Am I the only one who thinks SMBs get way too much credit for boat safety?

I did a dive survey in Galveston last month and watched a guy tie his SMB off to a cleat instead of holding the line, and nobody said a thing because they think a flag automatically keeps them safe.

3 comments

3 Comments

joel2801mo ago

Yeah but did anyone actually check if he even knew what the line was supposed to do? I've seen plenty of divers tie off to a cleat or rail and then act surprised when their SMB either gets dragged underwater or they nearly lose a hand when the boat shifts. That flag is just a decoration if nobody on deck knows how to handle the gear.

wrenh791mo ago

I get your point, but "decoration if nobody knows how to handle the gear" feels a bit harsh since most boat crews do know what they're doing.

elliot_harris251mo ago

In my experience, talking through the drill beforehand with the deck crew keeps everyone on the same page.