DIR Compatible Ice Harness

[Green_Manelishi]

Drop a weighted line down the hole....tie into this line when you are in the water.

Ah. Makes sense. Of course it also presupposes the under-ice divers are trained in
cave diving/wreck penetration, or at least know how to run a line.

My (limited) experience has been that even wearing the BP with D-rings I was expected to wear a separate harness.

Finally, though I've done some diving under ice I do not consider myself to be an under-ice diver. I do the "u-i" dives because they are different. But with the ocean only a 20 minute drive from my home most of my dives are done in the ocean.

 

[ScoobieDooo]

"My (limited) experience has been that even wearing the BP with D-rings I was expected to wear a separate harness."

Q) Now why in hell would a guy NEED an Ice Harness with the BP w/D-rings?

??? Whats THE point to it all?

 

[Green_Manelishi]

"My (limited) experience has been that even wearing the BP with D-rings I was expected to wear a separate harness."

Q) Now why in hell would a guy NEED an Ice Harness with the BP w/D-rings?

??? Whats THE point to it all?

I asked that very question and was told "thems the rules". When I tried to point out that the D-rings on the BP harness were every bit as secure as those of the "ice harness" I was told "thems the rules". In the grand scheme of things it was not worth fighting over so I "followed the rules".

 

[ScoobieDooo]

Can someone explain WHY thats 'The Rule?'

 

[ppo2_diver]

I was taught that you needed a harness in case you BCD would come apart (i.e. shoulder straps becoming unbuckled, etc.) or come off and the diver could become separated from the line. The class never discussed the use of a BP/W configuration.

 

[bcsean]

well honestly, why do you need a harness with a bcd? they dont exactly just fall off. They're d-rings are also quite secure. we just clipped onto existing d-rings on our bcd's at the time.

 

[Desa]

Going back to the original post, the velcro is just used to hold the loose ends from "flapping" I personaly adjust the harness to fit where I can still slip it on over my drysuit and then duck tape all the adjustable flaps so they are not a nusance.

I don't use the harness as much for ice diving as I do when fighting the currents in the Ohio river while looking for "things". The major advantage to being hooked to a harness, is I can adjust the way/angle I am being pulled. Most of the time I want to be in a straight line with the line tender, but not always. The harness allows me to be pulled from the center of my chest Just my 2 cents worth

 

[minnediver]

I really don't get the whole clipping off to the d-ring. I mean do an ice dive like any other overhead environment. Run an ascent/descent line, tie off to the bottom of that with a reel and start swimming.

I think that some of the agencies don't treat ice diving and wreck diving with the seriousness that they deserve. Strapping harnesses and such onto people is solving one problem by creating another. I purposly didn't ice dive for 3 year because I thought the course offered in my area was bogus and I couldn't justify the "safety" precautions taken. I have now found a group of experienced ice divers that also have cave and deep wreck experience and we dive freely under the ice.

 

[ScoobieDooo]

Uh, I doubt my BP and harness will ever actually 'fall off' of me.

 

[XJae]

I don't use the harness as much for ice diving as I do when fighting the currents in the Ohio river while looking for "things". The major advantage to being hooked to a harness, is I can adjust the way/angle I am being pulled. Most of the time I want to be in a straight line with the line tender, but not always. The harness allows me to be pulled from the center of my chest Just my 2 cents worth

this is what i was told when i asked the question.
more comfortable and easier to manage from the mid chest than the crotch.

i imagine while you are out of the water, whether testing thickness, cutting a hole,
tending, or possibly rescuing, you could easily clip yourself off without wearing your bc.