Divers React to SMB deployment methods of new divers

[@joseeweaver3556]

I'm not brown nosing or bragging for that matter I'm a PADI instructor, trimix, and fully cave cert and I would like to give you both a shout out for caring about divers of all levels and helping not only the divers but also the dive sites of all genre, thank you for your dedication and hard work.

[@NORWOODShadow]

"I'm not bragging or anything, but here are my certifications that nobody asked for"

[@Dandeb19]

I agree, the guys are so caring and helpful, also to non divers. I'm learning so much & don't dive but am looking forward to learning because of them only...

[@joseeweaver3556]

@@NORWOODShadow I'm trying to give them a background to show the watchers that there are all types of divers and non divers and wanted to tell them thank you it's important to do this and I appreciate what there doing

[@NORWOODShadow]

@@joseeweaver3556 Fair enough

[@ReptilesGeniales]

Was this video released earlier to members only?

[@davethecimmerian]

15-20' line wrapped around the SMB ready-to-go is how I was taught when I first went diving in West Palm with my local shop. Man what a mess! First time I saw someone deploy from a spool I was blown away. Changed my life man.

[@UweRath]

Thanks for showing my video. This was made on a liveaboard trip in Egypt. They are all certified divers and the smb exercise was made on the check dive. After showing and discussing the result....they was practicing every day. Great job guys.

[@stevedenruyter4902]

It’s good to show this and practice on the check dives before going liveaboard.

[@danielheribertozamorarange28]

Awesome job holding yourself, and just filming. Then comment and have themselves feedback , I think that is the best way we learn (looking at yourself)

[@rabbieburns2501]

Did they practice afterwards with a better, more practical & less dangerous SMB set-up? One with .. say an actual reel? Or one where they didn't have to unravel metres of line? To be honest, this video makes you look bad for giving them such shit equipment in the first place, but hey! It's Egypt, what should I expect?

[@davidmaes3253]

​@@rabbieburns2501 In fact this is a very good way. As one says, 'You learn best from your mistakes'. In the clip the instructor says "I let them deploy there SMB just AS THEY ARE USED TO DO IT. Lessons learned: 1: Be prepared for diving. Get your own smb 2: Know what you are using. If you get someone elses, check if it is good or not. These wind-offsmb's are smb's to be dropped from a boat (as stated in the original video) with a weight on it. You should have a reel or spool. 3: Check for entanglement, let alone attachment as that one diver. 4: Practice, practice, practice. The instructor mentions that almost none of the divers put enough air in it.

[@angelofraietta3156]

They do come like this. I bought one but i put a spool on it.

[@NotTheRealMorty]

I'm glad you guys constantly mentioned the entanglement hazard when deploying a SMB. Depending on the depth you deploy it at, it can lead to very dangerous situations. Normally during my dives I take the lead on deploying the SMB. I'd usually deploy them from depth, so I would say usually between 40-60 feet. However, one day if found myself getting caught on the line and shooting to the surface like a rocket, sending my computer into emergency mode. Luckily for me, for some reason I choose to wait until I was at about 25 feet before deploying it. Had I deployed it at my normal 40-60 foot range, my chances of getting bent would have been higher. To this day I don't know how I managed to get caught on the line. I've deployed the smb 50+ times prior to that point and never once had a close call. Overconfidence? Stress from the dive? Regardless, I do know that I need to practice this skill more at a shallow depth, because I've yet to fully regain my confidence in my ability to safely deploy them from depth.

[@gnarthdarkanen7464]

Everybody has a bad day once in a while... Close calls teach us NOT to take our skills and experience for granted. Anyone can be subject to a "Bonehead Moment"... I'm still not sure how the hell it happened, but I was just working my way down a shaft in an old mine... "Spider crawling" or "chimney creeping" which involves levering against one foot to force purchase across the tube to the other wall with the other foot, and then using your hands on alternating sides to lift your weight a little and lower one foot at a time, then rest on it while you reposition the other... AND of course (safety) I was "on belay"... Somehow along the way, something got out of place, and in a slip, I ended up upside down and stuck with the rope around my leg. My helmet slipped next, and the strap that's so usually under my chin was just caught on my nose, when I shouted up to the rest of the crew to "hold up"... since I was in trouble... It was dark and slick, and I had limited light source (just a headlamp) and... I just wasn't minding that rope for a fraction of a minute... Suddenly, one little slip and the gear was loose, but my leg was yanked up and near hopelessly snarled... It took almost an hour to get myself straightened out, and of course, then I had to go all the way to the bottom to get my hat... I know it's my own fault (if there's fault to be had)... The rope is just a rope, and the rigging is just the rig. I did something dumb... Not sure what it was to this day... BUT went back to the practice walls and practiced... It's really all you can do. Try your best to keep up your edge and work toward NOT losing focus... ;o)

[@ivechang6720]

When fear helps us to act wisely it's doing it's job. ~ 🤍 Thank you both for sharing . It's this type of humility and care for each other that makes you a great community and good role models even for non divers.

