uk diving---what do i need?

"Lee Bell" <leebell@ix.remove.netcom.com> wrote in message
news:Wj8Vb.15193$GO6.2726@newsread3.news.atl.earth link.net...
> david wrote:
> > If you are serious about UK diving you need an SMB and reel. There
> > has been
> >> much discussion about this (some generated by me!) and it is well
> >> worth checking back through the archive. My take was to go for a AP
> >> Valves self-sealing red smb and a bodaine mini reel with a view to
> >> getting a yellow self inflating SMB in the future...
>
> > I could not follow Calum reasons for buying a yellow self inflating
> > smb unless he was then going to swap it over with his red one and keep
the
> > yellow for using as an alert / problem marker.im sure he will be along
> soon to explain.
>
> I'm going to make some assumptions here, primarily that we're not talking
> about a SMB, but a DSMB. In other words, we're talking about something
that
> is carried during the dive and deployed prior to surfacing. The red DSMB
is
> the standard, providing both a signal as to the location of the diver and
a
> line to the surface to facilitate the ascent and any decompression stops
> along the way. The yellow DSMB, by convention rather than rule, is an
alert
> that something is not right and that assistance is desired.
>
> Lee
im with you on that Lee so why buy a Yellow self inflating SMB and a Red SMB
would you not want to have the one that you use most of the time (red) self
inflating.

"david" <im@fedup.com> wrote in message
news:c03537$q5d$1@titan.btinternet.com...
>
> "Lee Bell" <leebell@ix.remove.netcom.com> wrote in message
> news:Wj8Vb.15193$GO6.2726@newsread3.news.atl.earth link.net...
> > david wrote:
> > > If you are serious about UK diving you need an SMB and reel. There
> > > has been
> > >> much discussion about this (some generated by me!) and it is well
> > >> worth checking back through the archive. My take was to go for a AP
> > >> Valves self-sealing red smb and a bodaine mini reel with a view to
> > >> getting a yellow self inflating SMB in the future...
> >
> > > I could not follow Calum reasons for buying a yellow self inflating
> > > smb unless he was then going to swap it over with his red one and keep
> the
> > > yellow for using as an alert / problem marker.im sure he will be along
> > soon to explain.
> >
> > I'm going to make some assumptions here, primarily that we're not
talking
> > about a SMB, but a DSMB. In other words, we're talking about something
> that
> > is carried during the dive and deployed prior to surfacing. The red
DSMB
> is
> > the standard, providing both a signal as to the location of the diver
and
> a
> > line to the surface to facilitate the ascent and any decompression stops
> > along the way. The yellow DSMB, by convention rather than rule, is an
> alert
> > that something is not right and that assistance is desired.
> >
> > Lee
> im with you on that Lee so why buy a Yellow self inflating SMB and a Red
SMB
> would you not want to have the one that you use most of the time (red)
self
> inflating.

On the other hand, if you needed assistance, they are FAR easier to deploy -
and one reason to deploy them is to say "drop gas". Do you really want to
have to bugger about filling a normal dSMB in that situation?

Alun Harford

david wrote:
> "Lee Bell" <leebell@ix.remove.netcom.com> wrote in message
> news:Wj8Vb.15193$GO6.2726@newsread3.news.atl.earth link.net...
>> david wrote:
>>> If you are serious about UK diving you need an SMB and reel. There
>>> has been
>>>> much discussion about this (some generated by me!) and it is well
>>>> worth checking back through the archive. My take was to go for a
>>>> AP Valves self-sealing red smb and a bodaine mini reel with a view
>>>> to getting a yellow self inflating SMB in the future...
>>
>>> I could not follow Calum reasons for buying a yellow self inflating
>>> smb unless he was then going to swap it over with his red one and
>>> keep the yellow for using as an alert / problem marker.im sure he
>>> will be along soon to explain.
>>
>> I'm going to make some assumptions here, primarily that we're not
>> talking about a SMB, but a DSMB. In other words, we're talking
>> about something that is carried during the dive and deployed prior
>> to surfacing. The red DSMB is the standard, providing both a signal
>> as to the location of the diver and a line to the surface to
>> facilitate the ascent and any decompression stops along the way.
>> The yellow DSMB, by convention rather than rule, is an alert that
>> something is not right and that assistance is desired.
>>
>> Lee

> im with you on that Lee so why buy a Yellow self inflating SMB and a
> Red SMB would you not want to have the one that you use most of the
> time (red) self inflating.

I would think you would prefer both be self inflating unless the cost makes
that a problem. If, however, I had to pick one to be self inflating, I'd
pick the yellow one. I don't mind messing with manually inflating a DSMB
when I've got nothing better to do than hang out and offgas. I might mind
very much if I were trying to deal with some kind of problem as well.

Lee

Lee

Alun Harford wrote:
> "david" wrote
>> im with you on that Lee so why buy a Yellow self inflating SMB and a
>> Red SMB would you not want to have the one that you use most of the
>> time (red) self inflating.
>
> On the other hand, if you needed assistance, they are FAR easier to
> deploy - and one reason to deploy them is to say "drop gas". Do you
> really want to have to bugger about filling a normal dSMB in that
> situation?

Conversely the yellow goes in my pocket and hopefully
stays there forever. I don't want something bulky just a
signal.

