OWC Skills in a BP/W

[missyvonne]

I'm just in the process of getting my OWC and I've having a bit of trouble using my BP/W for one of the skills. I can't get my arms back through the shoulder straps when I have my equipement off and floating on the surface because the wing (when inflated) makes it too tight as it flares out and around the backplate into the area where my shoulders go. I can comfortably wear it once it's on and inflated. I'm also diving double steel 72s and they sink if I let any more air out of my wing on the surface (in the long run, I want to get into more technical diving, which is why I'm learning in all that gear, rather than a more simple jacket style BC). I'm a small woman (5'2", 120lbs) and would really like to be able to do all of my diving in a BP/W.

Also - I tend to roll practically onto my head dork2 because my upper body is so top heavy. Yep, I'm still completely an awkward flail-er in the water. Is there a way to compensate for that without going to ankle weights? I'm just nervous about adding even more weight to my setup.

Any suggestions on improving how my gear is set up or bouyancy help is completely welcome!

I'm so excited to be learning to dive! Thanks so much for reading my long winded question!

 

[Kevin Carlisle]

Ummm, dont use doubles for your OW cert. Learn to dive, get comfy and then advance as your skills grow. You have plenty of time so drop a tank and use one instead of complicating things, you can still use your BP with a single.

 

[FireInMyBones]

For the skill above, I let just a little gas out of my wing and slide right in. A lot of the skill is about have the gear fit correctly. Have you had someone help you size the shoulder straps? I can get in and out of mine underwater and on the surface with no problem.

Just realized you are using doubles for OW? I would stick with a single for OW.

Just curious: Who are you taking OW with?

 

[missyvonne]

I'm taking it with a PADI instructor.

 

[Peter_C]

Are you in a drysuit too?

Lots of people will flip onto their stomach and put their rigs on.

 

[Amphiprion]

I'm not even going to go into why you are using doubles for an open water cert.

Here are some tips anyway:

Get wetsuit or drysuit thigh pockets to store all of your equipment that you normally wear on your wrist. Put the wrist mounted equipment in the pockets for gear removal and replacement drills. This will make it easier to get your arms in and out of the harness.

Make your rig neutral and put it on in the water instead of on the surface. If you sink or float without the rig, weight yourself to be neutral without the rig.

Wear a weight belt to keep your butt down if you have to.

 

[missyvonne]

Nope, I'm in a wetsuit. My mentor (different guy than my instructor) and I decided that adding that in as well would probably be a bit much

 

[stairman]

Buckles on the harness would help getting in and out.[Transpac] The trim problem is easy. Move tanks down, get heavier fins, ankle weights, lots of info on this in the search section. Be sure you can reach your valves and with the extra air volume watch closer to deco obligations.

 

[tkdgodess]

Hopefully your instructor can demonstrate the skill for you wearing the exact same gear you are wearing.

and imo you'd be better off tasking loading learning in a drysuit vs. doubles because you won't be able to take advantage of using doubles to dive wearing a wetsuit because you will be too cold. Steel 72's in a wetsuit would be rather negative, the more I think about this scenerio the more it sounds off.

and you can dive singles with bp/w....

 

[rongoodman]

Lynn(TS&M) is a small woman too, and has mentioned several times that she was never able to get 72s trimmed out. She solved the problem by moving to LP85s as I recall. I'd do the gear remove/replace in a single tank, and then forget about it.