BCD Failure

[divezonescuba]

I wonder if he did a proper predive safety check prior to entering the water.

I am aware of several situations where the bcd was not inflated fully and either had a bladder rupture or fitting / hose failure on entry.

 

[SlugLife]

this. I'm surprised how few people carry an SMB.

This is probably due to dive-training agencies not mentioning or emphasizing the SMB in the initial open-water class, or even Advanced Open Water. At least I don't remember it being mentioned the classes I took, and only really discovered SMBs about a year into diving, and then DSMBs about 2 weeks later. Instead, we all are required to buy snorkels, that most of us rarely ever use again.

I'm not sure at what point DSMBs are taught, maybe technical-diving? Deploying a DSMB below the surface takes some skill, but an SMB has a lot of utility around visibility for rescue, retrieval, or avoiding being run over plus really nice as an extra flotation device. These days I usually carry two, or 1 DSMB & 1 float-bag.

 

[inquis]

I would suggest that he may be very over-weighted if he can't avoid sinking by finning (I assume still wearing those) with a depleted tank. A recreational diver should be weighted such that they are neutral around 15 ft with empty BC & tank at reserve level (and not kicking at all). Any exposure suit works in their favor above that depth.

Edit: some with thick wetsuits weight themselves to be neutral at LESS than 15 ft just to avoid an uncontrollable ascent from the safety stop ("corking").

Good presence of mind to deal with it, however.

 

[Centrals]

Changes To The PADI Open Water Diver Course • Scuba Diver Life

Time has changed.

I learnt that in my Tec training 23yrs ago.

 

[tarponchik]

Me and my wife both have Mares BCDs for about 15 years, nothing like this ever happened. Mine failed once but in the opposite way, kept on inflating, and I had to replace the valve later.

 

[davehicks]

I use a check list before getting in the water. inflating and checking the BCD is one of the steps.

 

[Soloist]

This is probably due to dive-training agencies not mentioning or emphasizing the SMB in the initial open-water class, or even Advanced Open Water. At least I don't remember it being mentioned the classes I took, and only really discovered SMBs about a year into diving, and then DSMBs about 2 weeks later. Instead, we all are required to buy snorkels, that most of us rarely ever use again.

I'm not sure at what point DSMBs are taught, maybe technical-diving? Deploying a DSMB below the surface takes some skill, but an SMB has a lot of utility around visibility for rescue, retrieval, or avoiding being run over plus really nice as an extra flotation device. These days I usually carry two, or 1 DSMB & 1 float-bag.

We taught ourselves to shoot a DSMB from depth for lobster hunting in Florida, but later it was a required skill during our SDI Solo Diver training.

 

[johndiver999]

You buddy did the right thing. Drop the lead before they sink too far. In rough conditions, alone and with a completely failed BC and low on air... now is NOT the time to be screwing with an smb as you kick like hell trying not to sink. Drop some lead, get to (and stay on the surface) and have a cool story to tell.

It is important to check the tightness of BC fittings often. They come loose a lot.

Perhaps the diver could try diving with a little less lead?

 

[Bob118]

screwing with an smb

there is really a bigger issue, which is that very very few divers ever practice their emergency skills. Once whild doing an S drill with my daughter, the DM and some other divers swam over to make sure we were OK.

 

[emoreira]

Seems that it unscrewed.

This seems to be quite improbable. It's far more probable that the thread break off. This is something like a "normal" failure for most BCD brands.
No matter how old the BCD is (I mean how long since you bought that BCD), plastic threads break and the Power Inflator and/or valves came off.
It's a failure hardly predictable. Your BCD keeps the air overnight and the following day the valve breaks away.