Suggestions for bolt snap removal

[Maxime-Thierry Lavoie]

Suggestion for unclipping while removing the tanks after coming out of the water (after the dive): If you are using a butt plate system, be aware that this will tug at the tank and pull the bottom a bit "behind" you while standing.

What I've found that helped immensely was to push my pelvis forward so that the tank would hang more vertically while standing. This makes it much easier to unclip the butt of the tank from the rails on the butt plate.

So if you are standing straight, you are fighting gravity (tank's weight) on top of trying to unclip:



If you push your pelvis forward, your shoulders will take all the tanks weight and the clip will be much easier to undo as you will not be wrestling with the tank's weight at the same time:



(Sorry for the TERRIBLE stick figures.... McCoy voice: "I'm a diver, not an arts major Jim!")

Makes sense?

Alternatively (if you have that luxury) find a place (a big rock, a bench, etc) to sit the tank's butt on so you can better maneuver the clip easier.

 

[bada3003]

As others have noted, that's likely due to your having the bolt snaps attached to 1 inch webbing. Use thick bungee/shock cords which is the configuration I've seen used by many. The cord being stretchy makes all the difference. Clipping on/off underwater becomes a breeze. If you use nylon lines (my SMS 50 came with nylon lines), then add 2-3 inches of slack.

But there is a trade-off. Unless you use steel tanks with good buoyancy characteristics, AL80 cylinders (and some steel tanks) will lift up resulting in bad trim as gas depletes. There seems to be no magic solution to this problem. I strap weights on my AL80 tanks, some move the bolt snap from butt plate attachment to D-rings attached to waist band during dive, or just use cylinders with near neutral buoyancy characteristics.

I am struggling with removing the bolt snap attached to the butt plate. Both when trying to just unsnap the bottom so I might move the bottles in front of me for clearing a restriction and when trying to doff the tanks post dive.

Maybe a bigger size of bolt snap, or some other change?

 

[MSargeant]

As others have noted, that's likely due to your having the bolt snaps attached to 1 inch webbing. Use thick bungee/shock cords which is the configuration I've seen used by many. The cord being stretchy makes all the difference. Clipping on/off underwater becomes a breeze. If you use nylon lines (my SMS 50 came with nylon lines), then add 2-3 inches of slack.

But there is a trade-off. Unless you use steel tanks with good buoyancy characteristics, AL80 cylinders (and some steel tanks) will lift up resulting in bad trim as gas depletes. There seems to be no magic solution to this problem. I strap weights on my AL80 tanks, some move the bolt snap from butt plate attachment to D-rings attached to waist band during dive, or just use cylinders with near neutral buoyancy characteristics.

Or just use some sliding d rings and adjust them during the dive?

 

[kelemvor]

As several have said, it may be hard for us to help, as we don't have enough information, yet. My initial thoughts - reflecting my personal preferences, so take them with a grain of salt - echo some comments already made:

1. I agree with Dive-aholic, the use of the 1" web straps may be part of the problem. My bolt snaps are attached to 3/16" or 1/4" static line (run under a tri-glide on the cam band) which makes them very easy to manipulate. I do not use a standard tank rigging kit, anyway, because I think it is both unnecessary and cumbersome, so I may not be a useful resource for you. If you are using a standard DR rigging kit, the bottom bolt snap is probably attached to the 1" webbing. If you want a little more flexibility but still wish, for whatever reason, to use a standard rigging kit, think about something like a Halcyon rigging kit (Stage Bottle Rigging Kit | Halcyon), where the bottom bolt snap is attached by a piece of static line.

2. I do not care for butterfly clips at all - I find them difficult to open (brass or SS) - so my bias would be to go with regular swivel bolt snaps. It is not clear from your post if the instructor recommended that you use butterfly clips instead of 'standard' bolt snaps, or if the recommendation was that you move away from them. I am curious what was actually suggested. You can go with a bigger size bolt snap, particularly for the bottom attachment point. I use large swivel bolt snaps, with a snap opening of 1/2", but you could also use extra large snaps, where the opening is 9/16" (Stainless Steel Scuba and Marine Hardware from reefscuba.com.Page 1. Hard to find scuba and marine hardware.), and may be a little easier to clip and unclip. You can order them from a supplier online, or often find them in tack shops if you want to get a 'feel' for them before buying.

3. It would help to have the 'big picture' of your rigging, as bamafan suggests. For example, I cannot tell from the picture if I am looking at the bottom of the cylinder (which would be a possible presumption, based on your question) or the top of the cylinder, given the curvature in the photo and the placement of the strapping.

I was moving from a standard bolt snap to the butterfly at the suggestion of my instructor. The photo was of the top of the tank. I'll take a photo of the whole rigging soon and post it.

I did five more dives in sidemount this weekend. It is indeed getting easier, albeit very slowly. Donning is very simple with the butterfly clips. Doff is a work in progress, but I did much better than previous dives. I might experiment in the pool with some different rigging configurations to see how it works out.

 

[bada3003]

Yes, that's another alternative. I liked it when I first saw it but regrettably doesn't work for me. For my SMS 50 rig, I don't wear a separate weight belt (in my case, the butt plate interferes with my weight belt, and although I can wear it, it's too uncomfortable) but add XS Scuba weight pouches on the SMS 50's waist webbing. And I have a Halcyon dive knife attached to the 2 inch webbing. And, occasionally, a pocket to hold other items when needed (SMB, backup light). So, there's not much room to move the sliding D-ring around to the extent it may be needed.

Or just use some sliding d rings and adjust them during the dive?

 

[theskull]

Two tips:
1. Practice.
2. Get into a position where the tank will be hanging loose at the connection rather than straining against the bolt snap.

theskull

 

[SWAMPY459]

I had the same trouble...

I replaced mine with this type of carabiner and it was a LOT easier..




http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61jp3q6G-ZL._SL1500_.jpg

 

[ShootnStr8]

I find that bolt snaps are best opened by putting the ring finger into the lower loop and pressing down the bolt with the thumb. Use the thumb to keep the snap bolt open until it is clipped to the D ring.

Please do not use clips or snaps that can be opened by simply pressing against them. They have been called suicide clips. I watched a diver who used such clips back into a cable at 50 feet and inadvertently clip himself to it. His buddy had to release him. When used diving, these types of clips and snaps are an accident waiting to happen. Cables, fishing line and rope love them.

Blessings!

 

[Omisson]

I had the same trouble...

I replaced mine with this type of carabiner and it was a LOT easier..




http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61jp3q6G-ZL._SL1500_.jpg

Except that such are entanglement hazards and can clasp something unintentionally.

 

[SWAMPY459]

Except that such are entanglement hazards and can clasp something unintentionally.

Google "suicide clip" and sidemount and you'll find a plethora of posts showing both sides of this debate. If the clip is both within reach (just in case) and facing the correct way on the d ring there is not much opportunity for line to get inside the clip because of the circle formed by the bungee, tank, BACK of the clip, d ring, and the side of your body.

I dive every weekend and see about half the sidemount divers out there using either these or boat clips... (boat clips are these http://www.lucianwintrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/S-D-139131-1_med.jpg)

If they make you uncomfortable, don't dive with them. I've investigated the issue and decided they are ok for the dives I do. If your dives are swimming upside down and backwards without bungees through the electrical room of a deep wreck, you might want to come up with something else.