Don and Doff Gear underwater

[TigerDiver8]

I will have to do a gear exchange underwater for my Dive Master Class. I changed to a weight belt because I figured I would shoot upward if I took my BP/W off with the integrated weights. So I have 10 lbs on my weight belt and my SS back plate is 6 lbs. Perfect weight for me to dive with. But with my BP/w off I will only have 10 lbs to keep me down in my 7/8 mm wet-suit. Will this be enough to keep me down or will i be positively buoyant. I am 170 lbs

 

[tbone1004]

no possible way to know. The ideal situation is to weight yourself with an AL tank because at that point the steel plate will take up most of the buoyancy of the tank and you will be weighted for your wetsuit. You will likely have to breath very shallow but that can account for a few pounds right there. Depth is your friend in this one too

 

[redacted]

Without your BC, you will be positively buoyant. But it is quite easy to manage. DO NOT LET GO OF YOUR GEAR.

 

[MarineResearch]

Being a little over-weighted helps quite a bit. Sure, it's sort of like cheating, but so is using a weight belt that you don't normally use.

 

[g1138]

You'll always be positively buoyant in the 8ft deep end for the ditch and don. Deal with it; it comes with the territory of a 7mm.
Cuddle your unit between your knees when you go to don fins, mask, and belt.

For the don: Put the belt on sloppily any way possible (yes, even loose with buckle on your back), don everything else, and when all your gear is on, ditch the belt and weight belt roll it on correctly to finish your skill.

Biggest tip also, you don't have to be settled on your knees to get a pass on the skill.
If you don your gear upside down, resting on your head, it's still a pass. You're UW, orientation feet planted down doesn't matter. If you fight to stay in that orientation, you're going to make your life a lot harder.

 

[scjoe]

Without your BC, you will be positively buoyant. But it is quite easy to manage. DO NOT LET GO OF YOUR GEAR.

Some doff and don exercises require you to exchange gear multiple times with multiple parties so you can end up being underweighted if you don't have it all on your belt.

 

[soonerwink]

Here is a tip that my buddy and I used. Start off with your buddies gear on, that way it will be easier underwater to put your own gear on.

 

[gypsyjim]

When I did my Y cert a long time ago, ditch and don was the norm. Our gear was spread across the deep end of the pool. The drill was to submerge, and don and clear, before resurfacing. It was kind of fun, actually.

I dived in and powered down to grab my weights and then my tank (pre BCD) and then I had plenty of time to deal with the rest.

A few years ago I was playing in a pool, and did a gear change, forgetting that on this dive all my weight was in the wing, unlike the old all weight belt days. I must have been quite a sight, as my sudden increase in buoyancy took it's effect, and I was upended above my wing!

If I were doing your class I'd make sure I have some weight on a belt, at least enough to negate the excess buoyancy of the suit. I still tend to carry some weight on a belt, as a personal preference.

 

[knotical]

Assuming this is a PADI course (based on your profile) you didn’t mention that it’s not only doff & don, but actually an equipment exchange with a buddy while sharing a single second stage. Some respondents may not have been aware of this.

 

[Nemrod]

You'll always be positively buoyant in the 8ft deep end for the ditch and don. Deal with it;

For tech I would expect the D&D to be done in the environment, not a pool. For SDI solo I had to to a D&D on the bottom (sand) in about 60 feet and then we did a midwater D&D, swim with gear removed and without mask.

I did my first one weight integrated, I did the midwater with a weight belt. I had some trim weight on my rig though. I was only in a 3/2 which meant about 8 pounds, 6 on belt, two on rig, aluminum 80. As I recall.

Carry as little gear as possible, no silly snorkel.

N