[@andreasoberg2021]

Thanks for sharing that story. Will keep it in mind

[@Aleera616]

I'm not a diver but I am german. The video is basically a "how NOT to do it" guide. The man in the video explains, that the people in the video were his students in a diving class in egypt and he filmed to demonstrate what could go wrong when doing SMB deployment. He didn't prepare or instruct any of them to demonstrate what people could do wrong when not instructed correctly or not instructed at all. He proceeds to explain what these students were doing wrong and and how to do it correctly. Of course he also taught his students how to do it correctly afterward. So no, they were NOT taught to do it this way and this video isn't meant to show how to do it. He is basically saying the same things you are saying ;) very useful and cool to have all of this advice in german and english now!

[@aaronsuever2532]

Hey all, love the vid. I've been using a new technique for SMB deployment from the guys at RAID in the UK and I HIGHLY recommend it. Instead of removing the clip and putting it on your BCD or holding it where it can fall, just clip it to the line so it's hanging off the reel in the direction of the line that's about to discharge. This acts as a guide for the line, keeps the reel from wanting to pull up with a little extra weight, then when you want to lock it you just open and clip to the nearest hole, rather than having to retrieve it. RAID TV on youtube has an amazing video on it, and in my humble opinion this is the method (other than them leaving the reel unattached) that I think every instructor should teach as it's super simple, intuitive, and clean.

[@torstensteinert776]

According to the original video, this is an instructor who conducted a course in Egypt and sprung this excercise with no warning on one of the first dives. The students were asked to deploy the smbs without any instruction to show, how they have learned to do this and how they usually do this. The video is the result.

[@merryjane7558]

That is fantastic.

[@kylesteelman6010]

Great work to that instructor. A great example of a skill some just breeze over in either teaching or learning.

[@rabbieburns2501]

@@kylesteelman6010 not really, the SMB's used like that with no reel and just metres of line to unravel was just plain stupid, imho. Makes the instructor look bad giving them such an impractical set-up that NO-ONE .. repeat NO DIVER ever uses! But, it's Egypt and they don't have high standards for safety there

[@Duglum666]

@@rabbieburns2501 You are wrong there. It's an incredibly common setup among recreational divers. I've seen this basically everywhere. And yes, it is extremely stupid and dangerous. But i believe those were their own SMBs, not given to them by that instructor doing the filming.

[@woppi73]

Moreover, Uwe (the person organising the dive safari) explains that the "SMB Burrito" is the cheapest of the cheap options that the liveaboard has on hand for divers that don't bring their own SMB. His advise at the end is if you're handed an SMB make sure you know how it works before getting in the water.

[@ofmouseandman1316]

7:20 -> Other reason for doing it with your mouth (other than buoyency) -> what about cold water: if you pull too much air from your tank at once and the water is cold, your 1st stage is at risk of freezing and you end up with a free flowing device in your hand. Doing it with your mouth helps you control the amount or air your pull at once (which is normally lung size) -> Air is precious so better to use exhaled air than air that could be used for breathing

[@Yggdrasil42]

Regarding your last comment. You usually shoot a DSMB in the last minutes of the dive. If you can't spare two full breaths of gas (which is what most DSMBs contain) then it's time to skip the safety stop and review your team's gas planning. 😉 Your cold water comment is on point. It'd have to be pretty cold though.

[@ofmouseandman1316]

@@Yggdrasil42 Yeah I know that the last breath is far fetch ;) for the cold water part i'm a canadian diver so close to 0C is not that exagerated!

[@torstensteinert776]

Btw, Achim, from Innerspace Explorers, who you had on the show, has a video showing his smb setup and method to deploy this. I really like his video and can recommend it to anyone interested in this topic.

[@thewesmane5384]

I see many comments from many divers of all skill levels, but to be honest, I currently have no plans to go diving. I just absolutely love the informing and entertaining way you both shed light onto an often misunderstood activity and onto an entire culture built around that activity. Thanks, Woody and Gus!

[@eddieguyvh4765]

Where I live in Britanny (France), among my group of tech divers, we took the habit to deploy the SMB at the end of the dive, meaning at the deepest point. When you're at 40+ meters, deploying the SMB needs very little amount of air because of air expansion during the ascent of the SMB. This also ensures that the dive boat locates you before you even start your ascent. For that purpose, I use a 50m reel made by a local dive instructor friend that is just incredibly safe and easy to use. To a point that I wonder why big companies haven't discovered the concept. There are maybe 20 of these laser-cut aluminium/delrin reels in circulation, but in my experience they might be the best out there. I never had a malfunction with them in 200+ dives! Training is primordial, of course. But some gear is just... Better and easier to use once you already have the training. About the new studio, is it definitive? Seeing Woody facing the camera straight on is a bit weird. I liked you two somewhat facing each other at an angle, letting the impression we were three in the same room, making it convivial. Great video, as always. Cheers!

[@defipunk]

How do you get even close to the recommended ascent speeds around 9m/min to your first deco stop while you have an SMB deployed?

[@eddieguyvh4765]

@@defipunk Simple, you deploy the SMB, let it rise to the surface, then reel it in while you ascend. It can even act as a safety buoyancy device if your BCD fails.

