Surface Marker Buoys (SMBs) help divers stay safe and seen. Whether you’re coming up from a dive or drifting in a current, a surface marker buoy lets boats and people know where you are. But with different types and uses, it’s easy to get confused.
This guide explains when to use an SMB, which kind to choose, and how to use it the right way—so you can dive with more confidence and less worry.
What is a surface marker buoy?
A surface marker buoy (SMB) is usually a round, highly visible buoy which has the ability to be inflated and left at the surface before scuba diving. The job of these marker buoys is to prevent them from deflating while diving and staying at the surface.
They’re made of tough, floaty material and come in bright red, yellow, or orange to be easily visible on the water surface. Some buoys have words or flags to help people see them better.
When Should You Use a Surface Marker Buoy?
Although there is no universal usage for dive marker buoys, Divers who frequently do deep dives generally use them. The main uses of surface marker buoys include:
Aid to Ascent
A diver can use a surface marker buoy as a personal flotation device, as it enables them to have a slower and more controlled ascent from underwater.
Surface marker buoys can be inflated by mouth or regulators and are used to bring yourself up to the surface slowly and safely. They are considered essential and useful devices when diving in strong down currents.
Indicating Emergencies
During emergencies, it is a vital thing to deploy SMBs quickly so that people at the surface can quickly respond. As a diver, you have color-coded SMBs to show the kind of emergency that is happening and alert the people at the surface according to that.
Indicating Pick-Ups after Drift Diving
Drift diving, which is a type of scuba diving that you practice by going with the flow of the currents, is fun but comes with risks. Scuba divers use SMBs when drift diving to inform people on the boat that they are ready to be picked up, so that they don’t stray too far from your dive crew.
Using them as Markers
You can also use surface marker buoys to mark your location when diving in featureless areas, open water, or even when you get lost. If you feel disoriented or get separated from your group, it is a vital thing to deploy your SMB to lead others to your rescue.
Marker in Shared Areas
The ocean is huge, but fishers, surfers, boats, and divers often share the same spots. Deploying your SMBs when scuba diving in these shared areas is a good way to let others know of your location or position and avoid accidents.
Different Types of Surface Marker Buoys
You can find surface marker buoys and dive markers in variable brands, sizes, and types. As a diver, knowing the particular distinctions of each one and understanding their functions before using them is vital before purchasing the best type.
There are 3 main types of surface marker buoy, including:
Closed-End Surface Marker Buoy
Close-end SMBs and dive markers are what you may recognize as a simple float tube. This style is the best choice for choppier waters that can worsen while diving.
The closed-end surface marker buoy can be spotted easily and used as an inlet valve, which makes you guarantee it will stay inflated for the duration of your dive.
Open-End Surface Marker Buoy
Open-ended surface marker buoys are considered ultra simple tubes that have one open end which stays underwater in order to prevent escaping of air from inside the tube. Unlike closed-end SMBs, this dive marker is the excellent choice for calmer and more predictable diving conditions.
Delayed Surface Marker Buoy
Delayed surface marker buoys are used underwater when needed, like in emergencies. These SMBs help divers avoid getting tangled with others.
You can tuck these emergency marker buoys neatly inside your pocket and can rapidly inflate it when necessary. Once you fully inflate them, these SMBs rapidly rise to the surface, to mark the position of the diver.
The Best Surface Marker Buoys
- Blue Reef SMB.
- OMS Surface Marker Buoy (Closed Bottom).
- Highland XS Scuba Surface Marker Buoy (Orange).
- Dive Alert Deluxe Surface Marker Buoy.
- Carter Personal Float.
- Akona Surface Marker
- Buoy Safety Tube (Hi-Viz Orange).
