Question Do you ever practice dropping weights and handling the unexpected ascent?

[Sure Squintsalot]

I've seen crappy rented weight belts unbuckle at depth several times. In all of these cases, the divers only became aware of the problem after their weights and the bottom were out of reach. Sure, all you people who dive with your own weights have your systems dialed in and never have to worry about things falling off. For those of us who have to rent (oftentimes sh!tty) gear, it's something that has to be recognized.

When I rent a weight belt, I make sure it has an extra long tail that can be tucked under the belt itself. Rented BCDs with weights usually have belt weights that are dropped vertically into pockets with velcro closures. Not the most secure system, but better than belts. Maybe.

 

[boulderjohn]

Thankfully I was only under for about 2 minutes total and did not suffer any decompression symptoms.

The much bigger risk is lung overexpansion injury, which has nothing to do with how long you were down. The key thing to remember during an uncontrolled ascent is to exhale.

 

[boulderjohn]

So let's talk about the buoyant ascent, the one time you are supposed to consider ditching weights intentionally. In theory, if you have no gas to breathe and no alternate air source, with the surface so far away that you do not think you can make it with a CESA, you are supposed to initiate a buoyant ascent, in which you ditch weights and head for the surface while exhaling. Since CESAs have been done from 100 feet and more, that's a pretty significant (and rare) situation. Since the air in the BCD will be expanding as you ascend, you will be getting more and more buoyant, meaning that you should only have to ditch the weights if you also had a non-functioning BCD at the time you went out of air.

But let's say it happens. The recommended method for slowing the ascent is flaring, getting your body into the same position going up as a sky diver does while going down.

The fact that it is hard to come up with a scenario in which dropping weights at depth makes sense contradicts the many posts in threads that point out that people who die on scuba usually have their weights on, implying they somehow would have survived if they had only ditched their weights.

 

[greeniguana]

I've seen crappy rented weight belts unbuckle at depth several times. In all of these cases, the divers only became aware of the problem after their weights and the bottom were out of reach. Sure, all you people who dive with your own weights have your systems dialed in and never have to worry about things falling off. For those of us who have to rent (oftentimes sh!tty) gear, it's something that has to be recognized.

When I rent a weight belt, I make sure it has an extra long tail that can be tucked under the belt itself. Rented BCDs with weights usually have belt weights that are dropped vertically into pockets with velcro closures. Not the most secure system, but better than belts. Maybe.

Are you swimming around upside-down?

 

[tursiops]

So let's talk about the buoyant ascent, the one time you are supposed to consider ditching weights intentionally. In theory, if you have no gas to breathe and no alternate air source, with the surface so far away that you do not think you can make it with a CESA, you are supposed to initiate a buoyant ascent, in which you ditch weights and head for the surface while exhaling. Since CESAs have been done from 100 feet and more, that's a pretty significant (and rare) situation. Since the air in the BCD will be expanding as you ascend, you will be getting more and more buoyant, meaning that you should only have to ditch the weights if you also had a non-functioning BCD at the time you went out of air.

But let's say it happens. The recommended method for slowing the ascent is flaring, getting your body into the same position going up as a sky diver does while going down.

The fact that it is hard to come up with a scenario in which dropping weights at depth makes sense contradicts the many posts in threads that point out that people who die on scuba usually have their weights on, implying they somehow would have survived if they had only ditched their weights.

It is interesting that a buoyant ascent is not even mentioned in the PADI Instructor Manual because it is not part of the training. There is a short section on it in the Student Manual, as a last-choice resort, in the section on Running Out of Air Underwater.

 

[Blackcrusader]

It is interesting that a buoyant ascent is not even mentioned in the PADI Instructor Manual because it is not part of the training. There is a short section on it in the Student Manual, as a last-choice resort, in the section on Running Out of Air Underwater.

I have had discourse on this before and it was taught and is in the manual of my BSAC Manual introduction to diving and novice training.

Its is part of the rescue training taught by BSAC given in what PADI would call the OW. Called Controlled Buoyancy Ascents.
Also taught to bring up a diver using the Assisted Ascent. Covers both dry suit and non dry suit divers. This is covered in the BSAC Sports Diving Manual. Taught at what PADI would call AOW. OR maybe should I say the PADI tec 40 as BSAC sports divers are deco trained.

You do not always need to drop weights to do this ascent.

 

[Blackcrusader]

Are you swimming around upside-down?

Sometimes I go inverted to take photo or video. In this video I am inverted filming lion fish. Around 26m depth. You can see some divers way above that on the reef wall.

 

[Blackcrusader]

So let's talk about the buoyant ascent, the one time you are supposed to consider ditching weights intentionally. In theory, if you have no gas to breathe and no alternate air source, with the surface so far away that you do not think you can make it with a CESA, you are supposed to initiate a buoyant ascent, in which you ditch weights and head for the surface while exhaling.

Exhaling into my BCD and re-using the air on the way up. That's what I was taught to do. Do no exhale gas unless it is back into your BCD. Still gives you lift and some air to keep you alive. Last resort of course.

 

[tursiops]

I have had discourse on this before and it was taught and is in the manual of my BSAC Manual introduction to diving and novice training.

Its is part of the rescue training taught by BSAC given in what PADI would call the OW. Called Controlled Buoyancy Ascents.
Also taught to bring up a diver using the Assisted Ascent. Covers both dry suit and non dry suit divers. This is covered in the BSAC Sports Diving Manual. Taught at what PADI would call AOW. OR maybe should I say the PADI tec 40 as BSAC sports divers are deco trained.

You do not always need to drop weights to do this ascent.

View attachment 863180

I think we are talking about different things. I can't read your BSAC photo, but I suspect it is a controlled buoyant ascent as opposed to what boulderjohn and I were talking about which is uncontrolled, hence the focus on flaring out to try and control the maximum speed. Simply being ever-so-slightly buoyant, and controlling that as you ascend, is fine, and is taught in the PADI courses, although only in confined water.
The goal in the PADI classes is a neutrally buoyant ascent, not a positively buoyant ascent.

 

[Blackcrusader]

BSAC also covers uncontrolled ascents. Has happened a lot to people in dry suits and when people lost weights.
What is not covered so much are up currents and how to deal with them.

On my Scubapro Black I have two inserted weight jackets front of BCD below your hips and two back shoulder pockets. For the back shoulder pockets I will only use a single weight and I put the weight into a sock then slide it into the pocket where the clip and strap can be tightened so the weight cannot slip out if you go head down or inverted.

The only way I would see myself going up uncontrolled would be from removing my self from my BCD & tank. I have not had a tank slip in my strap but I would not want to put it back by myself and I would need to remove my BCD.

I cannot do this