BC manufacturers must be Raking it in...

[The Chairman]

Oh Mikey... as much as you malign the average instructor, the dive agencies and now manufacturers, you have a problem with me saying I do things RIGHT? There are no personal attacks on you here. Just an affirmation that there are many of us who can do things with the tools at hand. I have never called you a bad instructor or any name... but I surely disagree with your dour outlook on everything in the industry. Pardon me for disagreeing with that outlook and for voicing that opinion! Apparently you see that disagreement as somehow being an attack? That's too bad!

I feel that this whole mentality that it's junk if you don't dive it or wrong if you don't do it one particular way, as being egocentric and elitist. There are tons of ways of doing the same thing, and most of those ways are safe. You seem to want to see what's wrong with the industry, and I am for celebrating what is right! I see the glass as half full and you see a defective glass. I am sorry if that offends you!

Fit and comfort! That's what a BC needs to operate. I have yet to see the BC that is incapable of being trimmed out. You have some issues up north? Choose BCs that work up there! Sorry if I don't share your pain, but the vast majority of diving is not done up there... it's done in St Elsewhere and for good reason: IT'S MORE FUN WHERE IT'S WARM!

Make sure the tool FITS the job. You don't need a 10 pound sledge to set a diamond. That doesn't make the 10 pound hammer "junk". You don't need a BP&Wings to make a dive int the tropics. Sure, I do it all the time, but I can make the same dive in just about ANYTHING. All it HAS to do is to hold the tank and the diver together and provide lift.

 

[Thalassamania]

All it HAS to do is to hold the tank and the diver together and provide lift.

And for the tropical dives I've done the last few days I'd suggest that Nemrod has it right, who needs the extra lift?

 

[The Chairman]

You rarely need much, but it's great to have when you need it!

 

[MikeFerrara]

Oh Mikey... as much as you malign the average instructor, the dive agencies and now manufacturers, you have a problem with me saying I do things RIGHT?

My malign of the agencies is meant in support of the instructor and the manufacturers have been in my chit list since about my second week into owning a dive shop. LOL

I don't have a problem with you saying that you do things right. In fact, I get the impression that you probably teach a pretty good class.

There are no personal attacks on you here. Just an affirmation that there are many of us who can do things with the tools at hand. I have never called you a bad instructor or any name... but I surely disagree with your dour outlook on everything in the industry. Pardon me for disagreeing with that outlook and for voicing that opinion! Apparently you see that disagreement as somehow being an attack? That's too bad!

Well, nopt exactly. I see comment suggesting that I can't make a BC "work" and probably have an issue using a hammer as a bit of a personal attack. I like it when people don't completely disagree because that leaves something to talk about and I enjoy converation and even debate.

I feel that this whole mentality that it's junk if you don't dive it or wrong if you don't do it one particular way, as being egocentric and elitist. There are tons of ways of doing the same thing, and most of those ways are safe. You seem to want to see what's wrong with the industry, and I am for celebrating what is right! I see the glass as half full and you see a defective glass. I am sorry if that offends you!

There are lots of ways of doing the same thing and as a long time engineer, I made a living doing just that. Still some ways are harder and less efficient that others. Celebrating what's right is fine but it doesn't address the things that aren't right.

Fit and comfort! That's what a BC needs to operate. I have yet to see the BC that is incapable of being trimmed out. You have some issues up north? Choose BCs that work up there! Sorry if I don't share your pain, but the vast majority of diving is not done up there... it's done in St Elsewhere and for good reason: IT'S MORE FUN WHERE IT'S WARM!

I don't know where the majority of diving is done but the last numbers I say listed Illinois right up there by Hawaii in the number of divers certified. People might go where it's warm for vacation but they do an awful lot of their training near where they live and there are an awful lot of people in the midwest.

Make sure the tool FITS the job. You don't need a 10 pound sledge to set a diamond. That doesn't make the 10 pound hammer "junk". You don't need a BP&Wings to make a dive int the tropics. Sure, I do it all the time, but I can make the same dive in just about ANYTHING.

EXACTLY. Yet again, I think I was pretty specific about what I saw as problems with some of the BC's on the market. I do choose tools that fit the job and I stated some of the attributes of some BC's that don't fit the job.

All it HAS to do is to hold the tank and the diver together and provide lift.

I disagree. There are a couple of other important aspects. Just as important is that it should not get in the way of anything else that you have to carry or do. Also, it should provide that lift where you need it and/or not get in the way of placing balast where needed. A piece of rope and an empty milk jug can hold the tank to the diver and provide lift but I don't see many people diving that way. LOL

 

[MikeFerrara]

And for the tropical dives I've done the last few days I'd suggest that Nemrod has it right, who needs the extra lift?

I haven't done much diving without a BC but I'm pretty neutral (neg if I exhale) so with scuba gear and a full AL 80 and reg, I'll be more than 6 pounds negative. More if I carry anything extra. I think neutral works the best.

 

[The Chairman]

Well, nopt exactly. I see comment suggesting that I can't make a BC "work" and probably have an issue using a hammer as a bit of a personal attack.

PM sent

 

[Thalassamania]

I haven't done much diving without a BC but I'm pretty neutral (neg if I exhale) so with scuba gear and a full AL 80 and reg, I'll be more than 6 pounds negative. More if I carry anything extra. I think neutral works the best.

Some of us are more positive than others.

 

[cuddlefish]

Hello hello, new to scuba

This is an inflatable bag with webbing that attaches to your back...


design virtually unchanged in 30 years...

Clearly you ARE new to scuba. An inflatable bag that attaches to your back? Unchanged in 30 years? I agree with some of the other posters who are diving a back plate and wing...that's a great way to go. But if you had the chance to really KNOW, on a personal level, some of the company reps...you'd discover how much money and research goes into all of the many design features and the production of scuba gear. Some of the features are WAY better than others, of course. It sounds like you should just go for the very, very cheapest BC you can find. And perhaps the cheapest regulator as well.

 

[NWD143]

Try the back plate/wing set up. better trim out under water no "hug" at the surface.......AND FURTHER MORE HOW MUCH IS "YOUR LIFE " WORTH????????? The research that goes into giving options to smart diver`s, (we all dive different) ,redundant safety, I believe that there isn`t enough. I am a Dive Master. Daily, the lives of people are in my hands. Walmart cannot provide me with the gear to save your life. And would you want it that way?????

 

[Coalcracker]

Some of us are more positive than others.

Thal: You are always positive, with all your experience. Mike F is always mister doom and gloom, he closed his store, most instruction is terrible, etc, etc,

I'll go for your outlook. Glad to see you are on your way to the big Island.