[@eddieguyvh4765]

@@giloubigmogwai Entre Larmor Plage et Brest, et toi? On peut plonger "tek" sans être dans un club spécialisé. A partir du moment où on commence à utiliser ce genre de techniques (Bi-bloc, sidemount, nitrox/O2 pur...), on peut appeler ça de la plongée technique ;)

[@defipunk]

@@eddieguyvh4765 so you reel in a meter every 6 seconds while controlling drysuit, wing (and counter lungs, in my case)? Not bad

[@eddieguyvh4765]

@@defipunk The other way around, in my case. I control the ascent and reel the line in as I ascent. But it's not rally complicated. Some of my buddies do the same thing with their rebreathers. Training, training, training. If you practice this skill every end of dive, it becomes second nature ;)

[@waynegothard6983]

Hi guys, yes these smb do exist unfortunately.. these are normally provided by dive centers if you dont have your own. They are usually are provided with approximately 6m of cord with a small weight on the end. Seen these a few times in the maldives and Egypt. Keep up the great work 👍

[@aprilrossignol]

I'm a baby diver (I can't dive very often) but I'm hooked. Watching your videos makes me very excited about it and it ties me over until next time I can go diving (and hopefully , I'll be a bit better at it xD)

[@tobiashartung856]

Hi Woody, "why would you not use a finger reel?" ... in warm water I agree a finger reel will do the job perfectly fine. In cold water, e.g., the UK, ratchet reels are the norm because you have severely limited dexterity with thick or dry gloves. Ratchet reels are just the way to go for these conditions. The amount of times people drop finger reels because of thick or dry gloves is just shocking. Ratchet reels are much easier to handle.

[@anemone104]

I'm in the UK, too and 5m is good viz for me for work or recreation. Ambient dark by 15m is not at all unusual. So it's a ratchet reel for me every time with a BIG orange self sealing SMB already attached. I can deploy from the bottom at dive end, deploy in mid water or use it as a bottom line to reel out from the shot (I'll have agreed that with the skipper and I frequently do that off a wreck to look at the reef or the sediment). I can deploy it in the dark. If it snags on the reel, then I let it go and get out my other one. If I'm diving with a buddy, they will have at least one DSMB.

[@tonydixon65]

The SMB with the line wrapped around it is a thing. Sold like that in Thailand. Most people put a fishing weight on the end and it’s usually deployed at the end of the dive whilst doing a stop. Length is usually 6m

[@sifakalemur4162]

Huh.. It wouldn’t be the first time a good idea on it’s face fails upon closer consideration. It just adds to many potential hazards for very little pay off.

[@lukehollis284]

Yes, I was thinking the same. They are missing the weight from the setup. We refer to this as a Drop Weight SMB. I have seen them used quite a lot in calmer waters.

[@hrhansendotdk]

The original German commentary says they are "rental SMBs" from the boat, ie. the cheapest shite imaginable.

[@JamesSmullins]

Deploying my smb was something I did I my own quite a bit when I first got it. I knew the risk of tangle was real and as Woody said boats in south Florida will hit them sometimes on purpose. Some boaters and kayakers think it's funny to grab dive flags. It happened to a buddy of mine while diving off jupiter, thankfully he was able to just let go of his reel and no harm but there's been major injuries in the past from idiots in boats. It's worse on lakes and rivers where most boaters don't know what a dive flag is nor the laws regarding distance they must stay from them.

[@jaredweiman2987]

People really say stuff to me like, "Wow. Diving? Aren't you worried about sharks." "No. I'm more concerned about party boats."

[@merryjane7558]

@@jaredweiman2987 I'd argue that humans out asshole every other creature on earth.

[@TrackerRoo]

Kind of sounds like Florida needs more boat patrols to make sure people are following the rules on the water.

[@JamesSmullins]

@@TrackerRoo Florida has more boats than any other state, you can't hire enough law enforcement to patrol them all.

[@reneemitchell4281]

Sorry for fan girling but I ❤ you guys so much! Lol Im not a diver, but the respect I now have for diving is immense. I learn a lot when I watch your videos and I appreciate how authentic you both are. 💯 Woodys smile is so infectious and Gus' "are you kidding me 😑" look gets me every time 😂 Have a wonderful weekend and be well!

[@onestar76]

The SMBs with the line wrapped around them, about 6m, are real. I have them seen in Egypt, being handed out on the dive boat for those divers who didn’t have their own. They had a weight on the end, theory is that you will inflate them and there is enough water below so the line will drop out of the way (probably being a hazard for the people below). So sadly those SMBs are a thing. I think I have some film from a couple of years ago were I filmed the checkout dive in which all divers had to inflate the SMB they had. Me and a buddy watched it from a small distance in amazement (after we deployed our own SMBs which have a spool).

[@scottyverm]

Thanks for showing the setup Woody! This is a skill I only recently started practicing and am still trying to master, while maintaining trim and buoyancy. It was something that seemed so straight forward...until I tried it! Practice is so important!

[@drizer1]

That first DSMB at 5:26 is a Mares All-in-one. The spool is already connected and fits in a pocket at the bottom. That’s a really nice one, but for beginners it can be tricky to get enough air in it at 20ft. It’s pretty long. Another quick thing to point out. Using the LPI hose works great unless you are using an Air One or SS1 regulator on your LPI. Those connectors have a bigger bore and won’t work. Not only will it not work, but you will likely lose your O-Ring when you attempt it and that might make subsequent dives problematic if you don’t have a spare.