If it is ever needed I would expect not to need it in a rush. It
will mean that all my deco gas has freeflowed or something
and I'm back on the back gas or something similar. I will
have plenty of time and masses of motivation to get it right.

I like the self inflators but I bought an ordinary one for this job.

nigelH

"Nick Bown" <nbown@nospamthanks.ixcg.com> wrote in message
news:4023d5e2$0$15668$fa0fcedb@lovejoy.zen.co.uk.. .
> Lee Bell <leebell@ix.remove.netcom.com> wrote:
> >
> >
> > You need a new handle. Budweiser won't get any respect at all in the
UK.
> >
>
> Now now, every good Britain knows Budweister is a perfectly respectful
American
> bottled mineral water
>
> Nick

Nah... it's bottled wee from a dg named Bud...

:)

rhys

>Stuart

>Budweiser wrote:
>> On the subject of SMB--why the choice of red / yellow?---the self inflating
>> options i can understand, but that seems to be "pay your money,take you
>> choice" scenario---or is there a valid reason for one option or the other?
>
>There is a convention (not followed by everyone) that red DSMB means
>you're fine, a Yellow one means there's a problem of some kind.
>
>

The "convention" (not a DIR style rule) for the use of yellow DSMB on a UKRS
dive-

Both DSMB's marked clearly with name (my yellow has a big ! too), red or orange
is primary, yellow is backup in pocket etc.

Primary with yellow-
An alert! If the yellow DSMB appears next to a red one, the skipper is
requested to head for them as a priority. The 1st assumption is that person
below has a problem, drop tank goes in (the previous example of failed deco
stage etc), this would be followed by a diver who'll assess the problem and
give assistance.

A suggestion- (not convention) some blobs have an eyelet at the top where a
small slate (or a piece of white washing liquid bottle) can be attached, enough
to get a message topside (time permitting) whilst hanging on a stop or even
before ascending eg- Buddy overdue lost, SOS etc. Although not done on a UKRS
dive AFAIK, a dropped reply saying your buddy's here in the boat enjoying a
warm soup would make waiting out deco' a lot less stressful (Sorry Rich, Craig
;o))

Yellow alone-
Backup. Used with spare reel, Oops! I lost my reel and red DSMB or let it go
with reel jam, attached to boat etc. If surface cover don't see the lost blob,
a check can still be made.

Rob H

"Budweiser" <bud.bottle@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:5%xVb.1775$vo1.157@newsfep4-winn.server.ntli.net

> so in real terms--forgive the pun--i need two reels plus one red and one
> yellow dsmb.

No, not yet.

Get a reel and a red blob and learn to use it. That will get you through
just about any situation you're likely to encounter for a while.

The yellow blob frequently (not always - this is convention rather than
rule) means "send me the O2 drop tank". You'll not be needing this for a
while yet...

The trick really is to make sure you can deploy cleanly every time. This
takes practice...

Vic.


--
Posted via Mailgate.ORG Server - http://www.Mailgate.ORG

"Vic" <vic@innocent.com> wrote in message
news:a59aa9ddce8a874596955164c82e4d1b.60200@mygate .mailgate.org...
> "Budweiser" <bud.bottle@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:5%xVb.1775$vo1.157@newsfep4-winn.server.ntli.net
>
> > so in real terms--forgive the pun--i need two reels plus one red and one
> > yellow dsmb.
>
> No, not yet.
>
> Get a reel and a red blob and learn to use it. That will get you through
> just about any situation you're likely to encounter for a while.
>
> The yellow blob frequently (not always - this is convention rather than
> rule) means "send me the O2 drop tank". You'll not be needing this for a
> while yet...
>
> The trick really is to make sure you can deploy cleanly every time. This
> takes practice...
>
> Vic.
>
>
> --
> Posted via Mailgate.ORG Server - http://www.Mailgate.ORG

Point taken Vic
Yes i will need to learn how to deploy--but for the price of them i might
aswell get one of each---its in the bag etc,and i can probably get a
discount buying the items i need as a single purchase.

so in theory--my red one can be either manual or self inflate,but the yellow
should be automatic

thanks for the input

Budweiser wrote:
> so in theory--my red one can be either manual or self inflate,but the
> yellow should be automatic.

That was my thought, but people that know a lot more about this subject than
I do are not in full agreement.

Give all the opinions some thought and decide what's best for you.

Lee

Budweiser wrote:
> "Vic" wrote
>> The trick really is to make sure you can deploy cleanly every time.
>> This takes practice...

> so in theory--my red one can be either manual or self inflate,but the
> yellow should be automatic

Err no. Self inflates are bulky and need filling/checking every dive.
The yellow needs to be compact so you don't begrudge it storage
space on every dive with the expectation of never using it.

And anyway do your dive group take drop tanks?
I have one I could use. Several of the people here have them but it's
no use putting up a yellow if you haven't agreed the action you are
requesting and if you want kit...

The red gets to go on most UK dives and gets used on at least half
of them so auto is a bonus. However even auto-inflates don't always
auto0-inflate so you need to be used to filling it manually. I have
memories of Huw holding onto one of my fins on the M2 (thanks) as I
sorted out a blob with just a little air in it and a stripped thread on the filler.

nigelH