Getting into a WI BC in the water.

[Frosty]

Hey folks Ive been doing a bit of small boat diving where its easier/safer to gear up in the water.
So with my WI BC I pump it up . Lower it over the side on a short line,roll in then gear up.
Ive found its a heck of a lot easier to get into the gear by facing the gear with arms crossed in front. slide my lower arms into the straps then just uncross my arms. This spins the gear around onto my back and the shoulder straps slide into place on my shoulders.
It works every time in any condition I've dived in.
But Im going to be doing a fair bit of diving with my kids in a couple of weeks.
Can anyone see an issue with this method of gearing up?
I can't think of any but just in case --- I just don't want to set a bad example for the kids

 

[Boardndave]

The only issue I could see is that the weight of the gear may be difficult for a younger person to maneuver.

 

[g1138]

Nothing wrong with that. I honestly don't know why they don't teach that method in class. Even dry land suiting up, this method makes it much quicker to slip both arms in so your buddy isn't stuck holding it why you futz around blindly for the other strap.
It is easier however if you spin instead of spinning your BC. Your BC remains static and you twirl to uncross your arms and slip yourself in.

The only problem with your method is it doesn't work as easily with loose straps such as hog harnesses. It's usually easier in this case to flip it over your head, or feet dive under the BC.
You lay the BC flat in the water so the long side of the tank is parallel with the bottom. Put your arms through the straps and hold the tank OR hold your backplate if you don't have loose enough straps. Perform a feet first surface dive, dipping the first stage under water, then flipping the BC over your head (you're underwater, the BC is at the surface). When the BC is over you, come up to the surface, slipping your arms through the straps.
This method works with any BC, it just doesn't always look as graceful IMO.

A third method is to sit on the strap side of your BC, first stage end closer to your butt. Reach back and slip your arms in your straps then slide forward and off your BC. Your arms will go through the straps and you can then slide the BC on.
This method however is even more horrible to use when you have a hog harness. You need straps with more rigidity or pads.

 

[Diver0001]

Hey folks Ive been doing a bit of small boat diving where its easier/safer to gear up in the water.
So with my WI BC I pump it up . Lower it over the side on a short line,roll in then gear up.
Ive found its a heck of a lot easier to get into the gear by facing the gear with arms crossed in front. slide my lower arms into the straps then just uncross my arms. This spins the gear around onto my back and the shoulder straps slide into place on my shoulders.
It works every time in any condition I've dived in.
But Im going to be doing a fair bit of diving with my kids in a couple of weeks.
Can anyone see an issue with this method of gearing up?
I can't think of any but just in case --- I just don't want to set a bad example for the kids

In a worst case scenario, suppose it gets hung up on the "turn" and you don't get it on in one go. Would your technique then leave you face down in the water with your arms tangled up in it?

The technique I teach to get into a standard BCD in the water is to pump it up and then push it under you and sit on it like a chair with the bottom of the cylinder between your knees. then you have all the time you need to make sure everything is sorted and when you're ready to put it on you just put both arms into the loops so that any instruments won't get caught and then slide off of it and "presto" you're in.

R..

 

[spectrum]

In my classes (PDIC) we we laid the BC in front of us (collar near, cylinder down). With the regulator in your mouth (hose coming betwen arms) and arms in the arm openigs just dive under the BC and is slips down over you. Works slick on the surface or below.

Pete

 

[Frosty]

gosh Im an eejut. Sorry guys I cant edit my first post
--Its ME that turns 180 degrees not the BC/tank/regs-although they tend to turn a bit

Ive found its a heck of a lot easier to get into the gear by facing the gear with arms crossed in front. slide my lower arms into the straps then just uncross my arms. This spins me around 180 degrees to the gear and and the shoulder straps slide into place on my shoulders.

 

[BKSZEA]

I used to do something similar when diving from my Zodiac. I would face my BCD, open up the arm straps, sink down below the BCD and spin around, stick my arms up through the straps and float back up. Buckle up, and I was on my way....

 

[Diver0001]

gosh Im an eejut. Sorry guys I cant edit my first post
--Its ME that turns 180 degrees not the BC/tank/regs-although they tend to turn a bit

Ive found its a heck of a lot easier to get into the gear by facing the gear with arms crossed in front. slide my lower arms into the straps then just uncross my arms. This spins me around 180 degrees to the gear and and the shoulder straps slide into place on my shoulders.

Any possibility of getting that move on video? I'm having a little trouble visualizing it but it sounds interesting. Even if you just record it with a cellphone and send it to me in email, I'd appreciate that. Never too old to learn something new and all that.

R..

 

[rhwestfall]

when we dove with BCs, there were many times we would use the "sit on top" method as the boat we were using wasn't even close to adequate for diving. If it was a calm day, we would frequently end a dive too by sitting on our BCs. I've done it in ponds and quarries if time on the surface was to be of any duration. Dropping in to the gear was pretty east, however now that I have moved a bunch of stuff to my forearms (slate, computer, compass, trilobite, timer, etc.), snags getting in and out would seem to have increased in potential. A soft harness, and a using a crotch strap to set things right has also killed this option.

 

[Diver0001]

What do you do instead?

R..