[@Yggdrasil42]

Air One should be outlawed imho.

[@benjaminhawkins1129]

I mostly dive lakes and mines up here in MN and honestly very few minnesota divers use smbs. And when they are used its mostly wrecks in superior. However... training with smbs should be a frequent thing. After the first time I learned to deploy this... I decided that it needed to be a commonly practiced skill. The danger of doing it wrong... not worth it. Gotta practice this skill.

[@akant74]

I only started practicing shooting dsmb this year.. Had to get a new one because my 2019 PADI standard one I used for classes originally didnt have a pressure release and was oral inflate only...in my OW class they only had us blow up while on the surface.. I now use a reel with double ender.. Very fun to practice!

[@Zvona555]

Yes, they sell lots of (D)SMBs with line wrapped around. They are handy when you have to swim on the surface to/from the diving site, but shooting that from the safety stop IS dangerous and requires lot of patience, especially in shallow waters. I tried it multiple times - it's not so bad as it seems, but the risk of entanglement is still very high. The main (and only) advantage is it's very compact size - that's the reason people love them. Me and my buddy use it as an auxiliary device together with one ordinary DSMB (with the reel) - it's better to have "some" DSMB than none in case we get separated or something happens to our main DSMB.

[@amybradley5821]

Been diving for many years and never carried or used one. Think I may need one,thanks for showing how to deploy and deal with it.

[@flarestar8589]

Hey guys, I'm from Germany and can confirm that those SMBs are sold in this burrito-wrapped style - have seen them around multiple times. Those are more like the "low-budget" buoys that come without a reel - dunno why anyone would buy those though... As you mentioned - better get a good one with a sturdy reel ;)

[@automaticasa_matteosulis]

I can relate to having the DSMB wrapped up in the line, I can confirm they sell it like that, if you are an inexpert diver nodoby tells you about needing a reel, so you buy it and think its ready to be deployed. You realize it's not optimal when you're in the water. Obviously when you buy some equipment it's better to try an envision how to use it before diving, but I can relate.

[@bjham13]

I don't know how old this video is, but the first SMB I bought years ago was in a pouch with 6 meters (20 feet) of line wrapped around it. They did (and maybe still do) exist. I replaced this line though with a finger spool.

[@qualle0816]

i watched the original video from Uwe. He´s a german cave instructor, living in the dominican republic and was in egypt for two weeks, where he also gave some diving courses. The scene you reacted to was before the course, he let these divers do some skills to check their abilities. Most buoy were borrowed ones, so even if they learned it better, they had to deal with the cheap crap they got. Everything hes saying is pretty much the same reaction you had on this.... not enough air in it, no reel, risk of entanglement, floating together with the buoy, The guy with like 50 ft line on it had probably too much lead, so he was in bad trim and had to move a lot --> even more risk for entanglement.

[@rensb9214]

You guys are awesome, i am not an avid swimmer. Nor have i any plans to dive or cavedive, but i am totally hooked on your channel. Keep it up!

[@zackmufti2815]

12:11 You guys have done cave dive jousting tournaments, what about SMB Yo-Yo championships?

[@betsybarnicle8016]

So diving 25-30 years ago in FL, we rarely saw an SMB used. And we did have issues often on drift dives with the boat not easily finding all of the group. I think the first time I saw someone in my dive club using one was about 1997. I thought it was 'extra'...but now I can see how important and useful they are.

[@bitaarmaments8004]

I’ve been diving in Florida a tad longer and I’ve heard people on our team talk about them, but haven’t seen one in person yet.

[@grimreaper2196]

You guys never fail to make me laugh 😂 I’m not in any way a diver I just watch your videos because they’re very educational and of course for woody’s hats! Thank you guys for another video!

[@shane8779]

These are SMBs that are designed to be inflated on the surface and maybe some instructor told them to put 6m of line on it. They should be using a DSMB.

[@forell-music]

of course they sell the smbs with this line wrapped around... I can see the issue, but I was tought exactly that way as well as you can see at 14:55

[@scubamarilu]

Another important point, most DSMB once on the surface, you must pull the reel so it can stay vertical, so captain see it.

[@eliz_scubavn]

I’ve done roughly 20 dives and so far the issue of SMBs has only ever come up a couple of times, and I have only met one instructor who routinely carried one. I’d have realistically thought that a basic piece of safety kit like this would be a baseline standard and it would be emphasized by all the agencies.

[@EEDIR-DK]

I think it may be different from country to country. Most do carry SMBs here in Denmark for deep dives (more than 33 ft /10 meter), as people usually take a safety stop on these dives, so it is a good way to pass the time. We dive with flags as well, except on wreck dives, as the boat is usually anchored on top (wrecks are usually in open waters, so the drift isn't as hard as in the narrower straights). However most of the diving here (outside of the saturation and professional divers) are in SCUBA clubs, so it is mostly CMAS here.

