BP/W, Weight Belt and PADI IDC...

[jagfish]

OK
Mid-IDC here in Thailand. Would like to hear some input about how BP/W folks have dealt with equipment and weight belt removal for skills demonstration for PADI IDC. Seems like no matter where the belt is placed either belt removal or equipment removal is trashed...

Experiences...

I've also had to abandon the long hose and necklace configuration for now as well. Just did not work out with regulator recovery, and equipment removal, etc...

JAG

 

[doole]

OK
Mid-IDC here in Thailand. Would like to hear some input about how BP/W folks have dealt with equipment and weight belt removal for skills demonstration for PADI IDC. Seems like no matter where the belt is placed either belt removal or equipment removal is trashed...

I've been through the whole deal with BP/W; didn't have any equipment probs. Can you clarify? (I used integrated weights, however.)

I've also had to abandon the long hose and necklace configuration for now as well. Just did not work out with regulator recovery, and equipment removal, etc...

Yes, that's because it really doesn't work IMO, especially 'after the IE'. During an excercise, you want to have a reg in your hand ready to stuff into somebody's mouth which results in an extra step. Furthermore, no matter how many times you explain it, when new students see you swapping out regs, at least one of them will do it, too.

 

[neil]

During an excercise, you want to have a reg in your hand ready to stuff into somebody's mouth which results in an extra step. Furthermore, no matter how many times you explain it, when new students see you swapping out regs, at least one of them will do it, too.

If I may make a suggestion: during an exercise where you need a reg ready to stuff, why not have the student's alternate in your hand instead of yours? If an exercise goes poopy, I prefer not to be connected to a student by a hose, but to give them back their own reg.
This way you can keep your long hose in your mouth and not cause any confusion. Just my 2 cents.
Neil

 

[doole]

during an exercise where you need a reg ready to stuff, why not have the student's alternate in your hand instead of yours? If an exercise goes poopy, I prefer not to be connected to a student by a hose, but to give them back their own reg.
Neil

I'm going to start playing with that right away, thanks!

I knew there was a reason I kept loitering about on this board... :dazzler1:

 

[jagfish]

Need to have a weight belt since removal is one of the skills...

Problem is mostly with the equipment dump at surface and underwater. If I have the weightbelt over my crotch strap, equipment removal is difficult. If the crotch strap is on top of weight belt, not safe by PADI standards and then weight belt removal stinks...

Long hose just ran into too many problems...Same with bungee necklace...

 

[SeanQ]

For the weight belt, try leaving the portion that goes around you back on the outside of the harness. Keep the front portion of your weight belt under the crotch strap. This way if you have to remove your harness the weight belt won't get in the way after you undo the crotch strap. If you need to remove your weights you can easily undo the buckle and slide it out from under the crotch strap. Also, if you are the type of person who has problems with weight belts sliding off due to wetsuit compression (or lack of hips) then the weight belt will be caught by the crotch strap.

 

[jagfish]

Argghhh...
I give up. The rescue is just too difficult to do fluidly in the Bp for me. The instructors have no expereince (and patience) for this configuration here, so I've decided to abandon my rig for a week until this is all over.

What a shock to the system to be back in an ill fitting, bulky, floppy monstrosity...

 

[Rick Inman]

I take it that this is for rescue class. The feeling in mine is, the rescuer had better know how to deal with this rig setup in the real world, and it is good to have a diver in the class with it (can you say, "knife!").
But if you want to make it easy, just for the class, take off the crotch strap.

The instructors have no expereince (and patience) for this configuration here,

I hope you never really have to be rescued by one of them. Does the shop issue a card that says, "Certified to Rescue Only Divers Dressed in the Equipment We Sell"?

 

[doole]

But if you want to make it easy, just for the class, take off the crotch strap.

Totally. Mine came off the day it arrived and stayed off. For singles/rec instruction/no scooter it's unnecesary, IMO. Kind of just gets in the way. (As you have noticed.)

You might also get an "octopus holder" just for the equipment r&r stuff. During one excercise involving the IDC, my necklace nearly got knifed.