Drop weights

[cool_hardware52]

The screw bit was my dumb idea. I think Perrone is just using conventional bricks with moulded belt slots.

One inch webbing and a bolt snap, stitched together by the local cobbler.

Tobin

 

[RTodd]

Some really bad advice here. First, the implementation. Zip tie a bolt snap to a weight. Now, twist the bolt snap and see what happens - the zip breaks off easily. This is why DIR doesn't use zip ties.

Second, I highly doubt you have any need for drop weights and are trying to compensate for doing something else wrong. WKPP switches to weighted backplates without tanks on them for comfort when getting out of hte RB80s. I assume you are talking cave dives since it is the only application where drop weights would really work. For longer duration dives, you should be using stages only and all of the backgas is a reserve. That means, unless the dive really went sideways and you used a significant amount of backgas, you should have plenty of weight to puff up your suit, especially after handing or clipping off stages at deco. (Don't hang on to a bunch of stages during cave deco, get comfortable.) If you are getting cold, fix your exposure protection, G400, argon, etc. Don't try the bizarro fix.

 

[PerroneFord]

Let me take this private...

Thanks to everyone thus far.

 

[Caver95]

For longer duration dives, you should be using stages only and all of the backgas is a reserve.

You've got to be kidding. This is what you teach people.

 

[JeffG]

You've got to be kidding. This is what you teach people.

Whats wrong with that?

 

[DeepSeaExplorer]

Unnecessarily conservative, that's what.

Using this method, if I do a single stage dive in Devil's, I would only get to about the Hill 400 jump, and then what, turn around because I can't use any backgas. That's a waste of time. I could get more penetration just using backgas to thirds with no stage.

What most do is breath the stage to 1/2 plus 200, and drop the stage at a convenient point around that area. Then continue on backgas breathing to thirds and then turning the dive. Due to the flow, and reduced gas consumption on the way out, I usually finish the dive on backgas and don't bother to use the stage on the way out. I always have lots of gas left.

I have dove with a lot of different people and haven't seen anyone do it differently. The only real point of disussion is whether to us 1/2 plus 200 or thirds for the stage. However, since most systems are not syphon, 1/2 plus 200 has enough conservativism for most divers.

 

[JeffG]

Unnecessarily conservative, that's what.

Using this method, if I do a single stage dive in Devil's, I would only get to about the Hill 400 jump, and then what, turn around because I can't use any backgas. That's a waste of time. I could get more penetration just using backgas to thirds with no stage.

Me thinks you missed this

For longer duration dives,

 

[RTodd]

Unnecessarily conservative, that's what.

Using this method, if I do a single stage dive in Devil's, I would only get to about the Hill 400 jump, and then what, turn around because I can't use any backgas. That's a waste of time. I could get more penetration just using backgas to thirds with no stage.

What most do is breath the stage to 1/2 plus 200, and drop the stage at a convenient point around that area. Then continue on backgas breathing to thirds and then turning the dive. Due to the flow, and reduced gas consumption on the way out, I usually finish the dive on backgas and don't bother to use the stage on the way out. I always have lots of gas left.

I have dove with a lot of different people and haven't seen anyone do it differently. The only real point of disussion is whether to us 1/2 plus 200 or thirds for the stage. However, since most systems are not syphon, 1/2 plus 200 has enough conservativism for most divers.

None of the above reflects proper DIR gas planning. Please observe the TOS of this forum. If anyone wants a better understanding of DIR gas planning with stages, start another thread.

 

[Kendall Raine]

Maybe I should have been more clear. The weights I have seen in use are common weightbelt weights. 2#, 4#, and 6#, in various combinations. I believe they are wrapping cave line around the area where the belt would normally go, and running all that through the snapbolts, then tidying it all up with heat shrink tape. I just wanted to verify this is what they were doing before making up a couple of these.

There is no metal to metal connection here that cannot be cut away.

That's what I do. In open water I clip them off at the 70. I also dump the wing gas as I work up through the stops an minimize dumping suit gas. That way I don't have to rewarm the suit gas.

 

[DeepSeaExplorer]

None of the above reflects proper DIR gas planning. Please observe the TOS of this forum. If anyone wants a better understanding of DIR gas planning with stages, start another thread.

I didn't bring the issue up. I'm just commenting on it.

Please cite a reference. I took GUE Tech 1 and found nothing contradictory.