Diving with Mike Nelson

[Jim Lapenta]

Do it myself all the time. Easiest way to put on a BPW. Supposedly there is a WKKP icon who can do it with double steels.

 

[Teamcasa]

I did it 35 years ago....I really don't see any value in it today. Although, it might be fun to watch a guy try it with a jacket BC with 20 lbs of weight in the pockets...If I saw someone try it, I'd say, hold on, let me get my video camera going first.

 

[TMHeimer]

Mike Nelson was not a good role model. He would wear that old round mask on his forehead. Must've been often in panic mode.

 

[JamesK]

Mike Nelson was not a good role model. He would wear that old round mask on his forehead. Must've been often in panic mode.

Good Lord do I hate the "don't put your mask on your head, people will think you are panicking" stuff. I like to just push my mask up and relax on the surface. I had someone get on my case about it one day in front of his class telling me he could have mistaken me for a panicked diver. I was ten feet from him laying on my back floating around singing the Toys R Us theme song. I must have looked very panicked. I replied "If you think this is panicked, you should see me on a dive after a lunch of Mexican food!" He kinda mean mugged me and then started laughing, and politely asked if I would mind removing while he had his class around. I did as he asked.

 

[Thalassamania]

I put my tank on over my head, at times, especially in the water. I did it before Mike Nelson and I'm doing it long after he's gone.

 

[g1138]

Locally here at least, if you don't have a Husky X-table, and are diving a Bp/W with hog harness, you tend to go Mike Nelson.
There's nothing wrong with it if done safely and in fact it can be much easier and more graceful to do it this way.
You just have to be sure to check behind you, yell a warning, rest the BC on your head, then slide it on slowly. (be sure to squat and lean forward a little)

If I have a boat bench I tend to just use the bench. Trying to flip a BC over your head on a rocking boat is asking for trouble.

Even with stock BC's I still tend to do it this way when I'm donning my tank alone.
If you're in the water, Mike Nelson-ing it is waaay easier, no clips to mess with. Although you have to remember to keep your chin tucked so your snorkel doesn't catch the BC.

 

[boulderjohn]

Whatever you may think of the way Mike put on his gear, you have to give him a lot of credit for making diving safer. Back when he was diving, there were all sorts of evil divers just waiting to cut your regulator hose. He took care of them all. You never see them today.

 

[Splitlip]

I was encouraged to do it on small boats with no bench, no picnic table no pick up bed. It was the 70's so no octo or bc. I'll still do it on a small private boat, but on charters I'll shimmy in on the bench or with help on the gunwales.
Some folks get their pantyhose in a bunch.

 

[Outlaw13]

Do it myself all the time. Easiest way to put on a BPW. Supposedly there is a WKKP icon who can do it with double steels.

I struggle doing this with a BPW. Fine with a BC as I grab the tank band with one hand and the tank neck with the other. with a BP in the way it's not as easy. Can i ask how you do it?

 

[Zieg]

Sometimes I get down on one knee. It helps with the balance. If you look at FredT backplates, they have two slots he put in just for doing this maneuver.



Oh yeah.....I put my mask on my forehead too