Drop the freaking weights!

[Rich Keller]

I have been reading about a diver found dead on the bottom with a full BCD and all the weights still in place. This seems insane to me. Put most if not all of your weights on a belt and make the belt the last piece of equipment you put on so it can be the first thing to come off unobstructed in an emergence. Weight belts are cheap, I have left more money on the bar as a tip then it would cost me to buy a new weight belt. You people go on endlessly about holding a perfect hover and integrate your weights to better achieve that goal. This is NOT a good idea if it comes at the expense of your LIFE! I don't care if you do drills to practice pulling weights from 2 or more areas, with a belt one pull and it is GONE! Drinking the Kool-aid about having to hold a perfect hover is one thing but droning in it is another.

 

[EastEndDiver]

AMEN brother !!!!! Totally agree with you on this.Safety comes first .

 

[Lorenzoid]

Where's that popcorn-eating emoticon?

 

[spectrum]

I have read that in the case you elude to a weight bet was worn so dropping it was apparently an option. I find it inconceivable (and in poor taste) so suggest frugality had anything to do with the ditching option not being exercised. Something beyond present public knowledge prevented self rescue.

I do know what you are describing where divers will strive to strategically place weights anywhere but in a readily ditchable belt or harness and I agree that it is a misplaced priority.

Pete

 

[supergaijin]

You people go on endlessly about holding a perfect hover and integrate your weights to better achieve that goal. This is NOT a good idea if it comes at the expense of your LIFE! I don't care if you do drills to practice pulling weights from 2 or more areas, with a belt one pull and it is GONE! Drinking the Kool-aid about having to hold a perfect hover is one thing but droning in it is another.

I see that reading comprehension is not one of your strong points.

 

[Rich Keller]

I have read that in the case you elude to a weight bet was worn so dropping it was apparently an option. I find it inconceivable (and in poor taste) so suggest frugality had anything to do with the ditching option not being exercised. Something beyond present public knowledge prevented self rescue.

I do know what you are describing where divers will strive to strategically place weights anywhere but in a readily ditchable belt or harness and I agree that it is a misplaced priority.

Pete

I was not referring solely to that case but tossing weights in general. The point of the cost was simple, it is NOT worth your life.

 

[wedivebc]

There is a school of thought in tech diving that accidentally loosing ditchable weight is more dangerous than not being able to ditch weight but I agree. 99% of all divers who get into trouble could have avoided that trouble by ditching weight.
My buddy recently had to ditch a $10,000 rebreather when the wing failed on the surface and all his lead was bolted to his backplate.
The CCR ended up in 500' of water in case anyone wants to go looking for it. We have the GPS numbers.

 

[down4fun]

There is a school of thought in tech diving that accidentally loosing ditchable weight is more dangerous than not being able to ditch weight but I agree. 99% of all divers who get into trouble could have avoided that trouble by ditching weight.
My buddy recently had to ditch a $10,000 rebreather when the wing failed on the surface and all his lead was bolted to his backplate.
The CCR ended up in 500' of water in case anyone wants to go looking for it. We have the GPS numbers.

Dang, that sucks. 500 is doable. One would guess there is a recovery dive being planned?

 

[phoenix31tt]

Richkeller, I think you need to re-read those accident reports...



In most cases ive read its not a case where the weights weren't ditchable, its that they weren't ditched...



Makes no sense strapping up all that weight on a belt, being out of trim and still not ditching it... I'd rather distribute my weight, be in trim and leave enough ditchable so that when ditched I'm not negative anymore






Sent from my Nokia Lumia 920

 

[lamont]

you're also missing the problems of being grossly overweighted to start, having too small of a wing, and running OOA. diving without ditchable weight has implications on the rest of the way that you dive and you can't be committing all of those errors at the same time.

edit: and buddy separation.