BC vs. BCD

[Walter]

BC is not a shortened version of BCD. BCD is agency specific, it's a PADI term.

 

[muddiver]

i would not want to be walking in silt cave diving...

When you get tired of it, you just follow your hose back out.

 

[pasley]

I call mine a BP/W ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

What he said.

 

[Abaco24]

Today I prefer "Blubber Compensator" vs 20-30 years ago and thank God for black wetsuits.

 

[DCBC]

Hey Everyone,

I know this may sound like a stupid question and I am a newbie so please bare with me, I have a couple questions.

I am a newly certified open water diver and would like to know everyone's thoughts on calling your buoyancy control device a BCD or a BC. On my first discovery scuba dive, one of the other divers (certified) insisted that it wasn't called a buoyancy control device but a buoyancy compensation device. Being the new guy I didn't argue and no one else was in the area to possibly correct him. Although I knew I wasn't wrong, I wasn't sure if he was right. Ive also heard them referred to as buoyancy compensator and I am assuming thats where BC comes from. Please let me know your thoughts.

P.S. I know I could just ask someone the next time I dive but I thought it might be a good topic of conversation. If there is another thread about this please let me know. When searching for BC, BCD, etc. there is a LOT to filter through.

Thanks!

The piece of equipment you are referring to has been identified as a buoyancy compensator (BC) since they came out in the 70's. This is a particular piece of equipment that you wear as you would a jacket.

A BCD or buoyancy compensation device is a device that you use to compensate for buoyancy. This may be a BC, a wing, a dry suit, lift bag, or other piece of equipment. This does not refer to any particular piece of equipment rather anything that you are using to control buoyancy.

When all is said and done, terminology varies from place to place and time-to-time. Whatever term you choose, divers will know what you mean and I suppose that's the only real purpose behind communication in the first-place.

 

[Gerbs]

For added confusion, in Germany, using badly appropriated English, a BC or BCD, correctly in the case of "Adjustable Diving Vest" or ADV would be a "jacket". A "Horse collar" type vest would be a "toilet seat" (Klodeckel), a wing would be, to confuse everyone, a wing. A Scubapro Master BCD would still be a jacket, even though it is not an ADV, and some ADVs are hybrids between a wing and an ADV.

Anyone not yet confused? Let me know, and I'll try to help you!

Gerbs