Buoyancy trick?

[Firefyter]

See This Thread from 2006 discussing this very issue. It actually works better than you would think....

 

[*dave*]

This is exactly right.

It may have to do with the technique of holding it basically parallel with the bubble in your BC while you are ascending. As the air in your BC expands while you rise any excess will come out basically keeping you balanced for buoyancy while you are coming up. If you have really good buoyancy there won't be very much air if any to come out while you come up though. I'm still a very new diver myself but I've worked hard on buoyancy. I may add a shot or two of air once I descend but it will be minimal. Even with minimal air in there I have tried this and it seems to work. I'm sure more experienced can comment on this technique.

In real diving, it's not very practical and you end up with more water in the BCD bladder than is typical when using standard technique.

 

[rhwestfall]

I just use my pull-to-dump, and not mess with holding the inflator (up, out, etc).....

 

[mickd]

Thanks for all your responses...looks like I'll have to play with it a little when I go out next.

 

[freewillie]

Last month's Dive Training Mag had an article about ascending while keeping your inflator depressed but at your chest . As you rose any air expansion would automatically escape but just enough to maintain proper buoyancy at same time. Not sure if this is what you were looking for.

 

[AlaskaDiver]

While I understand that this is just a technique being discussed (and I'm not sure of how frequently I'd ever use it other than to say that I've tired it), why would you want to learn an obscure technique bypassing the common sense approach of honing basic skills of breathing technique, proper weighting, trim etc? I don't like the idea of adding another task (managing/manipulating the inflator) to the dive.

 

[rameus]

Hey there

Personally have not heard anything about that since I'm diving. Most important thing I guess is a proper weight-setup and gear you feel comfortable with. And once you're down there you just make sure you're not sinking ;-) Personally I like to be a tiny little bit positive buoyant which means that I'll go up a little bit after inhaling. This way you don't always have to play around with your BCD to inflate or deflate it because you keep the depth with your air.

Thomas

 

[mickd]

Firefyter, thanks for the thread link...great discussion on exactly what I was looking for. I appreciate your help.
AlaskaDiver, I agree completely with you. No one should try to shortcut on technique and skill. I'm just an obsessive information junkie and when I hear of anything new my first instinct is to jump on the internet and research (usually starting here at SB).
freewillie, thanks for the magazine reference. I'll look for it tomorrow when I'm in my LDS.

 

[clay357]

Our OW instructor taught us to do this as we ascend. He said it helps to maintain control. Haven't tried it since as control has not been an issue for me.

 

[gehadoski]

Never heard about this technique before. It seems not professional at all. If you descend and keep on holding the hose horizontally. where is the enjoyment of the diving. If the diver experiensed enough, (s)he will just inflate the need amount of air to just neutralize the bouyancy without exess and without holding the hose horizontally.