[@timgosling6189]

Carry one always and practice often. There is no downside. Just make sure the amount of line is appropriate to the depth you will be diving to. Most times it will go up at your safety stop but it can also show if you have a problem at depth.

[@TedDeitrick]

As a quarry diver I can say that while I always have a DSMB and reel with me I know a lot of people who do not. When diving in the quarry’s there is no boat traffic and no need/laws to carry a float.

[@timgosling6189]

@@TedDeitrick Yes, always have one. You never know when you might have to mark your position, even in a quarry.

[@ppo2424]

You're right, but bear in mind there are other signalling devices which are routinely used ,including number one the whistle, then you have mirrors,horns and even flares you can buy.

[@Vega_Sera]

Unfortunately in my open water class, the SMB wasn't covered AT ALL. The very first mention I even heard of it was on the checkout dive sheet as "This is required equipment". It's still wild to me that they have required equipment that they dont teach you how to use. And because I know someone will be curious or ask, it was an SSI dive shop in Louisiana.

[@DIVETALK]

That’s awful. Sorry to hear that.

[@hdors13]

Same. Never learned anything about it, although I got a super cheapie included when I bought my initial PADI dive package.

[@patricklaurion4847]

Always tell my students, for the SMB (slow is smooth, smooth is fast) , Always practice buoyancy and trim, before doing anything under water control this before you want to do something underwater, before you put air in the SMB i told them to just push a little bit on the direct system to get some air out (quick push) , then blow in the SMB what ever the method you want to use (Alternate, Blow in, direct system hose )

[@UNgineering]

legend has it, he's still trying to untangle that line

[@brianalling5483]

Something to keep in mind too is you can shine your flashlight into it in low light situations. It will make it a lot more visible.

[@sebastianf.6063]

Hi guys a small translation of the German video. The German video is from a German diving instructor on a 2 week safari in Egypt. He gives courses there and at the beginning he looks at what his candidates can already do. These are apparently already trained divers and not beginners (even if they unfortunately act like it). Among other things, he has each participant set the SMB. Everyone should set the SMB as they would normally do it. The SMBs with the bags are rental equipment from the boat and not their own. During the video you comment on the mistakes of the contestants and how to do it right similar to you. Many greetings from Germany and you make great videos.

[@kasken719]

This is great. I definitely have neglected my SMB and spool skill. I loved Woody's show and tell. Very helpful.

[@harambeexpress]

Achim has a couple of videos on the Innerspace Explorers channel about SMB deployment (and also gear selection and setup considerations). I think they're quite good.

[@matthewwyjad]

I carry a mirror every single dive and I use it every single dive. I bought a $5 wide angle backup mirror that you would attach to your rear view mirror in your car. I attached a piece of Bungee to the back of it and carry it on the back of my hand. When leading a line of people it's really simple to lift your hand up and look behind you over your shoulder. I just got sick of twisting my head around trying to keep track of buddies. It's also extremely useful for checking how your gear is sitting on you in the water, tank trim for example. All that being said, it's not that great for a signaling device because it's a convex mirror.

[@kennethjmcarthur2428]

Thank you for the display of options we don't want to replicate. It simplified what we do want. Great video, guys.

[@tigerman1978]

I have seen, and tried, the 5 meter-ish precut lines wrapped to the SMB or to whats on the end of it, a weight. It works fine where you can stay above the surface, as the weight will sink the line and keep it tight. But in the shallows, this video describe perfectly how it works.... I have mine in a pouch (like some of the divers in this video) thats attached to a clip inside a pocket, with a finger reel attached to it. This way I open the zipper and pull the reel and the SMB come out and leave the pouch in the pocket. I also, like Gus, preferr to be the one shooting the SMB every now and then for practice, but given the bigass DSLR camera setup I carry, its much more practical for my buddy to do it. Still want to practice doing it myself though, even with all the extra equipment

[@dominikraiss6963]

Thank you for that Video, actually I received a „Burrito“ like that from an experienced friend, with fishing weight attached to the end of the line, exactly like in the Video. As a new diver I‘ll rethink to ever use it like that, now after your valid comments and obvious dangers 😂 But i guess my friend and his Dive Club used it like that. Maybe your Video showed one of their trips as I am from Germany 🤣

[@janinacooper4199]

Appreciate your guy’s videos. The title of the original video is “most common mistakes when shooting a bag”. In the original video the instructor let his students deploy an smb, how they usually would, without any previous instruction just to assess their level of smb deployment skill prior to class. But some of the students used the lending SMBs from the liveaboard operation, those are the ones without a spool; the entanglement hazard.😮 Which is pretty alarming actually. The lesson could be to definitely bring your own smb when going on a liveaboard in the Red Sea. Or find a more professional boat operation than this one. Hope this info helps.

[@alisonanthony1228]

I'd never dive without my dsmb and reel - it's just a basic bit of kit that goes with me everywhere. It's interesting to hear Woody say that 2 dsmbs tied together is a distress signal as here, in the UK, a red (or pink in my case 😋) dsmb is a "Here I am" signal, a yellow dsmb is an emergency/ we have a problem signal. Those line wrapped dsmbs are absolute madness! What are they thinking?!

