BCD wouldn't let air out

[Esprise Me]

If you need to dump really fast, the easiest way is probably to go vertical extend the inflator hose up and press the deflate button

Is that true? I haven't used a BC with a shoulder dump in a while, but it always seemed pretty fast to me. Especially since you can usually just tug the hose faster than you can get the hose out of the loop that's keeping it close to the strap (if there is one), lift it up, and get your hand positioned so you're pressing the deflate button (not automatic for newbies; I still sometimes had to feel around to figure out which button was which when I was new and renting gear.)

 

[Dennisrl84]

read it again - he said he accidentally added too much air and started to ascend.

If you need to dump really fast, the easiest way is probably to go vertical extend the inflator hose up and press the deflate button, while stopping finning. (or you can jump swim downwards and dump from the bottom valve: this is possibly better if you can do it without spending too much time finding the dump valve)

Like @saxman242 said you should look at the BCD if it is a rental, many don’t have the dump when yanking.

Rookie mistakes. I wouldn't say so much as I panicked as the commenter who has either since been removed or was deleted stated more so as by the time I realized it wasn't working it was to late.

to his comment as well, It didn't deflate on the boat and on dry land. The equipment was definitely faulty. My response or lack there of is purely my fault.

 

[Dennisrl84]

Had you used the pull-on-inflator-hose dump earlier in the dive? This is a feature that not all BCDs have, even when working correctly.

I had not but it did have them. It was actually a really nice BCD, an Atomic. It just had an issue or wasn't properly maintained.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

wasn't properly maintained.

All too common unfortunately.

 

[Dennisrl84]

Let's not be too harsh on the OP. People doesn't know what People doesn't know. Those of you insist should really look into the just culture that Gareth Lock is trying to establish in the diving industry. I can't recommend his Human Factors in Diving training enough.


OT: One of the thoughts that popped into my head was if the OP was overweighted. Having to have an extra amount of gas to compensate for being overweighted, once a person starts to ascend, the extra buoyancy from the expansion of that extra gas is going to cause problems.

I was over weighted and was the reason I added air. I was kicking my little heart out and barely getting anywhere. I've since cut 4 lbs total from my weights. Being so new I had 5lbers and I had 3lbers. After I started diving again I bought 2lbers and 1lbers so that I can loadout more precisely for conditions.

Thanks for the tips and feedback!

 

[Dennisrl84]

All too common unfortunately.

So I am seeing!!! My buddy rented from a shop near where we live, got to the dive site, the secondary bled air, the wetsuit had a hole in it that I could have put my fist through (although that ones bad on him for not seeing it).

When I returned to diving I bought my own gear. The only thing I rent now is tanks. It just doesn't make sense for me to own them, have them inspected as much as I dive.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

I was over weighted and was the reason I added air. I was kicking my little heart out and barely getting anywhere. I've since cut 4 lbs total from my weights. Being so new I had 5lbers and I had 3lbers. After I started diving again I bought 2lbers and 1lbers so that I can loadout more precisely for conditions.

Thanks for the tips and feedback!

Hey, super common, so don't kick yourself. Getting set up for a balanced rig takes a bit of effort. A lot of dive pros don't know how to set that up or what it means. I don't know if my note here is useful to you in the future: How I weight students in open water courses | Facebook. Pete (@The Chairman) shared his method that may be more useful to vacation diving where rentals are used. I have copied that here with his permission: Pete Murray’s Weighting methods | Facebook

Finally, glad you are aware of the overweighting issue. More glad that nothing happened to you from that incident.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

When I returned to diving I bought my own gear. The only thing I rent now is tanks. It just doesn't make sense for me to own them, have them inspected as much as I dive.

WAIT!!! WHAT?!?!? But you live in Florida!!!!! So much great diving there. Of course, if you are super busy and don't have the time, then I understand. I haven't been diving since my daughter was born almost 3 months ago.

 

[Esprise Me]

I'm glad the mods deleted that harsh post; OP didn't deserve that. I'm also glad OP decided to get back into diving, is working on getting correctly weighted, and has come here to figure stuff out. OP, I hope you encounter lots of helpful folks and a minimal number of jerks.

As to the actual question regarding DCS, there are people here far more qualified than me to answer and I hope they jump in. But from my limited knowledge, it sounds completely plausible that you did suffer a mild hit, and also completely plausible that you didn't. The soreness could be from exertion; even though it hasn't reoccured after a break, I'm willing to bet you retained some muscle memory that made you just a little more efficient, and therefore made all your movements just a little less strenuous. The exhaustion could've been the adrenaline wearing off after a stressful situation. It's going to be hard to say for certain after so much time has passed.

 

[Dennisrl84]

WAIT!!! WHAT?!?!? But you live in Florida!!!!! So much great diving there. Of course, if you are super busy and don't have the time, then I understand. I haven't been diving since my daughter was born almost 3 months ago.

Scheduling. I work full time, am a Reservist and every Saturday I volunteer at a rescue of big cats (Tigers, lions, cougars, leopards). Which leaves me with 3 days a month that I am not occupied.

Up until about 6 months ago none of my friends were certified. Now 2 of them are. One is not in the same financial boat as I am and doesn't own their own gear. So when we go and dive a shore dive it costs him 7-8X what it costs me. He also has a needy girlfriend... I usually end up taking time off of work to accommodate him.

I've got 3 scheduled this year already. And my other friend is pretty wide open. He runs his own consulting firm so any day, any time, any place generally works for him.

In November we did Blue Heron Bridge and last weekend we did Devils Den and Crystal Springs. They were all awesome.