BC as emergency air

[Glotsalot]

Recently read a scuba book that suggests that you can use the oral inflator on your BC as a source of air in an emergency(can't remember the name of the book, but if anybody is interested, I'll try and dig it out of my closet). The book even describes how to do a roll so you can avoid sucking in the water that always seems to end up in a BC. Anybody every try this (for fun or otherwise)?

I'm wondering how much good it would do. Seems like it'd be tough to do the roll, suck the air out of your BC and maintain a safe ascent rate. :blink:

 

[SueMermaid]

Beats drowning.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

No I've never tried it. I have had it pointed out to me (by other instructors) that you should not practice this technique except in dire emergency, as there are things growing inside your BCD bladder that can cause severe lung infections.

Just an FYI - I cannot claim first-hand knowledge, but it's something to consider before trying it just to see if it works.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Web Monkey]

If you have to suck air out of your BC, a a safe ascent rate is the least of your worries.

If you're weighted properly, you've probably got less than 1 breath left in there, and it nasty air, filled with all sorts of things that grow in dark, wet, warm places.

I wouldn't be sucking on it unless it was my last breath before drowning.


Terry

Recently read a scuba book that suggests that you can use the oral inflator on your BC as a source of air in an emergency(can't remember the name of the book, but if anybody is interested, I'll try and dig it out of my closet). The book even describes how to do a roll so you can avoid sucking in the water that always seems to end up in a BC. Anybody every try this (for fun or otherwise)?

I'm wondering how much good it would do. Seems like it'd be tough to do the roll, suck the air out of your BC and maintain a safe ascent rate. :blink:

 

[bwerb]

I think there is a difference between "rebreathing" the air in the bladder and simultaneously holding down the inflate and dump buttons as a third emergency regulator.

 

[Glotsalot]

No I've never tried it. I have had it pointed out to me (by other instructors) that you should not practice this technique except in dire emergency, as there are things growing inside your BCD bladder that can cause severe lung infections.


ooooh -- good point!!

 

[UWSojourner]

Beats drowning.

To the point. Accurate. Compelling. A+

 

[JeffG]

LOL...this conversation lead to someone banging heads, and getting banned

See http://www.scubaboard.com/t32002.html

 

[IndigoBlue]

Recently read a scuba book that suggests that you can use the oral inflator on your BC as a source of air in an emergency(can't remember the name of the book, but if anybody is interested, I'll try and dig it out of my closet). The book even describes how to do a roll so you can avoid sucking in the water that always seems to end up in a BC. Anybody every try this (for fun or otherwise)?

I'm wondering how much good it would do. Seems like it'd be tough to do the roll, suck the air out of your BC and maintain a safe ascent rate. :blink:

Bad, really bad idea.

The better ideas that were taught (or should have been taught) in basic open water are:

1) plan your dive, including your turn around point based on (among other things) 1/2 (+500 psi) of your SPG total pressure;

2) monitor your SPG every 5 mins or so;

3) stay close to your buddy and avail yourself of your buddy's octo if you run OOA;

4) if you run OOA and your buddy is not close by, perform an emergency swimming ascent (PADI = CESA; NAUI = ESA) exhaling slowly and continuously as you kick to the surface;

5) carry your own alternate air source (pony bottle).

There should never be any need to "suck on your B/C hose."

 

[MikeFerrara]

The idea isn't to breath the air out of the bc but to hold the inflate button and the deflate button at the same time and breath. When you do this you're breathing tank air.

I spent some time practicing this after we had a discussion about it ehre on the board.

It was extremely hard to keep the wing from inflating even though I was holding the deflate button. I needed to be completely vertical for it to work at all. With the inflator by your mouth not enough air dumps and too much goes in the wing. With practice it got a little better but still not easy.

If I had to I could get a breath that way but it isn't much fun.

Unless you were crawling in a sump or something and jammed all your regs with mud or gravel I can't imagin how you would get into a situation where you'd need to do it.