BC Remove and Replace Skill

[wetb4igetinthewater]

I would be in my steel plate and either a HP100 and about 6 lbs total or in an al80 with 10lbs in pockets on the waist band.

Don't get me wrong, not getting separated from your gear with a lot of weight can be a challenge, which is why it's nice to practice it. Doff over the head and keep it close to the body and there aren't any problems. Or take it off jacket style, but have the diver spin into and out of it but that is easier to do when vertical rather than horizontal.

So steel plate with additional 6 lbs, so total 12lbs all on your kit.

I do think that this should be taught in open water, but would you agree that for cold water divers with 20 lbs or more of lead, it is more risky?

I think instructor control has to be on point and not sure how many would be up to the task.

 

[sea_ledford]

So steel plate with additional 6 lbs, so total 12lbs all on your kit.

I do think that this should be taught in open water, but would you agree that for cold water divers with 20 lbs or more of lead, it is more risky?

I think instructor control has to be on point and not sure how many would be up to the task.

12 lbs plus a steel HP100, which is another 8-ish lbs, so close to 20lbs negative total.

I did it in open water as an open water student in Northern California in 26 lbs, but it was on a weight belt. We did have to do weight belt R&R though, so that entails the same risk as far as total loss of ballast is concerned. I imagine they still do it the same way now, but use integrated weight.

These days, I would split the weight between belt/harness and BC with that much lead though, for multiple reasons. Sure there is some risk, but there is risk with everything in diving. And it is ALL more risky in cold water. It shouldn't be a significant challenge for an instructor to intervene and keep student and gear together. It's not like you automatically pop to the surface like a cork from 20-30 feet the second you lose ballast.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

12 lbs plus a steel HP100, which is another 8-ish lbs, so close to 20lbs negative total.

I did it in open water as an open water student in Northern California in 26 lbs, but it was on a weight belt. We did have to do weight belt R&R though, so that entails the same risk as far as total loss of ballast is concerned. I imagine they still do it the same way now, but use integrated weight.

These days, I would split the weight between belt/harness and BC with that much lead though, for multiple reasons. Sure there is some risk, but there is risk with everything in diving. And it is ALL more risky in cold water. It shouldn't be a significant challenge for an instructor to intervene and keep student and gear together. It's not like you automatically pop to the surface like a cork from 20-30 feet the second you lose ballast.

Fair enough. I don't factor in the stell cylinder, as that's what I use, and I need personally 26 lbs of lead with all my undergarments. I'm a wimp when it comes to temperature.

I also split the lead between the scuba kit and the harness. 10 lbs on the weight belt typically.

OT: I wonder if weight belt remove and replacement is ever going to be removed given that with integrated weights in jacket style BCDs in warm water, there really is no point to weight belts. I'd be curious as to what percentage of divers worldwide actually use weight belts. Sure there are some, but anyway.

I don't want to try it, but I think if I had all 26 lbs on my kit which also has an HP100, if I lose that, I'm popping to the surface fairly quick.

 

[tursiops]

I wonder if weight belt remove and replacement is ever going to be removed

It went away (PADI) quite some time ago (2004). It is now weight system removed and replaced...i.e. integrated weight pockets get removed and replaced. It is done in both confined and open water.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

It went away (PADI) quite some time ago (2004). It is now weight system removed and replaced...i.e. integrated weight pockets get removed and replaced. It is done in both confined and open water.

In PADI, you remove the integrated weight pouches from their pockets and put them back? Do I understand you correctly?

I don't have a manual in front of me, so I'll have to look at that later.

 

[tursiops]

In PADI, you remove the integrated weight pouches from their pockets and put them back? Do I understand you correctly?

I don't have a manual in front of me, so I'll have to look at that later.

Rather than removing and replacing a weight belt, you remove and replace the weight system, whatever it is. In confined water, you do it as a dive-flexible (after CW dive 1) surface skill. In CW dive 5, you do it underwater. As an OW dive flexible skill, you do it at the surface.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Rather than removing and replacing a weight belt, you remove and replace the weight system, whatever it is. In confined water, you do it as a dive-flexible (after CW dive 1) surface skill. In CW dive 5, you do it underwater. As an OW dive flexible skill, you do it at the surface.

Ok, so what does that mean with a jacket style BCD with integrated weights (and the sole location that weight is placed). Do you remove the whole scuba kit? Which is its own skill.

The devil is in the details after all.

 

[tursiops]

Ok, so what does that mean with a jacket style BCD with integrated weights (and the sole location that weight is placed). Do you remove the whole scuba kit? Which is its own skill.

The devil is in the details after all.

You were a PADI instructor and this was an active standard. How did you do it?
Or are you just trying to be argumentative with anything I say?

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

You were a PADI instructor and this was an active standard. How did you do it?
Or are you just trying to be argumentative with anything I say?

My students had weight belts when I taught for PADI. I'm asking you as to how address just having weights integrated in BCDs, a very real scenario. Given these BCDs are increasingly common (almost universal I would expect), weight belts are being used less and less for practical and preference reasons. I don't see that as controversial. So given the realistic scenario of no weight belt, just integrated weights (which I think could be applicable for pretty much all people getting certified in warm tropical waters), my question is legitimate.

 

[MichaelMc]

2017 instructor manual says for confined dive 5 to underwater:

1) Remove, replace, adjust and secure the scuba kit with minimal assistance in water too deep in which to stand, without losing control of buoyancy, body position and depth.
2) Remove, replace, adjust and secure all or part of the weight system without losing control of buoyancy, body position and depth.
- With weight belt and weight integrated BCD -- on the bottom in water too deep in which to stand.
- With any weight system that requires reassembly after weights are removed -- in shallow water.


Though that is not the clearest.