almost tragic ending

[lostinspace]

I surfaced from a dive yesterday and I used a weight belt though my BC has weight pockets front and rear. My belt turned around and the heaviest weights were in front of my. With my BC full of air, I was being forced into a face down position, breathing on a snorkel, waiting for the pick-up on a drift dive. Thank goodness my buddy steadied me so I could keep my head up. I couldn't drop my weights because the buckle was around the back and I couldn't turn the belt. I had 500psi left and didn't want to go to the air until the boat came; I was unsure about how much air I'd use whilw waiting.
Has anyone ever seen this problem before. I wanted to use the weight belt because lifting the loaded BC over the tank with 10-12lbs of lead is difficult at best on a pitching boat.
I think had I readjusted the belt at the bottom, I'd have been fine. Maybe I should put some weight in the "trim" pockets (non-droppable) in the back of the BC to compenaste for the positive push of a near-empty cylinder.
Thaoughts and comments appreciated.

interesting - I too carry 5-6kg (10-12lbs) and am certainly not overweighted at the end of a dive.
I have a semi-wing BCD (Diva LX).
I put 2 kg non dumpable in the pockets next to the tank, and carry 3-4kg in my front pockets in the integrated weight pockets.
So they are in front of me.
I wonder how you surface?
I always surface (not much air in BCD) and then roll onto my back before inflating the BCD. So even with the weights in front I am still floating on my back.
Did you panic a little?
Why didnt you use your 500psi of air - that is what it is there for, after all?

 

[Boogie711]

Just so you know for next time - on the surface, even if you're slightly panicking and pushing your sac rate up to 1 cf per minute, 500 psi in an AL80 will last you 13 minutes.

500 psi is a lot of air on the surface.

 

[FreeFloat]

rdunncpa

To address your belt problem you should think about this
http://www.spearfishinggear.com/Mer...reen=PROD&Product_Code=MWB57&Category_Code=WB
Freedivers use them.
.... no buckle to search for. Doffing is as simple as tugging on the belt. It has a springy tongue and the rubber springs the belt off and away. ..

As a practicing freediver I do have one of these belts. They're stretchy just as you describe and we use them not only to compensate for suit compression at depth, but because a 'normal' web belt interferes with our breathe-ups on the durface.

FYI rubber weight belts are also available with standar scuba-style buckles (so as not to confuse buddies). The one I use is like that.

Another bonus on the rubber belt is that weight blocks, at least not the larger ones, will tend to stay where you put them - they won't individually rearrange themselves like they can tend to do on weathered webbing.

If you're not into the rubber weight belt thing or can't find one, try also looking for "depth compensating belt buckles" in stainless steel, to put on your regular webbing weight belt instead of the plain buckle. I picked one up for around $25. How they work is they slide apart a certain distance so that you put them on fully expanded; as you dive, they collapse as your suit compresses; then as you come up and your suit expands again, so does the buckle. I wear one on my scuba weight belt, nothing but that. It beats having to remember to cinch up the belt at depth and release it again on the ascent (for me anyways)

 

[BigJetDriver]

I wanted to use the weight belt because lifting the loaded BC over the tank with 10-12lbs of lead is difficult at best on a pitching boat.

Thoughts and comments appreciated.

I do a lot of different kinds of diving with different configurations. I find that the DUI weight harness works well in all of them. The weight remains secure, but can be easily removed one-half at a time, and handed up to the assistant on the boat. It never shifts around, and the weight rests on the shoulders instead of the lower back. Try it, you'll like it!

 

[rdunncpa]

First thought: Are you correctly weighted?

I used 12 lbs. At the beginning of the dive, I feel over-weighted because I need to add air to the bc. However, by the end of the dive, I seem to struggle to stay down. But, I've used 10 before and I think I'll go back to ten

Does your BC have a crotch strap?

I'll contact the manufacturer re: crotch strap. I've never seen anyone use one. Is this a typical after-market product used by those in the know? Do you know where I can obtain one?


Over weighed at the surface + too much air in the BC, with no crotch strap often makes the BC rise out of the water without lifting you.

Second thought: Your buddy couldn't reach the weight belt buckle? No knife, z knife, no shears?

He told me to hold onto him to staedy myself and that worked. In hindsight, he probably could have gone around my back and turned or released the belt.


Maybe some pool time to sort out your setup.



Regards,



Tobin

 

[Potapko]

. Remove at least 100lbs from your belt.

Best belly laugh in a long time :dazzler1:

 

[rdunncpa]

Thank you. These are excellent points to help in the future.

 

[rdunncpa]

Here here!

But - I hate weightbelts, so...

Try putting the bc on the tank first, and then putting the weights in (then you don't have to lift the weighted bc for assembly)

You can put on your unit while in a sitting position, so your buddy dosen't have to lift the unit up for you.

Once you've ended the dive, you can climb up the swim ladder with everything on, or just pass your weights up to the crew, then get out.

I'll try that.

 

[rdunncpa]

First thought: Are you correctly weighted? Does your BC have a crotch strap? Over weighed at the surface + too much air in the BC, with no crotch strap often makes the BC rise out of the water without lifting you.

Second thought: Your buddy couldn't reach the weight belt buckle? No knife, z knife, no shears?


Maybe some pool time to sort out your setup.



Regards,



Tobin

Tobin, Thank you. I think the over-inflated, overweighting caused the inability to right myself. Also, as others have pointed out, I should have used my 500 lbs. I didn't realize how long that lasts at the surface.

 

[rdunncpa]

A couple of thiughts.

1. If you are using a back inflation BC, I would suggest using 20 - 25% of your weight in the trim pockets for balance. I use 18 - 20 pounds with my 7mm suit and usually put a 3 pound weight in each trim pocket, leaving me 14 to drop if needed.

2. If you need your BC full of air at the end of the dive, you are probably over weighted. Again if you are using a back inflation model, you might try letting out some air.

Finally, if you can get to a pool, or even a more controlled open water enviroment, (lake, quarry, etc.) you may just need to play around with your weights. I know that with my first back style bc, it took probably 6-8 dives, before I really had weight distribution dialed in.

Hope this helps.

It's not a back-inflated BC, but I suppose that's why they have those trim pockets. I'll go back to 3 in each of the backs and two in each of the front. At 10 lbs, I should be ok. I needed to add air to the bc at the beginning of the dive with 12 lbs.