Bogged down by BC

[noelandmero]

Accident, or near accident occurred off Coral St. in Monterey. Some how managed to get sand in the bottom dump valve, so it never closed, and managed to get sand in my second/backup regulator. The result...water being taken into my BC uncontrollably while my air bled out the back up reg. Even with all my weight dumped I could only keep the tip of my snorkel above water by kicking my feet. Needless to say I was exhausted and about to crawl out of my BC (mind you, I was a good 3/4 mile out from beach and no boat was around...Oh! and did I mention I was in full panic by now). Luckily my husband and the other guy we were diving with surfaced and both towed me back to shore. It ttok both of them to pull my BC up onto the beach. It was only then did we notice the tank had drained of air and the BC had filled completely with water. Needless to say I'm supper careful about wading out in churned up water. Tall Diver :11:

 

[ShakaZulu]

So water can be used as a weight??? Don't understand, after you dropped your weights (at the surface I hope), a empty tank (AL) and a 7mm wetsuit (Monterey conditions), you should have had ample bouyency. If sand was in the reg, you would expect it to be cleared with a quick purge. Perhaps it was free flowing a bit, pretty cold waters up there??? During panic mode, you want to get out of the water, even though you had ample bouyency.

What kind of BC and Reg were you diving???

Anyway, nice to hear you handled the situation, don't panic!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[DI_Guy]

I am glad you're OK... That is scarey and I could see how it could happen. In these parts, we pretty well have to wear 7 mm wetsuits so I am wondering if it would have been the same for me. Did you have a wetsuit on to make you slightly buoyant ? Once again, I'm glad you're OK.

 

[Sideband]

Glad you are OK. If you were that negative, what was the extra weight for?

Joe

 

[Boogie711]

Ditto what the others said. On the surface, in a 7mm, with a flooded BC, you should still be neutral. Check your weighting - I think you must be overweighted.

 

[teknitroxdiver]

The flooded BC won't drag you down as a result of the water, but the more water goes in, the less room is available for air to be used to hold you up.

 

[Seabear70]

Well, if she's anything like me I'm negative in BC and full gear without a wetsuit. THis is a situation that scares me as Iactually carry no weights to dump. The situation does change in a wetsuit, I carry 4 pounds for a shorty, it's a little much, but it makes me feel better.

 

[Seabear70]

BTW, Is there anything I can do that can make me and my gear at least a little positively boyant short of wearing a life vest? I never thought about the risk really till I read this thread.

 

[Don Burke]

BTW, Is there anything I can do that can make me and my gear at least a little positively boyant short of wearing a life vest? I never thought about the risk really till I read this thread.

I leave my steel tanks at home if I am diving without a wetsuit. I have not done that (outside of some pool training) since I switched to a backplate and wing, so I have not had to spring for the aluminum plate.

Even with aluminum, I might have to wear a little neoprene to be a little positive.

 

[Chuck Tribolet]

On the surface, with a fully flooded BC, and a Monterey
wetsuit (one 7mm layer MINIMUM), and your weights
ditched, you should be floating like a cork. Worst case,
you have a steel tank, and IT'S a very few pounds
negative, but no where near as postive as the suit. A BC
that is completely full of water is the same amount negative
or positive as it is with nothing (no air, no water).

And even if there was sand in the bottom dump valve,
as long as that valve is at the bottom, you should be
able to put air in the BC.

And you didn't notice that the backup reg was free
flowing?


Chuck