How to Setup a Finger Reel & Bolt Snap Like a Pro!

How to Setup a Finger Reel & Bolt Snap Like a Pro!

Are you a diver who likes to "shoot" your DSMB up to the surface from your safety stop? Or are you a new diver learning how to do this? One of the most critical elements of deploying your DSMB is how you setup your finger reel and attach the bolt snap. In this episode Lyell walks you through one of the ways you could setup the line in your reel and how to attach your bolt snap to make the skill of attaching and shooting your DSMB to the surface and make you look like a Pro!

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#everythingscuba

[everythingscuba]

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[newman]

Last step should be tie a knot somewhere between 18 to 20 feet so if your computer fails, you can ascend up until you find your 20 foot knot and proceed with safety stop or deco at that knot. Also gives you a visual depth gauge if your floating in open water doing deco. Gives me something to focus on to stop nausea.

[tobiashartung]

Hi Lyell, what is your reason not to have the DSMB and spool pre-attached? This saves time underwater when deploying it, it removes possibilities to drop the spool because you are not doing as much with it, and if the DSMB needs to be deployed in an emergency or any other stressful situation, it massively cuts down on task loading. In fact, even people who usually have no issue deploying a DSMB can easy drop a spool when something usual happens (common occurrence on deco procedures courses). You can even still use the spool as a line underwater if need be and if you are planning on using a spool for line, then nothing is stopping you from bringing a dedicated spool for that purpose.

[robmichaels]

As an alternative to burning the end, a generous dab of superglue also keeps the cut edge of line from unraveling. Great video, keep them coming!

[mrki]

Thank you for sharing! This was very helpful.
But: how do you secure the spool from unraveling after the buoy has been deployed?

[everythingscuba]

We teach all of our students to have good enough buoyancy control and situational awareness that connecting an SMB to your reel at depth should become second nature. Once you’ve setup your reel it’s a very simple process. But of course there are no Scuba police that will fine you if you connect your line and SMB predive.

[ruediger_b]

This threading the line through the reel and connecting the line to the SMB only at the safety stop seems VERY VERY complicated to me. It's much easier without all the knots if you do it in a controlled manner on land... or is it prescribed by PADI and as an SSI diver I know it differently???

[carlosgonzalez]

Lyell, I just came across your channel and LOVE that photo on your wall of the ‘superhero’ diver. Where did you get it, because I want one.

[kenmh]

Yes always have your own, I was low on air and divemaster sent me up early. Fourtunately boat saw me but a DSMB would have helped

[mellamodiego]

very nice very nice....if i was making the video i would demonstrate a dry land example of how to do something and then in the same video show it in practice underwater...just a suggestion....thanks for the video

[skzion]

Very helpful. And yet, it's unclear how and when you attach the dsmb to the reel and how you deploy and rewind it.

[markboscawen]

Metre (or yard) marks on the line can be useful in deco or if ever need to make a measurement underwater. (I’d like to take credit for the idea but was shown to me by an buddy.)

Markings were every 10cm for the first metre then 3 metres, 5 metres, 10 metres, 15 metres & at spool tie off was 20 metres.

Markings were Morse code like: 5mm band made with a waterproof sharpie with 5mm gap between for numerals, 10mm band with a 10mm gap for tens.

Eg: five metres is short band, gap, band, gap, band, gap, band, gap, band. Fifteen metres is a long band, long gap, short band, gap, band, gap, band, gap, band, gap, band.

The buddy had loops in the line at the main deco markings as well so could use the double bolt snap to attach the line to a D hook on the BC. Then made himself very slightly negatively buoyant to make the SMB stand up on end & be more visible at distance, keep the line taunt to minimise risk of entanglement & maintain precise depth for deco in slight swells.

[kurtsmith]

All the “loops” that you created were called “Overhand” knots. FYI.

[joelsolomon]

So what do you do with that 20% of line you removed from your spool? The link is to something unrelated. The suspense is killing me!

[robdahler]

A reel is for laying lines and a "SPOOL" is for releasing an (D) SMB

[johnraymond]

Awesome. Thanks Lyle. Hey show more of the Tat buddy. I swore to my wife no more tats ( I have 3 ) but I will find a spot for that awesome guy,

[SNIFFtheBOX]

i was never a freind of knots and i can barely do 2.thanks to you now i know how to do 3, amazing video thanks

[hdunbavan]

Deploy your dsmb, well there’s 10min I’ll never get back,

[vmartinez]

that's a finger spool. it would be more helpful to viewers to use correct terminology

[Allheadingtosameplace]

Too complicated
No evidence that this makes any difference