emergancy ascending

[BRW]

DA,

Some folks in the 6' 4" and beyond range can carry 260 lbs
well. And function extremely well in the water.

But, except for big professional athletes (including pro divers),
most 260+ lb folks in the USA are sad sacks -- to be polite.
And don't function well in the water, nor above it.

Diving has more than its fair share of sacks. And from my
local vantage point, it's getting worse as the US gets
chubbier -- 40 yrs of military, scientific, rec, and tec diving,
training, experimentation, and instruction.

Reports from American Sports Medicine suggest that divers
as a whole are the most overweight and ill-conditioned
recreational group. I will dig up some refs here. Plus some
size-weight info we have collected at RGBM Data Bank.

Sidelight here is that at NAUI Tec ITCs, we will NOT
pass nor certify candidates who cannot do timed swims --
and our biggest "no-pass" group are overweight, ill-conditioned
folks. Our stats here are 70% fail in such group Some bigger
folks in the aforementioned category (top), of course, do well.
Skill performance seems to nose dive commensurately too.

At NAUI, we do NOT take the viewpoint that diving
is a simple exercise in neutral buoyancy. Nor floating on
the surface waiting to be rescued. Nor wearing 35 lbs of
lead weight to submerge.

Some have remarked that diving (because gravity gets
negated in the water) is one thing overweight people can
do well. Such has NOT been my experience in general. Sorry,
am not trying to be mean, just truthful.

Though my experiences are only the n = 1 case, statistically.


Bruce Wienke
Program Manager Computational Physics
C & C Dive Team Ldr
;-0

 

[DA Aquamaster]

BRW once bubbled...
and our biggest "no-pass" group are overweight, ill-conditioned
folks.

I agree completely on the ill-conditioned problem. The point I was trying to state is that I have seen moderately overweight people (20-30 lbs) in otherwise good condition who dive very well in strenuous situations and I have seen slim and trim divers who in other respects lack the muscle tone and cardiovascular conditioning needed to do well with the physical requirements of serious diving.

I also regarded my definiton of a "sad sack" as being much lower than 260 lbs. It would be hard to overcome 260 pounds no matter how well conditioned you may be - that's just a lot of mass to be moving let alone getting up the boarding ladder with a 100+ pounds of scuba equipmentafter a long dive.

 

[BRW]

DA,

Quite so. And I also agree that many "sad sacks" are
far below 260 lbs.

Bottom line is physical condition always. And sad sacks
coupled to poor physical condition seem to be the norm, not
the diving exception, in all overweight scenarios I catch.

Same said by all others in my diving circles.

Thanks,

Bruce Wienke
Program Manager Computational Physics
C & C Dive Team Ldr

 

[Dr Deco]

Dear SCUBA SOURCE Readers:

Physical Fitness

It is coming out in the literature that physical fitness as measured by maximal oxygen uptake is a determinant of DCS risk. At NASA, we are tracking this concept closely.

I have said for two decades that diving is a sport requiring good fitness, but the activity itself will not endow you with the necessary fitness level. Additional exercise is necessary. [At the current time, for various reasons, I am really out of shape and do not dive.]

There is no question that fitness and weight in the population as a whole is a problem. We are much too low on the “physical activity scale.” Couch potato is the general description.

Dr Deco :doctor:

 

[Andrew Richardson]

No doubt lung injuries are serious but I would like to add to the shallow water risks. I suffered middle ear barotrauma free diving in a 12' swimming pool. Valsalva at the bottom to relieve the squeeze. over 8 weeks to recover. Symptoms are really very nasty - acute anxiety, tinnitus (loud enough keep me awake), painful ears. I wasn't even scuba diving just swimming with the kids!

My point - 12' is more than deep enough to do serious harm.

Respect the water - dive safe. Never do what you don't know how to do. I personally would discourage those who were suggesting a new diver should start experimenting with emergency procedures. Take a course from a reputable agency or end up as another statistic. The first course takes you to 60 ft. Take another course to learn to go deeper.

 

[aboalreem]

A buddy of mine had to do CESA from 85 feet, and he was totally fine.

 

[mikerault]

In the Navy, submariners are taught to do a free ascent from a downed submarine using basically a canvas hood (called a Steinke hood) from 130 feet. You Ho-Ho Ho'ed to the surface. You filled the hood with air, popped the airlock and ascended to the surface.

Mike