Buoyancy Control Problems - Dacor Rig II

[dashmatrix]

Hola,

Most of my "career" as a rec diver I dove using jacket style BCs and I was GREAT at Boyancy control. I had the whole thing down pretty good if I do say so myself.

Recently I switched over to using a back inflation type Dacor Rig BC and life isn't so great anymore. I find myself struggling with buoyancy way too much on the dive and it's stressing me out during the dive, using way too much air constantly bailing and re-establishing I just don't get it.

I've been thinking about taking an advanced buoyancy control class but really my buoyancy was great with jacket style BCs.

I'm not doing any Tec diving, nor cave stuff. Occasionally I'll do a wreck but only as a member of a herd dive on something massivly simple. Never any complex penetrations.
So what do you suggest ?

Is the dacor rigII just a piece of garbage or are all the other back inflation BC's the same story.
Should I just stick to a Jacket style BC and go back to enjoying the dives ? Or is it worth taking an advanced buoyancy class and mastering the issue.

Oh. One last thing....
I've spent a lot of time in the pool with the RIG practicing boyancy but as soon as I get it down, I go to the ocean and it's back to square one.

 

[PerroneFord]

BCs are bags that hold air. You could hold a ballon in your hands for the same effect. If you've got issues, it's probably not with the BC. Is there something else that could be throwing you off?

Are you overweighted? Sometimes a change in BC also brings about a change in weighting. It might also account for the difference between your ocean dives and the pool.

 

[meesier42]

Most likely you are fuddling with bouyancy too much cause you are just too heavy

This is my method and it works well for me.
I would start with an empty tank (~500psi) and go out into water just over your head. And do a bouyancy check to get your weight nuetral (eyes at surface when you inhale, sink slowly on exhale). Just hold wieghts in your hands for now, drop them if your heavy, have a buddy hand you more if you need it. Now you know your nuetral point for the gear that you are wearing.
Get a fresh tank on, and stow your weight, you can add 1-2 lbs to make sure your slightly heavy at the end of the dive. Head out to somewhere and drop to the bottom, depth is not important, just deep enough to work with.
Now get yourself to be nuetral in a swimming position ( ie level). You have 2 things to adjust to get there A) Tank position, moving it up and down your back will affect your swimming position. B) Wieght trim - you have trim pockets... use them ( try about 30-40% of total lead in trim rest in dumpable pockets).
If all that doesn't get you level in the water, try hanging an ankle wieght off the tank valve (what I did for years with a Zeagle Ranger).

Hope it works for you

 

[Bowtie22]

Usually changes are never this dramatic no matter what type of BC you dive from the cheapest to the most expensive, and from the BP/W to a jacket style. As long as you do a proper boyancy check from the start it should be fairly consitant. The only real difference shoud be is your position in the water..... more horizontal or more vertical..... Now even with this being said you can always add more weight to different areas to get a different position in the water reguardless of the type of BC.

One thing that does make a difference in boyancy control is the depth, salt or fresh, anxiety level of the diver, breathing pattern, and how comfortable the person in the water and how comfortable they are with his/ her gear setup. I don't know how many dives you have or the type of dives you do however if most of your dives are above 10 meters think about the difference in pressure change there is from 1ft to 33ft that is a MAJOR pressure change in a very shallow depth.... This being said if you are diving at a depth of 30ft and come up to 25ft you will have a greater change in the air volume of your BC then you will if you are down 80ft and come up to 75ft. Another thing to factor in there is the thickness of your exposure suit.....remember it compresses at depth and there goes some of your positve boyancy.

Think about all of that the next time you dive. Just go back to the basics and try to analyze your problem. I personaly am not a Dacor fan however I don't think that this is the Dacor BC that is doing this to you. If you are not sure though try someone elses back inflate or a BP/W. Let me know what you find out.

Good luck!!!