Weight question

[milbournosphere]

Thanks for the reply. I should clarify that the only time I see the folks with any weight on is when they're diving singles, and even then, it's usually when they're teaching. Their doubles rigs of course have no extra weight on, them doubles rigs are heavy enough!

 

[Superlyte27]

I asked because I was told if I need to make an emergency surface to ditch the weight and go up. I also thought if I felt like I was going to pass out I would be able to drop some weight and go up with being unconscious. I have just not been told this before and was curious about it. What you guys are saying makes sense though.

If you have be trained PROPERLY, have planned your dive properly, have conducted your dive properly, there is should be no reason to make an emergency surface. In the unlikely event that this is needed, remember the only emergency is being out of air, then you just swim up. You don't need the added lift and compounding problems that come with an uncontrolled ascent.

 

[rhwestfall]

I dive cold water, so a dry suit and bulky insulation is required. Diving a single HP120 (-11), ss BP/W (-6) with weight plates (-9.8), 30 cf pony (-3) leaves me no need for any weight on a belt..... (I'm actually a bit heavy, so I'm thinking of skeletonizing the weight plates, but that is a whole different story). With an AL80, I'll add weight on the cam bands, still no belt....

FWIW - if I was to lose a belt instead of being configured this way, I'm likely in an uncontrolled buoyant ascent, and they will retrieve my body on the surface for my family....

 

[PfcAJ]

Do a search on here for 'balanced rig'.

Cliffnotes: Enough weight to be able to say at 10ft with no air in your BC, minimal air in your drysuit (if equipped) and empty tanks.
Light enough to be able to swim to the surface with FULL tanks, empty BC.
Weight distributed so that your rig floats without you in it.

 

[eelnoraa]

It is all about the rig being "balanced". If one can archieve it without wearing any weight, so be it.

Ditching weight under water is NOT needed if you have a balance rig. It is worst to lose some weight accidentally. Also your friend may be using a drysuit, so there is a redundant buoyancy device already.

 

[poomero]

Got it. He does use a drysuit. I will do some research on the balanced rig. Thanks for all the info guys.

 

[nimoh]

Thanks for the reply. I should clarify that the only time I see the folks with any weight on is when they're diving singles, and even then, it's usually when they're teaching. Their doubles rigs of course have no extra weight on, them doubles rigs are heavy enough!

my guess is you were noticing steel vs aluminum tanks as opposed to doubles vs singles.

 

[Peter69_56]

As many have said previously, many tech divers have no additional weight. Particularly if they have a stainless backplate, steel twin cylinders and steel sling tanks, all very weighty and stay heavy even with little air in them. Add to this one can have a twin bladder in the wing for backup, SMB and lift bag and dry suit for lift, redundant air supplies, backup mask, 2-3 torches etc etc. You soon see that tech diving is all about managing risk with backups and plans.

Recreational diving is simplistic diving, one mask, one lift system, one air supply (floaty aluminium cylinder when near empty) and a buddy, weights to keep you down because buoyancy is crap to start with. Slowly over time you add to that with gear and experience, weights come off. Then you decide you enjoy diving a lot and become rebranded, throw away the weights and take on a pack full of experience, knowledge, gear and planning.

 

[Rhodesaz]

FWIW, what if I'm ocean diving (where ever) and the boat is gone when I ascend. Because it's before christmas and I haven't bought my emergency beacon yet, I'm stuck bobbing in the ocean trying to explain to my wife why I got us into this mess.
Would I not drop my weights after a short while?
Would a 10 pound wing create a problem in this scene?

 

[Superlyte27]

FWIW, what if I'm ocean diving (where ever) and the boat is gone when I ascend. Because it's before christmas and I haven't bought my emergency beacon yet, I'm stuck bobbing in the ocean trying to explain to my wife why I got us into this mess.
Would I not drop my weights after a short while?
Would a 10 pound wing create a problem in this scene?

I've never seen a 10lb wing. But, even if you ran out of air, you can still inflate a wing orally. In the event that you are out of air on the surface and your wing has a hole in it, well, now you have have a reason to ditch your entire rig while you wait on the coast guard.