cool_hardware52
Contributor
Well, that was kind of my question I guess. Why would your rig need to float if you are no longer in it?
What if you want to put your gear on in the water?
Tobin
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Well, that was kind of my question I guess. Why would your rig need to float if you are no longer in it?
If it is all on your rig, you will need a bigger wing to insure that the rig will float when it is off. You also want to balance your rig and yourself without a rig in case you have to remove it.Why does it matter where the weight is located? His overall buoyancy doesn't change depending on where the weight is located. That's kind of like saying you're heavier on a scale if you put a 5lb weight in your pocket than if you hold it in your hand.
but it seems to me that the primary purpose of the wing is to get ME to the surface.
Solving the over weighting problem is the answer, not a bigger wing.
Larger wings should not be used to "cure" an overweighted diver.
Over weight a diver, add a larger wing, and what happens if there is a problem with the wing? The diver is in more trouble than if he was properly weighted to begin with.
Tobin
What if you want to put your gear on in the water?
Tobin
The primary purpose of a Buoyancy Compensator is to allow you to maintain neutral buoyancy.
It is not a elevator to the surface.
If you are properly weighted you should be able to swim your rig up, particularly a singles rig.
If you are properly weighted you should be able to stay at the surface with a failed BC.
Tobin
I've never been in a situation where I've wanted to put my gear on in the water. In fact I'm having a hard time thinking of a situation where I might want to do that. I'm sure such situations exist, I just don't think I'll be in them. Probably a more likely scenario is taking it off at the surface in case of an emergency. It would be nice to not end up losing your rig.
I didn't mean to imply that it was an elevator. But what if you are injured, and unable to swim to the surface? You can either ditch weight, or inflate your BC. Since I can't unditch the weight, the best way seems to be inflating your BC, since you can let the air out again to prevent an uncontrolled ascent.
If you wear a weight belt under your harness it also helps prevent that moment in a doff and don where you are suddenly very positive and your rig is equally negative.I remember performing the skills during my OW dives, but have never had to use them.
I agree that ditchable weight is important, but would consider it as a last resort while at depth. Ditching X lbs of weight, and you permanently become X lbs more buoyant, with no ability reduce your buoyancy. If I inflate my BC to add X lbs of buoyancy, I can dump air on the way up to control my ascent.