Ditching Weight

[Codyjp]

I haven't been diving long, but a few questions have come to mind about ditching weights;

If weight is dropped at any depth greater that a depth that would allow for a CESA aren't you at a great risk for DCS or worse?

So the only time to safely ditch weight would be at the surface, or within 30' of the surface?

did i miss something in training?

That being said, is it better to have an integrated weight belt where you have the option of only ditching half of your weight at a time as opposed to a weight belt?

 

[jeckyll]

you don't ditch weight for a CESA.

The C is for Controlled.

If you ditch your weight it is a +ve buoyant ascent. That's much more dangerous.

 

[CD_in_Chitown]

So the only time to safely ditch weight would be at the surface....

That sums it up nicely, only drop weights when you want to get/remain positively buoyant at the surface

 

[andydiver06]

Dropping Weights is more serious than dropping your pants. I dropped weights (handed over to my instructor) at surface during rescue exercise.

 

[Codyjp]

that is what i understood. So unless you happened to conviently have a BC pressure problem AT the surface then you would never really want to dump your weights? maybe i am repeating myself. it just seems that a weight belt is just to easy to accidentally dump. (just ask my dive buddy how that went for me...glad i was at the surface)

 

[andydiver06]

I always wet my weight belt before putting on and tank band before securing. After descending if required tighten you weight belt again.

 

[Kray_Z]

but then again.. if your last resort is heading for the suface... do it.. if your gonna die with the weight you have on.. dump and deal with the dcs aftwards... after all... that dcs "can" be treated... death at depth after drowing doesnt have as high of a chance...


but make sure that is your last resort... you should have a buddy... but in the end.. if you have to do it and take your chances.. at least then you have a chance

hope to never hear of this happening to you

i need to get wet soon.. been out for too long :S... almost two weeks!

 

[Azza]

Depending on what configuration you dive, you could have partial Weight Integration and partial weight belt. This way if you need to ditch some weight, you can ditch HALF your weight and swim up. This will stop (or at least slow down) you doing an impression of a Polaris Missle.

Remember if you are correctly weighted at the surface you should be floating at about eye level with an empty BCD and half a lungfull of breath. When you exhale you should slowly sink.
If diving with an Alumunium tank you will need to be about 2 kg overweight at the start of the dive to counter for the fact that Ali tanks get around 2kg positively buoyant when at or around 50 bar (700 psi).

(I would suggest if you dive an Ali tank then do a buoyancy check at the end of a dive when the tank is at about 50 bar (700psi).)

If you dive in a thick wetsuit, and use an ali tank, at the start of a dive you can be grossly overweighted at depth. This is due to the compression of the wetsuit (which in turn causes the wetsuit to lose its buoyancy) and the extra 2 kg you have to offset the ali tank.
By ditching HALF your weight you should be able to swim up and remain positively buoyant on the surface.

I hope this has been helpfull

 

[donnad]

ya know, i had wondered that before too, until i read alot on this board. i too think that PADI training could be better. they teach you that you've gotta be able ditch your weights and know how to release your buddies' weights in an emergencey, but never cover exactly under what circumstances you should do that. in fact, i don't feel like they adequately covered possible problems and the solutions at all. they really should be more thorough in my opinion.

 

[Codyjp]

ya know, i had wondered that before too, until i read alot on this board. i too think that PADI training could be better. they teach you that you've gotta be able ditch your weights and know how to release your buddies' weights in an emergencey, but never cover exactly under what circumstances you should do that. in fact, i don't feel like they adequately covered possible problems and the solutions at all. they really should be more thorough in my opinion.

It did seem like the PADI OW course left a lot of things unanswered. maybe i will persue some advanced training soon and that will help a bit.

as a flight instructor i teach every feasable or possible emergency and don't leave any possible disaster unanswered. i don't think i got that with the OW. anyway, thanks for your comments everyone!