[@micheleiuliano6986]

Super interesting video. Unfortunately if you do not receive any instruction on how to carry out a skill like that, the result is that. Shocking that the instructor did not even try to correct at least “dangerous” situations. The first time I dealt with a DSMB was with my GUE fundamentals, which is just weird because I was already a PADI rescue. Bad and good instructors are everywhere. You are amazing guys.

[@micheleiuliano6986]

@Lucie abrac that’s right! I totally understand it

[@em84c]

He did teach them afterwards how to do it correctly

[@jonbool]

Thanks for that woody, I have reset the way I use my dog clip holding my smb and real together, learnt so much watch your show here in the uk

[@JoeyOutlaw]

Always great knowledge coming from Dive Talk! Really enjoyed the video guys. Thank you

[@hawaiiansnowwhite]

Gus & Woody!!! No better way to start my day!!!

[@scubaslammi]

I have totally seen this in Mexico- the dive guide had a 6 ft DSMB with 20ft of a thin rope (not cave line) with a double ender on the end. He'd always launch from 20 ft and let it hang there. I havent seen it before or since though.

[@DarkSideDiving]

11:55. THAT is sooooooo dangerous. The line is entangled in his BCD. On a DECO dive - you might be in SERIOUS trouble. Phhhuuu. Happy it was only shallow. Greetings from Munich

[@phonorarmedia2864]

Hello Woody and Gus. I Love that you check out a Video from Uwe. In the Original Video Uwe said that most of the divers got Rent SMB/Real kits from the Dive Centre. And what you can see is a Gear-chek-dive. where Uwe wanted to see how the skill level of his Divers from his DiveCamp is. So this is dive One of his DIveCamp and in the Video he is Comenting the same things as you. He just try to show in his Video how important it is to train the SMB skills. Love your Videos.

[@sifakalemur4162]

It is weird to see the line pre-cut to 20’. Initially it seems intuitive, but if you are not at 20’ you will be there very very quickly. New divers.. please do not be embarrassed if you have trouble with the DSMB the first few times. I took an unexpected balloon ride to the surface whilst tangled in my own spool line during my advanced checkout. Have a buddy with A CUTTER READY TO GO! Your buddy can absolutely help you stay at proper depth and assist with other factors in deployment as well. Eventually, you will want to be able to do this alone as a self reliant diver. For depth, Find a speck that seems to be static in the ocean, try to focus on that… trust me, it’s better than trying to rely on your computer. Take your time, it’s not a race. You have likely over 3 minutes to get it right during your 20’ safety stop. And if you’re not a diver.. this is way way way harder than it looks. Easy to judge for the surface, under the waves.. it’s completely different Btw, Woody, will be at the Lady Luck Dive on the 1st.

[@rluxon]

Hey Gus and Woody, can you do a video on how you set up a new reel and BCD and deploy it? From buying the gear at the shop to surfacing? Be good info for everyone. I’m always interested in seeing how others set up and deploy theirs.

[@lugipfupf1]

I've just come home from a liveaboard at Malpelo Island, Colombia, where SMBs are mandatory. We actually had one guy in our group with a very similar burrito setup. So, apparently, stuff like this does exist 😀

[@CrowBarActual]

Some of those SMBs look like one of the ones that are only designed for inflation at the surface, kind of like the ones that come with some PADI course material... and the cases on a few of the SMBs did say Aqua Lung. And hey, I carry a mirror on every dive, even shore dives, for the sole purpose of enforcing a good habit. Besides, I have to make sure my hair looks good when exit the water...

[@aikahmed4104]

In the Maldives i rarely see SMBs prepped with a reel. The instructors DMs that i've dived with usually attach a small weight at the end of the line to reduce the risk of entanglement.

[@TheAMGReviewers]

for cold water diving, like uk diving, with 5mm+ gloves, shooting dSMBs becomes alot more of a task loading experience. it can be done as i have(in a pool to get a feel for it), just need alot more time and experience. so i will be moving to a big ratchet reel for ease of use, but will keep my spool as a failsafe. gotta have that redundancy. also i recommend shooting the dSMB with no mask on(in safe water), as a fun challenge and skill understanding incase the worst might happen.

[@Mikey.M.V.P.1]

Great safety video stay safe guys much love from the uk

[@antoinesorin4175]

Hi guys. Awesome job with your videos. I’m from France FFESSM diving school from the beginning. Unfortunately this kind of practice is very common. No spools. I refuse to dive with people without spool, letting juste the rope floating. When I learn that was the way. I don’t count the times I end up piercing the air 😢

[@anaionescu4119]

I am certified OW and AOW in Egypt, 2 different dive centers, both PADI, and the skill was not covered. I certified for Rescue with SSI in my home country Romania, in lakes; again - not covered. I bought a SMB from my dive shop here, it’s Mares and was not cheap, but looks exactly like those you are commenting. For the sake of it I tried to deploy it during my last trip and it was definitely not easy… Will buy a finger reel and train with it during my next trip. I feel the need at this point to get a private instructor for at least 1 day and cover missing skills ( missing from my practice, covered in the theory in the manuals), as well as finning techniques (I can do a semi-decent frog kick, but I want more from myself) 🤷🏻‍♀️ Thanks God for your channel 😅😅😅

[@jaycreature3893]

SMB is fun and hip, but back in 89’ it was called the “safety sausage”. Is that still a thing ? I not only always had one of those on the east coat but I’d also clip my wreck reel to the boat anchor lol. I’m never getting left behind lol. Also that diver wrapped up, we’ve had police divers wrapped up in everything from VHS tape to barb wire lol. We dive in an old industrial port city. ( well used to, I’m retired now lol)

[@Operngeist1]

I'm German and I gave the original video a quick look, the title says "Common Mistakes with SMBs" and the SMBs they are using are rentals, so I guess they got them wrapped with line from wherever they got their dive gear from.

