Mike McKinnon

Mike is one of only seven active SSI Instructor Certifiers in Australia. This is the highest professional level you can achieve through the SSI system. Having dived in over 12 different countries and certified well over 800 people from Open Water level through to Instructors, Mike has a wealth of knowledge that puts him at the top of his profession.

Importance of safely deploying a SMB

April 25, 2016

A lot of newly certified recreational divers wouldn’t know how or wouldn’t feel confident if asked to safely deploy an SMB (safety sausage). Most newly certified recreational divers wouldn’t understand the importance of being able to safely complete this skill either.

The main reason why it’s important to be able to deploy an SMB is when you’re doing a live dive (no anchor, usually you’re drifting in the water) and there are other boats in the area. The last thing you want is to come up from an enjoyable dive with the real possibility that a boat in the area may not see you on the surface. If a boat hit you this would lead to serious injury or potential death.

This situation can easily be avoided if you know how to safely deploy an SMB.

What specialty equipment do you need for this skill:

SMB (safety sausage). Ideally that is fully sealed, has an overexpansion valve & a attachment clip. My recommendation is a Halcyon SMB these are sold at Scuba World
Spool. Ideally this would have an orange line to make it visible to other divers & a large centre hole to avoid chaughing on your fingers. My recommendation is a Apeks Spool these are sold at Scuba World
Stainless steel clip. Ideally this would be a double ender & made out of the highest grade stainless steel to avoid corrosion. My recommendation is a Halcyon Clip these are sold at Scuba World

There are a range of different ways to complete an SMB deployment depending on which training agency you select. Your instructor will provide you with this information when you complete your course. We always recommend you complete your training with a highly qualified, experienced dive instructor.

The Scuba World SSI Deep specialty course is the only program that completes this course once in the training pool and then another four times in the ocean.

Once you have learnt how to safely deploy an SMB don’t forget to keep practicing. The worst mistake divers make is to not practice a skill on every dive to make sure they feel 100% safe & comfortable when it comes time to deploy an SMB.