Unknown Coasties searching for missing diver - Pompano Beach, Florida

[divezonescuba]

The term balanced rig has been used in this thread a number of times, including some corrections to earlier posts on the subject. Here is a video for those who have not heard of the term or would like a better understanding.

 

[The Chairman]

One of my tanks has a valve with the handle on the "wrong side". I've had them shut it three times now. So, when I head for the back of the boat, I always keep the deck hand in front of me and away from my valve. Then, while still looking at them, I don't pivot and do a giant stride. I simply sit down into the water, in a modified back roll. I've pissed them off doing this.

 

[The Chairman]

Here is a video for those who have not heard of the term

It should be noted that not everyone agrees one what a balanced rig is, nor on its efficacy. Diving redundant air cells is what many of us do, to ameliorate the risk. That could be a double or second bladder, a drysuit, a lift bag, or even an adequately sized SMB. Most tech dives for me, are anything but balanced, and I take steps to ensure my ability to ascend safely. Hell, even the ability to remove some or all the weight from your kit substantively reduces any risk. Just be sure not to lose too much, too quickly. Runaway ascents create their own scary problems.

 

[Marty_C]

I’m unsure of a few things, sorry if I missed it.

Has diver been found/recovered?
Unplugged inflator is confirmed?
Reg came out of mouth, at/near surface or on the bottom?
Was tank closed or just possibility?

I guess if diver hasn’t been recovered it is still hard to answer some of these questions.

I have just had a panicking diver bolt to the surface today from 47ft, everything perfectly fine till about 4 minutes into the dive, freshly certified diver. The one thing about this discussion here relevant to it, the diver in my case was at stage of panic of rejecting gear (removing mask/spitting reg), so really desperate to get to the surface, still, was quite a “weak” kicking to get to the surface, due to poor technique, in my case this was actually a good thing as it made it easier for me to control the ascent since I was also able to hold reg in mouth.

Long story short, what I’m getting at is peoples ability to swim up to surface on a malfunctioning rig, I’m questioning that many couldn’t do it even if they’re not really overweighted significantly.

Another possibility is this diver here experiencing difficulty breathing from a partially open tank, the whole 1/4 turn procedure, which passes all predive safety checks and the issue only reveals itself at depth, this is why I’m asking if diver spit reg at surface or bottom.

To add to the swim up panic comment, once in panic mode, rationale is out the window, whether the diver has droppable weights or not might be a moot point if the panic diver is hindered cognitively to even think about dropping weights. I have witnessed this more times than I’d certainly have liked to, have seen so many divers struggling at the surface for whatever reason, trying to stay afloat, verge of panic, not a single one has ever dropped weights, as I write this, I’m searching my memory for one single instance where a diver has dropped weights, can’t think of one I’ve seen in ~17 years working on boats.
There has been several times where I just reached over, inflated BCD and it worked perfectly fine, all the diver had to was inflate and they couldn’t think of that on the heat of the moment.

To add to good comments about ensuring your tank is open before splashing, I’d suggest you also ensure your valve is reachable while wearing your gear and that you familiarize yourself with opening the tank from that position.

Dive never recovered and I haven't spoke to anyone firsthand- so much what we say is speculation.

 

[Marty_C]

I did consider that, didn’t think people were doing back rolls off of LadyGo Diver.
So, some are backrolling from the sides while others step off the back?

I don't know- I don't go on that boat. Seems that the freeboard is kind of high for a back roll- but that was what I was told- not by anyone who was actually there.

 

[lowwall]

It should be noted that not everyone agrees one what a balanced rig is, nor on its efficacy.

Is there really disagreement on what a balanced rig is? Even divezonescuba managed to not screw up the definition up in his video

I will agree that it's not a requirement. It might not even be a possibility if you need multiple tanks. However safely diving an unbalanced rig means you need to have and be proficient in the use of ditchable weight and/or a redundant source of bouyancy.

 

[The Chairman]

s there really disagreement on what a balanced rig is? Even divezonescuba managed to not screw up the definition up in his video

There are several threads where people discuss this here on ScubaBoard. I believe the concept originated with DIR dogma. It has undergone several convolutions since its inception.

means you need to have and be proficient in the use of ditchable weight and/or a redundant source of buoyancy.

Sounds like an OW class to me.

 

[Pavao]

I don't know- I don't go on that boat. Seems that the freeboard is kind of high for a back roll- but that was what I was told- not by anyone who was actually there.

I think people are confusing the term, this is a backroll…


Or maybe I’m the one not knowing the term well, I thought backroll was a term describing the technique above and nothing else. And I doubt people are doing back rolls off of Lady Go, I could also be wrong about this. They could be standing on the platform, facing the boat and falling backwards, quite common alternative to giant stride, but I wouldn’t call that a back roll.

Anyway, irrelevant to the thread really, I was just intrigued by the “flipped off boat” term used earlier.

 

[lowwall]

Sounds like an OW class to me.

From your lips to Neptune's ears.

 

[The Chairman]

but I wouldn’t call that a back roll.

What would you call it? I call it sitting down into the ocean. I don't do giant strides and prefer that.

However, I've done several "sits" from 12 feet and a few from a bit higher.