[@DIVETALK]

They sell them that way too!

[@Operngeist1]

@@DIVETALK well, that's bad :/

[@remcovanhal6336]

I bought the Mares DSMB (the one being used in the video, with the orange line) that comes in the bag with some meters of crappy orange line and a lead weight. Looks like some of these students just bought the package and are opening it for the first time. (Instead of setting it up with reel and boltsnap before the dive)

[@WarriorOfSIN]

Those finger reels on your smb is awsome. I remember you had them on your site awhile ago.

[@wildfo101]

My first smb was also just a line and the buoy. And what you do with the line, you rap it around the only thing you have, the bouy. Know i have my spool and train every now and then on the end of the dive.

[@CubanazoJB]

Great Job guys !! Hopefully can meet you both next July !!

[@neues3691]

According to the original commentary, the buoys with the string attached are the "cheap ones that you can rent/that they give out on a dive boat". It comes with 7m of line which has a weight attached at the end.

[@siteslammer]

when i bought my SMB years ago it came with 20feet of line attached to it like you see in the video, it had no reel or anything. first thin i did is to get a hand/finger reel to attach to it so you have more line and control

[@snpwr]

Feels a bit like my own experience in Egypt, ca. 2016, where they rather recently had made SMBs mandatory for every diver - so the dive centers rented them out because barely anyone owned one. Actually was doing my OWD certification(Open Water Diver, for people not familiar) back then, and was lucky to have a very great instructor who practiced skills with us that are not even mandatory for OWD - inflating SMBs, orientation and compass diving, advanced buoyancy exercises, etc. Anyway - the rental SMBs looked mostly like this - no spool, cord wrapped around, tangled, etc. People just return them and no one (in the dive center) bothers to check before handing them out to the next client - nowadays they charge about 5-8 Euro/USD per day, just to rent a mandatory SMB. (and to be clear, this particular dive center was very diligent with all of the other rental equipment checks, BCDs, dive computers, etc. - I assume SMBs were just not seen as safety-relevant) Your video actually made me much more aware of the dangers connected to this - you might not need to use the SMB on every dive, but then again, when you have to, it should be in good (and known) condition, and you should be able and trained to use it correctly and safely. Whether you are renting an SMB, or just bought one yourself, you should definitely check everything prior to the next dive. Which I will do now because I just bought one myself :)

[@Steven-u6t3j]

I have a mirror tied to my bcd shoulder strap under the lp inflater hose. Which is under the Velcro straps that secure the LP hose and inflater tube to the shoulder strap. Also, I have an orange whistle secured in that same spot with the mirror. I haven't had to use it, but it's there. A throw back from Boy Scouts survival training.

[@ci4396]

the german guy in the video said that this is in egypt so they are all on rental gear (which for you i guess is a no-go already. never dive with unfamiliar gear in a new spot. idk if that counts for open water aswell). also the SMB is rental so everyone is just getting a random smb and has to work with whatever they got. one lesson that should be learned from this. if you dive with rental gear. make sure youre 100% confident with it. your life and the lifes of people diving with you might depend on that. imagine some bad sh*t is happening down there and they need you to fire your smb together with someone elses and youre just end up being entangled and drown btw i speak german but you guys can use the automatically translated subtitels on the video. some words might be missing but you will understand whats going on

[@jaredweiman2987]

Easily one of the most underrated skills. Even if tech diving isn’t something you plan on getting into, being able to properly deploy and SMB is a critical skill for anyone that plans on diving off of a boat.

[@Yggdrasil42]

Yes and it's definitely not a tech skill. Every Open Water diver should know how to do this calmly and controlled. If they ever take a liveaboard trip or go to a dive resort they may need to use it.

[@DomesticTruther]

What a way to start my day, I've never dove, I probably could have, I was on a dive ship USN, ASR, Master Diver took interest, but I was so flawed and didn't even realize it. You're attention to detail and precautionary methods are what attract me now, and they're what I lacked then. I can look back with pity and understanding these days instead of shame and resentmentment. I've overcome my tendency to panic in fearful situations too. Thank God my fears were mostly in my head and not what you guys face. I admire you all. Mean that. Salute

[@Nanookh54]

Those buoys with the line wrapped around them are, according to Uwe, the regular rent-out buoys in Egypt, where this was filmed.

[@t-ime]

this is awesome timing. i'm actually shopping around for an SMB

[@bryancoiffman5330]

I laughed hard at "He has a burrito... wrapped in line."

