finger during a shoot and it did pull me up, I was a bit surprised at how easy it is to be pulled along if you're unprepared for it. I think I hooked my finger to keep from losing the spool or something like that, at any rate it quit turning and still had a ways to go.

Another lesson I learned, if you're going to shoot the SMB where other divers are, be sure to inform them before you do it so that they don't think you have an emergency and come looking for you, yup, happened to me too. A class was on the beach when I got in and I forgot to tell their DM what I was going to do, he's a buddy of mine now by the way.

I ALWAYS sugg. to divers to go with a 'large' holed spool such as Dive Rite offers...much better for handling with gloved hands...also if you are serious about shooting bags, time spend on a 'reel' may offer you an additional option.

[BobbyWombat]

OK, great stuff. Thanks for the great post, Puffer.

So, I've got the SMB deployed....now what? Any tips on how to reel in the line while ascending. Is it better to try and stay horizontal or vertical? I've heard you can use a double-ender as a "handle"....anyone done this?

[Gombessa]

You should be able to wind it up slowly as you ascend, the tautness of the line should be a guide as to how fast you're going. Some people wind with their fingers. Others thread the line through one end of the double-ender and make "orbiting" motions around the spool with that.

[Puffer Fish]

Originally Posted by cummings66

To be honest the pool won't show you what it's like, IMO.

15 to 20 feet deep isn't too bad, but the deeper you go with a spool the more fun it can get. The second time I did it I was about 40 feet deep and let her go. It went well at first but the thing seemed to get faster and faster to a point where I wondered if my dryglove was going to melt from friction, then somehow or other the thing breached the surface like a Polaris missile and when it went slack for a second I dropped the spool, now I had a slack SMB and a missing spool with about 10 feet of vis to find it in.

I did by the way, but it was fun. The part that got me was it seemed to start slow and really speed up then stabilize near the end. I didn't expect that part. At 15 feet it isn't too much of a challenge and you don't get that type of reaction to the same extent.

All I know is it took a couple more tries to get it right, but I still honestly worry about friction burning my glove away over time. Probably can't happen but you'll see what I mean when you use a spool. I'm not sure exactly how it happened, but once I got the spool stuck on my finger during a shoot and it did pull me up, I was a bit surprised at how easy it is to be pulled along if you're unprepared for it. I think I hooked my finger to keep from losing the spool or something like that, at any rate it quit turning and still had a ways to go.

Another lesson I learned, if you're going to shoot the SMB where other divers are, be sure to inform them before you do it so that they don't think you have an emergency and come looking for you, yup, happened to me too. A class was on the beach when I got in and I forgot to tell their DM what I was going to do, he's a buddy of mine now by the way.

Great post (laughing with you, not at you).

I once dropped one off a ledge and had all 150 ft unravel... So I could not go down and get it, and I had no way to wind it up....used my light to wind it up on and ended up with a giant knot. I now have no more than 105 ft on most of my reels (I do have a long one, if needed)

My primary SMB has just over 50 lbs of lift when full, so you have to be very careful with it. My big one I believe is around 75 lbs.

If you think about it, as it goes up, the air expands, so it will go faster and faster.

[Puffer Fish]

Originally Posted by BobbyWombat

OK, great stuff. Thanks for the great post, Puffer.

So, I've got the SMB deployed....now what? Any tips on how to reel in the line while ascending. Is it better to try and stay horizontal or vertical? I've heard you can use a double-ender as a "handle"....anyone done this?

Bobby, be careful about "winding" it around the spool (using your hand to loop it around) because doing so will cause it to be twisted.

I know people that wind it on a finger, but never been very good at that, I tend to hold it and turn. Makes for a nice slow accent. But I have also dropped them doing that... which is not good.