BC Remove and Replace Skill

[Adobo]

Perhaps, if you dive alone wearing a backmounted set and you get hopelessly entangled in a fishing net and you do not have a knife?
You ought to be better prepared, though.

It is a nice drill though, and you can learn from it, hence recommended (during a pool session).

Dude, that video is crazy.

Seems like no one is using BC removal as a technique to get out of the net though. Everyone is told to reverse - either by sculling their hands or by back kicking.

 

[boulderjohn]

What are the failures where bubbles are billowing out of your tank wherein you would have felt comfortable to fix the issue and continue on this dive as the dive master?

Years ago I was diving with a DM-led group in Cozumel. Suddenly, near the very beginning of the dive, there was an explosion of bubbles from the DM's first stage. I was the closest one to him, and I got there in seconds. He already had his BCD off and in front of him, and he was shutting off his air. I assumed he would want to breathe something before long, so I held my alternate near his face and helped hold the BCD while he disconnected his regulator. He reseated an O-ring and started to put the the regulator back in place. At about that point he finally took a sip of air off my regulator. He put the BCD back on and checked to see if he had enough air to continue the dive. He decided he did not, signaled us to stay put, went back to the surface, and returned in a couple minutes to lead the dive.

He did the whole thing while only taking one breath from my alternate.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

What are the failures where bubbles are billowing out of your tank wherein you would have felt comfortable to fix the issue and continue on this dive as the dive master? As I am not a dive pro, I wouldn't know but if it were me, I pretty much assume that I am solo diving if I am the dive master since I don't know which of these tourists are helpful in a real emergency.

If this was a loose hose, sure you could tighten it but at that point, I wouldn't trust that the problem would not recur later in the dive when I have less gas in my tank. That's about the only "fixable" issue I can think of personally.

Unless I have a crescent wrench, I don't see myself hand tightening it. My days of deadlifting 500 lbs are at least 15 years ago.
If I had the flexibility and was solo, I'd feather the valve as I've been trained in sidemount. But if I have a buddy, forget it. Close it down as bubbles are a nuisance and can obscure vision (and could get worse over time), get their alternate, and up we go.

Years ago I was diving with a DM-led group in Cozumel. Suddenly, near the very beginning of the dive, there was an explosion of bubbles from the DM's first stage. I was the closest one to him, and I got there in seconds. He already had his BCD off and in front of him, and he was shutting off his air. I assumed he would want to breathe something before long, so I held my alternate near his face and helped hold the BCD while he disconnected his regulator. He reseated an O-ring and started to put the the regulator back in place. At about that point he finally took a sip of air off my regulator. He put the BCD back on and checked to see if he had enough air to continue the dive. He decided he did not, signaled us to stay put, went back to the surface, and returned in a couple minutes to lead the dive.

He did the whole thing while only taking one breath from my alternate.

Somehow I think that wasn't the first time he had to do that!

 

[Adobo]

Years ago I was diving with a DM-led group in Cozumel. Suddenly, near the very beginning of the dive, there was an explosion of bubbles from the DM's first stage. I was the closest one to him, and I got there in seconds. He already had his BCD off and in front of him, and he was shutting off his air. I assumed he would want to breathe something before long, so I held my alternate near his face and helped hold the BCD while he disconnected his regulator. He reseated an O-ring and started to put the the regulator back in place. At about that point he finally took a sip of air off my regulator. He put the BCD back on and checked to see if he had enough air to continue the dive. He decided he did not, signaled us to stay put, went back to the surface, and returned in a couple minutes to lead the dive.

He did the whole thing while only taking one breath from my alternate.

Holy crap. That's some superhero scuba diver stuff there.

 

[dmaziuk]

Holy crap. That's some superhero scuba diver stuff there.

Having an o-ring blow right behind your neck must be rather disconcerting.

I'm told a basic freediving course will have pretty much anyone comfortably holding their breath for a couple of minutes. John's description sounds more like a minute -- most people should be able to do that provided they stay calm.

 

[johndiver999]

The tank is likely positive, no? So that will be a plus at the surface, agreed?

I don't see in this scenario any reason to ditch $1000 scuba kit. Unless the tank fills with water and then becomes dead weight.

LOL, he had the foresight to consider that the tank may empty rapidly, if that should occur, you definitely want the option to leave it on the bottom - or maybe put a puff of air in the bc and send it up - should scare the crap out of a captain.

His actions make me suspect he is a freediver. He was at probably 50 or 70 feet. Once the bc/reg is completely removed from his body, he is probably 100% sure he can make it up.. worst case drop it and gently swim up for 40 seconds.

It just seemed very instinctive and smart. Dropping the tank was way down on the decision tree, he had lots of other divers in close proximity to share air from.

 

[johndiver999]

Actually, I think he flubbed that part of taking his gear off. There is a moment there after he takes off his BC where he takes off the necklace. Now he has one hand occupied holding his BC and he has to juggle taking the reg he is breathing out of his mouth, removing the necklace then putting the reg back in his mouth, all with one hand. You can see that the necklace and his primary reg becomes one jumbled mess. Meantime, he has no reg in his mouth. The buddy even realizes that this thing is basically a **** show and offers her octopus.

I don't mean to "monday morning quarterback" the guy. He kept his cool and got everyone to the surface, especially himself, safely. If anything, my only opinion on his reaction to the emergency is that there was nothing to be accomplished by taking of his BC in the first place. Call the dive, grab a buddy and go.

redundant

 

[Bob DBF]

Your comment leads me to suspect that not having the reg in his mouth is an issue. I don't think that was an issue for him in the least.

Not having a reg in ones mouth shouldn't bother any diver. How long it can stay out is another question, and a good thing to know, because panic kills.

 

[Blackcrusader]

Not having a reg in ones mouth shouldn't bother any diver. How long it can stay out is another question, and a good thing to know, because panic kills.

It's not a bother for me to have it out for up to 30 seconds. On some dives I will switch to my secondary and use it for half a dive.
I've also done it to let cleaner shrimp into my mouth for a teeth clean. Other divers are like that dude us nuts. lol
Thing is for new divers they are taught to keep their reg in and the continually breathe. But they will see experienced divers removing their regs for a time.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

LOL, he had the foresight to consider that the tank may empty rapidly, if that should occur, you definitely want the option to leave it on the bottom - or maybe put a puff of air in the bc and send it up - should scare the crap out of a captain.

What's the harm? If he's properly weighted he should be able to keep from corking.

His actions make me suspect he is a freediver. He was at probably 50 or 70 feet. Once the bc/reg is completely removed from his body, he is probably 100% sure he can make it up.. worst case drop it and gently swim up for 40 seconds.

It just seemed very instinctive and smart. Dropping the tank was way down on the decision tree, he had lots of other divers in close proximity to share air from.

I wouldn't want my hands occupied with anything that I didn't need to deal with.

Hence I'd put it back on my back and deflate the BCD as needed