BCD Remove / Replace Midwater - Backplate BCD w/ Long Hose

[Macan]

Hope this helps someone.

 

[inquis]

When donning (overhead method), after inserting arms through the straps, I suggest holding both reg hoses in the right hand as you rotate the rig into your back. Otherwise, one of them is very likely to become caught under the shoulder strap. (That also seemed to happen in the video.)

 

[Edward3c]

Although I was taught this skill in basic traning in 1979, I've never been in a situation where I've needed to remove my setup. Apart from doing demo shows to non-divers in a pool.

If there is something wrong with your setup, call the dive.

PS: I wasn't impressed with the cylinder banging into the coral - poor buoyancy control.

 

[berndo]

What's the point of doing this?

 

[inquis]

Back when I used a jacket BC with single tank strap, I did it to put my tank back after it slipped out. NBD.

I will say it can be a bad idea if the buoyancies of you and the rig are fairly mismatched, which is pretty common with integrated weight setups.

 

[Green Frog]

Heck, I’m happy to be able to keep my BCD (or now BP/W) put together and on my body through the dive. For me, the @Edward3c strategy is the logical one.
OTOH, I watched some of the pros @ Stuart Cove’s in Nassau inflate their flotation device, throw it into the water, then jump in and gear up. I even watched one DM jump in with his exposure suit in his hand, take off his BCD underwater, pull on his exposure suit, the don his BCD once again. When I commented on this to him, he replied that he often overslept and had to finish dressing on the way to work!
Different strokes…

 

[Macan]

Hi guys, thanks for your comments.

What's the point of doing this?

BCD Remove/Replace underwater is a WRSTC training requirement for OW. Almost all training agencies are members of WRSTC. The skill is mostly taught in a kneeling position and with Jacket BCDs (a Youtube search for BC remove/replace will show this). The video above presents an alternative to do the skill in midwater with a BPW/Longhose.

PS: I wasn't impressed with the cylinder banging into the coral - poor buoyancy control.

Sorry if the video wasn't so clear. The corals in the background are actually several feet away from the tank. If you zoom in you will see that the tank/rig is completely suspended in midwater and at no point in contact with the corals. Its just the background/foreground overlap on video.

 

[lexvil]

The most important part of this exercise is knowing it’s possible and avoiding ever having to do it.

 

[inquis]

BCD Remove/Replace underwater is a WRSTC training requirement for OW.

During training, the point of the drill is how well you handle task loading. Sensory/situational overload will cause you to focus on the task at hand and ignore other things (e.g., regular breathing, with the resultant depth change).

In short, it's an assessment of comfort level.

 

[Edward3c]

BCD Remove/Replace underwater is a WRSTC training requirement for OW. Almost all training agencies are members of WRSTC. The skill is mostly taught in a kneeling position and with Jacket BCDs

BSAC have not taught this activity, as a requirement, for over 30 years. As a confidence builder it’s sometimes done.