Fiction Writer needs Scuba Realism

[debwriter13]

Thank you for any help you can give me.

I've never scuba dived (only snorkled). I have a scene in my current story where the heroine surfaces to board the diving vessel. (I'm assuming she has used her BC with some air and has a weight belt on. I don't know about the air pressure in her tank.)

When she is getting on the boat someone tries to kill her. She tires to swim away knowing she has no where to go. She gets hit and is knocked unconscious. I have her floating face down, but my critique partner says this won't work because of the BC would float her face up. However, if I can figure out a way to have her face down for my story it would keep me from throwing my plot off.

So one question would be could she have released some of the air in the BC to attempt to go underwater again and then have been hit and floated on the surface face down because she has only a little air? I'd like another diver to rescue her, pump up her bc to help her float the correct way.

Thank you for your time.

 

[Rhone Man]

I don't think it is unrealistic that she would float face down in a BCD. It is a BCD not a life preserver.

Many modern BCDs have the floatation "behind" the diver to make it more streamlined, so the tendency would be to actually pitch the diver's face forward anyhow.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[SelkieDVM]

BCs are not designed to replace PFDs (personal floating devices) and I think it is quite plausible that it would float an unconscious diver face down. It might depend somewhat on the design of the BC and the amount of air in it. A rescuer might have to hang onto her to keep her face up, I don't think you can depend on the BC to do that. Good luck with your story. My parents just published their first novel, you can check out the link in my sig line if you want.

Cheers,
Lilla

 

[gypsyjim]

Many BCD's as well as plate and wings are back inflate, rather than jacket style, and they will tend to push you face down.

 

[Buoyant1]

If she was finishing the dive, she'd have less air in her cylinder than when she began the dive (obviously) so her cylinder would be lighter, and not want to turn her over on her back. The weight belt would also help to keep her face forward if she weighted herself properly....



But if she WAS sinking, and someone DID add air to her BC, there was be plenty to inflate.


Another option to consider is if someone saw her unconscious and floating, they would probably drop her weight belt to make her less heavy in the water, as well as attempt to add air to her vest.

 

[diver 85]

Don't worry about anything---its all fiction, right??....---statistically speaking, most people reading you're book will not be divers, so, no problem??...

 

[Majickyl]

Put her in a BP/W. Those things pitch you right on your face.

Haha... just kidding. But half-wondering if you're trolling for criticisms of back-inflation... it's kinda hard to stumble into scubaboard and not step on someone's can of worms.

I think with an empty aluminum tank she'd be face down, especially if her BC was back inflate.

To me the most plausible approach is she got on the boat, and took off her weight belt before she was attacked. She ends up back in the water severely underweighted for her empty aluminum tank, and although she tries to get below the surface (dumps all the air from her BC) to swim away she can't get under and gets hit, ends up unconcious, and floats face down.

Note that if she was boarding the boat, and got her weightbelt off, she wouldn't have fins on either and would have a really hard time swimming away.

If she was properly weighted and tried to submerge, she would be able to do it, though without fins she's not getting very far. If she got hit underwater and became unconcious, she'd likely take water into her lungs, drown, and sink.

If she's floating face down, inflating the BC wouldn't turn her face up. A rescuer would have to hold on to her to keep her face up.

 

[Wookie]

You're critique partner needs some critiquing her-(him)self. Write the story the way you see fit. As has been mentioned here already, BC's are meant to help keep you trim while diving, not face up while unconscious at the surface.

 

[gypsyjim]

Next we will expect movie and TV writers to get real facts before they write a scene?

 

[danvolker]

Thank you for any help you can give me.

I've never scuba dived (only snorkled). I have a scene in my current story where the heroine surfaces to board the diving vessel. (I'm assuming she has used her BC with some air and has a weight belt on. I don't know about the air pressure in her tank.)

When she is getting on the boat someone tries to kill her. She tires to swim away knowing she has no where to go. She gets hit and is knocked unconscious. I have her floating face down, but my critique partner says this won't work because of the BC would float her face up. However, if I can figure out a way to have her face down for my story it would keep me from throwing my plot off.

So one question would be could she have released some of the air in the BC to attempt to go underwater again and then have been hit and floated on the surface face down because she has only a little air? I'd like another diver to rescue her, pump up her bc to help her float the correct way.

Thank you for your time.

Also, in her rush to avoid being killed--and to escape, she could easily find herself jumping into the water again with the long hose hanging behind her, so she would go to her necklace reg ( which is bungeed around her neck and right by her chin--instant access) and then if she is hit and knocked unconscious, there is a strong chance the necklace reg would stay in place in her mouth, held in by the bungee...

See the following page for pictures of the set up..
SFDJ