Dropped weight at depth

[Jorgy]

Not sure why, but I was always concerned with dropping a weight belt a rocketing to the surface.........I saw that as the most risky item with diving..........

So we all use weight integrated BCs (I use a BP/W) and split the weights equally to all four pockets (at least as close as possible to equal).......on my BP/W I have two XS Scuba pockets on the top cam band and two on the belt.......

That way a lost weight or weight pouch would only be 25% of the total...........

As far as not being able to ditch all the weight, we always dive together and stay very close......so we have access to air and extra lift with our buddies tank and BC.....

This seems to work very well for us..........

M

 

[halocline]

There were 2 Coast Guard divers that died about two years ago because they had weights stuffed in their pockets. The investigation pretty much proved to me that stuffing enough non-dumpable weights in your pocket intending to stay submerged is not a real good plan. IMHO.

What evidence do you have that the cause of these divers' death was weights stuffed in their pockets?

 

[halocline]

Not sure why, but I was always concerned with dropping a weight belt a rocketing to the surface.........I saw that as the most risky item with diving..........

So we all use weight integrated BCs (I use a BP/W) and split the weights equally to all four pockets (at least as close as possible to equal).......on my BP/W I have two XS Scuba pockets on the top cam band and two on the belt.......

That way a lost weight or weight pouch would only be 25% of the total...........

As far as not being able to ditch all the weight, we always dive together and stay very close......so we have access to air and extra lift with our buddies tank and BC.....

This seems to work very well for us..........

M

Unfortunately, quick release weight pockets from weight integrated BCs drop unexpectedly as well. I understand your set up is not one of those, actually I use the same thing you do; BP/W with xs scuba cam band pockets. It's really easy to pull the weights out of the pockets if you need to.

But I don't think in general that weight integrated BCs are any safer than weight belts from accidental release.

 

[Graeme Tolton]

Unfortunately, quick release weight pockets from weight integrated BCs drop unexpectedly as well. I understand your set up is not one of those, actually I use the same thing you do; BP/W with xs scuba cam band pockets. It's really easy to pull the weights out of the pockets if you need to.

But I don't think in general that weight integrated BCs are any safer than weight belts from accidental release.

I agree with this. I have seen more lost weight pockets than I have seen lost belts. I use a combination of weight zipped up in my bcd pockets and weight on my belt when I am diving with my dry suit.

 

[CoralSeaMan]

What evidence do you have that the cause of these divers' death was weights stuffed in their pockets?

I assume you are talking about the Healey incident. They did have weight in their pockets. They also had about 60 pounds apiece, their gear was misassembled, it was not regulation gear, they were not trained properly for the conditions and their support crew was not properly trained. That accident has been analyzed by the Coast Guard and there is a report that points out many problems. Non ditchable weight was only one piece of a much greater problem.

 

[Jorgy]

I concur......weight pouches are not perfect........

My logic.......

Both my daughter and darling bride use 12 lbs total, 6 goes into the trim pouches.....that would be really hard to drop........

3 go into each pouch........with only 3 lbs there is not a lot of stress on weight pouch......

I am looking at it from a single failure perspective.......if a belt would drop it is 50% of their weight, if a single pouch drops it is only 25%........

I also have seen lots off pouches with 10-12 lbs stuffed in them, I would never do that.......

M

 

[TSandM]

I've had a weight belt come off ONCE -- and it got caught in my crotch strap, so I was not buoyant.

But I HAVE had a 5lb soft weight escape from the velcroed pocket on my XS Scuba pocketed weight belt. That was a very uncomfortable dive at the end -- I decoed on out kelp stipes, and thanked God for their presence. I subsequently built two traditional weight belts with hard, threaded weights, one for my single tank setup and one for my doubles. And I try to use hard weights in the pocketed belt, on the rare occasions when I still need to use it.

 

[suprasteve]

hmm, a good reason for steel doubles and a backplate? At the same time, remember if you have too much unditchable weight and your bcd/single bladder wing fails, you might not be able to get back UP... darned if you do, darned if you don't (not really, but sounds good)

 

[dpatakas]

More of a lurker than anything else, but not having the ablity to dich weight can be a real problem.

A few month ago, at the Monterey Break Water I when in to the surf in my street cloths, the solo shore dive was flat on his belly getting his head bounced against the rocks. I had done my diving early because it can get rough later in the day, and less money in the meter . I get to this guy and in order to ditch his weight belt, I have to just about take off his BC, his weight belt was under his BC. It was to rough and to much weight for the guy to stand up. Not sure if I could have helped him with my rig and weights on. I do know I could have ditched my weight pockets.

What it really comes down to is knowing the conditions, understand your gear and using the gear that best fits dive.

dan

 

[ChangeAgent]

Firstly there is a whole tribe of people out there that overweighed, so they need to learn to trim properly as this reduces your risk. (was just in the Red Sea where a 5 foot slim lady was diving in a shorty with 8 KG) I for example can drop my weight at 30 meters and stay there in my 5 MMwet suit.

Secondly I think the rule of having to be able of dropping your weight quickly is old fashioned. Yes it was important in the days I started diving, as we had no form of buoyancy compensation or surface flotation support. As a matter of fact we used to leave weights behind under water and collect them on the way back.

Today this is different so I think quick ditch posibilety is far less important. I agree with the idea of having your weights in more than one place (if you have more than 2KG that is).

After my wife once lost her belt (I was under her and caught it and we did fine) we made a second clip on the belt that connects to the ABLJ. This is a quick release clip, so in a emergency it might take an extra second to release. But if the buckle should open it will not leave you. Problem solved and still safe.