Still think the Kirby Morgan SMB is overkill, even after watching a guy almost get run over

I used to think a cheap 50 dollar SMB and a spool was good enough. Did that for like 8 years on pipeline jobs in the Gulf. Then last November, this guy on my crew popped up a tiny orange sausage in 2 foot seas and a supply boat nearly turned him into paste. Captain never saw it. I switched to a 6 foot orange and yellow KM the next day. Cost me 230 bucks but I can see it from a mile away now. Has anyone else had a close call that made you totally rethink your gear?

2 comments

2 Comments

river_hart189d ago

Yeah the sausage thing is a joke in real conditions. I saw a guy pop one up in a mild chop and it just laid flat on the water. Boat driver never saw it till he was right on top of him. That was enough for me. I run a 6 foot hard inflatable now with a flag on top. No way I'm betting my life on a skinny tube of orange plastic again.

loganhart7d ago

Have you ever watched how those orange sausages react in a real wake? The thing is, they're designed for flat water or slow drifting, not for the kind of chop you get when a boat passes at 30 feet. I've seen guys tie them off wrong too, with the line too short so the sausage just floats right under the surface instead of standing up. The real problem is visibility from a driver's seat, especially if the sun is behind you. A hard inflatable with a flag at least gives you a fighting chance, because that flag is always pointing up no matter what the water does.