almost tragic ending

[rdunncpa]

Don't put so much air in your BC, just enough to float head out of the water. Don't know how much weight you are diving, but it sounds like a lot if you could not get yourself verticle. Remove at least 100lbs from your belt.

I had 12 and could probably go with 10.

 

[FreeFloat]

I needed to add air to the bc at the beginning of the dive with 12 lbs.

That's normal. What people are suggesting to you is that if you're carrying the exact proper amount of weight, then at the end of the dive, with only about 500 psi in your tank and no air in your BC, you should be perfectly neutrally buoyant at 15' (safety stop depth). That means, due to the way wetsuit compression works, you will necessarily be positively buoyant on the surface. Hence teh only reason to "have to" add air to your BC would be to ensure you're floating, and/or to get your head higher out of the water.

 

[rdunncpa]

Glad you can chalk this one up to experience relatively unscathed. Also looks like you have lots of good advice on how to suss out your weighting options.

On this...

It seems like you were avoiding using your air, though I am not clear why you would need it when the boat came. Anyway, if you are ever in a situation like that again, use your air so you can take your time to fix your problem with your head underwater (to turn the weight belt, ditch it, or just breath and relax to think about your next step). If you were saving your last 500 psi for a "rainy day", it sounds like it was coming down pretty good as you described...use your air until you can get your situation stabilized.

Remember, as unbeliveable as it seems, most serious problems for divers happen on the surface.

JAG

You are so right. This board advice is wonderful and I really appreciate it. I really should have gone to the air in the tank and sorted it out. Kind of panicked; didn't want to run out of air prior to swimming to the boat, which wouldn't have been a big swim: drift dive.

Thank you.

 

[rdunncpa]

Why did you not get your buddy to sort the belt or at least drop weights?

Once I held his arms, I was stable and OK.

 

[rdunncpa]

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?

Excellent points. I should have used the air to sort things out. Knid of panicked. I should have tried to float on my back before adding air. I over-inflated in the wrong position and went face forward. Then, trying to kick to get my snorkel above water, I cramped, causing more panic.

 

[diverbrian]

Ok, I missed the Florida part. Up here, 10-12 pounds would be underweighted for most divers (something about more exposure protection needed). I myself don't like weight belts. If I need weight, I use the DUI weight harness (ie. Weight and Trim system). I don't like pulling weights in and out of my recreational BC (which has only seen pool use when assisting with classes this year) due to the fact that I don't completely trust that velcro to begin with.

All good advice, but you should be able to turn that belt around from any position if you plan to use one. If I were you, practice in the pool or shallow water would be in order. Also, as everybody has said 500 psi on the surface is a whole bunch of gas. Don't be afraid to use it. Personally, I am breathing from my reg until I am safely on the boat. Breathing gas tastes a whole lot better than diesel fumes and if I fall backward, I am still a diver and not an overburdened swimmer still in need of rescue (the reason that my fins stay looped on my wrists when climbing the ladder).

As an added reminder, a few dollars in lead is not worth your life. If you must ditch it for any reason at the surface, DO IT! Most incidents happen on the surface and a surprising majority involve divers who did not dump their weight.

 

[rdunncpa]

That's normal. What people are suggesting to you is that if you're carrying the exact proper amount of weight, then at the end of the dive, with only about 500 psi in your tank and no air in your BC, you should be perfectly neutrally buoyant at 15' (safety stop depth). That means, due to the way wetsuit compression works, you will necessarily be positively buoyant on the surface. Hence teh only reason to "have to" add air to your BC would be to ensure you're floating, and/or to get your head higher out of the water.

Got it. But I think the Henderson 3 mil suit I'm wearing was touted as neutral as to affecting bouyancy. I'm still unsure as to 10 or 12 lbs. 12 seemd like a struggle at the end on the surface and at the beginning. I put in my log on the previous dive that 10 seemed ok, so I'll try 10 again.

 

[rdunncpa]

Ok, I missed the Florida part. Up here, 10-12 pounds would be underweighted for most divers (something about more exposure protection needed). I myself don't like weight belts. If I need weight, I use the DUI weight harness (ie. Weight and Trim system). I don't like pulling weights in and out of my recreational BC (which has only seen pool use when assisting with classes this year) due to the fact that I don't completely trust that velcro to begin with.

All good advice, but you should be able to turn that belt around from any position if you plan to use one. If I were you, practice in the pool or shallow water would be in order. Also, as everybody has said 500 psi on the surface is a whole bunch of gas. Don't be afraid to use it. Personally, I am breathing from my reg until I am safely on the boat. Breathing gas tastes a whole lot better than diesel fumes and if I fall backward, I am still a diver and not an overburdened swimmer still in need of rescue (the reason that my fins stay looped on my wrists when climbing the ladder).

As an added reminder, a few dollars in lead is not worth your life. If you must ditch it for any reason at the surface, DO IT! Most incidents happen on the surface and a surprising majority involve divers who did not dump their weight.

Thank you. I'll remember to use the 500 if I need it. Also, I'll look for the DUI weight and Trim system.

 

[Wijbrandus]

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!

I completely concur with BJD. I just spent the last week in Cancun diving in heavy seas. I used 12 pounds of lead, and I had much less trouble than some of the others who were using belts. The harness is a piece of cake.