[@deepblueoceanic]

I’m a UK diver ,1,000 + dives. I think the finger spool method is more often seen outside of the UK. I’ve hardly ever seen a UK diver who owns a finger spool SMB. I use and most other UK divers use a crank reel with the SMB. Personally I think it is the best method, I’ve seen lots of divers when I’ve been on holiday using the spool and dropping it,even instructors,dive masters. I’ve never had an issue with the reel. Your video however is very good in that it highlights some of the ways how not to deploy it.

[@mikeyoung8968]

When you guys jump with gear in your arms. I will jump with a rebreather. Last one in trim ready to dive buys dinner!!!

[@holsche9329]

according to the german original comment, these "spool-less , line wrapped around the smb-types" were handed out in THIS state as rental smbs (!) on an egyptian dive boat, when the presenter of the vid (being an instructor) asked these guys (without further instruction) to show to him on a test dive, how they usually shoot smbs.... The purpose on his part is to show the terrible results, analyse the mistakes and heavily suggests to train this skill regularly. Greetings from Berlin, germany

[@andreasoberg2021]

I can tell a story. We were wondering if these SMBs were really needed. We were told that they were only used to avoid getting hit by a boat but we never saw any boats. Then one time we are in Mauritius waiting to ascend. For some reason the dive instructor does not have one. A boat comes driving with incredible speed nd drives straight above us 6m higher up. Noone was hurt but it would have been impossible to survive that collision. First thing I did coming home was to buy my own to always carry no matter where I dive. Leason learned

[@fadisoro3260]

I’m not a diver, but I love watching you this channel.

[@jimmybell5018]

@divetalk curious on your take as it's always mixed online. How big a DMSB should you carry? 4ft or 6ft? Argument is 6ft is easier to see, but 4ft is more realistic to actually manage to fully inflate and drag with you underwater. Thoughts?

[@DIVETALK]

I haven't really found any difficulties inflating the 6 footer, specially if you fire from depth once the air expands that thing arrives at the surface completely inflated. I rather have a 6 feet SMB that's visible and perhaps I need to top off once I get to the surface if I didn't add enough air underwater, than having a 4 footer that I managed to inflate better but the boat can't see over the waves.

[@jimmybell5018]

@@DIVETALK thank you so much for the response! Exactly my thinking to, but I've been challenged on it so much, wanted to hear from the pros ;) Keep up the great work! Love the channel!

[@christianfuhrmann5766]

Thanks for your comments. That thing with wrapping the line around the SMB actually was / is a thing I have seen a lot of guys using that in Europe.

[@PoetOnTheRun]

Yea🎉. A learning video on a skill I need to fine tune!!!! You guys are the best!!❤

[@hdors13]

Ahhh, missed seeing you guys together! Burrito buoys? That's bananas!

[@st05002125]

The D-SMB I bought years ago in the uk came in a pouch rigged like that….. I quickly changed it to be not set up like that! Toughest skill I found when diving, so many things to think of at once!

[@jsomebody2289]

"I'm criticizing the manufacturers of the burrito", Love it 🤣

[@SpaldingW4]

Wow, that wrapping a line around the smb is crazy! This has to be a practice thing, not a practical one. This video also shows how you can get task overloaded and start losing focus on important things like, what’s your depth? And I have let my tangled reel go before, but you are drifting with the smb so at the surface was reacquainted 😀.

[@AdamPrice8]

I like the hollis ones with the port to use the low pressure hose to inflate (or as a mouthpiece). Just my .02 but deployment is very easy and fast so you dont get all discombobulated while deploying (i am a new diver). And yes, finger reel, no wrap the smb in line. Weird.

[@sirauloism]

The SMB I bought came with some line. It is not the a line that goes into a reel, but a thicker line about 2cm thick and is about 10m long. I never used the line when i was a guide in Palau. i had a reel and it was much better.

[@HarmonieNJeune]

The german title of the video is "How not to use your SMB's". In fact it's a show of all the not correct way to handle, carry and use of the SMB. It's good you commented it in english since my german is not so good!

[@zach7j]

Looks away for one second: Orange Portuguese Man o’ War engulfs the entire class.

[@chadcordero1618]

I just got XS Scuba's Quick Launch, which comes with a reel in a pocket build in to the SMB. What do you guys think of these?

[@liamhennelly3961]

Lads and ladies we witnessed some absolute world class goals today👌✌️👏 Ngl tho we missed Alison today, Kellerher had a bit of a shocker. Errols shouts there had me in stitches "He took the piss he should be locked up" 😂🤣😂

[@NeverEnoughDiving]

Wow. I am in shock watching this. I’m a commercial spear fisherman with thousands of dives. I deal with sharks while hunting and have 2 great white encounters. My greatest fear is getting tangled in the string and yanked to the surface. The SMB system shown is a bad accident waiting to happen. Enjoy you guys videos!

[@onlineuser8863]

Hi, I watched the original video. The narrator says that the buoys without reel are only rental buoys and are the cheapest. It also says that it is very dangerous to get caught in the rope with these buoys. He is also not a fan of these buoys xD.

[@DIVETALK]

Nobody is a fan of the burrito