Getting rid of my weight belt?

[micknewton]

Just in case anybody gives a flip…

I looked in the book “Dress for Success” and in the section where they cover weighting systems (page 61) it says…

“What to look for: A simple uncomplicated weighting system that can be jettisoned in the event of an emergency.”

Call me crazy, but this sounds to me as if they’re advocating ditchable weight.

Further down on the same page it says…

“For most reasonably fit divers that use double steel tanks extra ballast is not necessary as their system as a whole provides adequate ballast.”

In which case you would have no ditchable weight. Call me crazy again, but this sounds like a contradiction to me.

Then it goes on to say…

“Single or double Aluminum 80s usually require some form of extra weight. The preferred system would be to use a “V” weight which is simply a long “V” shaped piece of lead that fits between the wings and tank and is held in place on the bolts the backplate fits onto.”

In which case I guess you need to take your rig apart and un-bolt it when you want to ditch the weight.

Anyway, it specifies jettisonable weight at the beginning of the section, but spends most of the section stating that the preferred solution is fixed weight. I have to assume that if I showed up for a DIR/F class with all fixed weight that it would be okay.

 

[DocWong]

Hi Mick,

Since most tech divers have redundant systems; drysuits, SMBs etc, it's apparently not such a big deal. For many newer divers who are typically overweighted and diving in relatively shallow waters, I can see how ditchable weights may make some sense.

I carry a larger 6 foot SMB and a smaller one and along with my drysuit I'm not very concerned about getting to the surface. I'm more concerned with getting to the surface too quickly though, especially when I have a decompression obligation.

 

[Ben_ca]

Mick it's having a balanced rig that's important.

 

[BigWhiteSquare]

If you went with a DSS plate you could get your 8 lbs from their bolt on weight plates:

http://deepseasupply.com/page8.html

___

 

[Jorbar1551]

this probably varies from person to person, but how much weight should be ditchable? Also, where can i get a V weight?

 

[Vayu]

Generally it is a good idea to be able to swim any non ditchable weight up with a full tank and with a compressed wetsuit. Too much ditchable weight and too little ditchable weight can both be a hazard. An example of both would be: A wetsuit diver with steel doubles in freshwater with steel stages who would be trapped in the event of a bc failure or conversely a recreational diver in a drysuit with only ditchable weight that can be accidentally ditched and results in an uncontrolled ascent.

I guess i'm one of the lucky ones because in a 5mm fullsuit/3mm gloves beanie and boots I only need my 5-6 lb steel plate. I've added a 1lb STA but I found I don't need it when my tank is empty and im doing an ascent. So I am going to show up to DIRF this way with no ditchable weight and you better believe I can swim the weight up.

Just mess around till you find what is right for YOU and what you feel comfortable with. There are extremes on both sides but generally the true answer is somewhere in the middle. Fortunately for us there are innovative people out there that make it easy to put ditchable or non ditchable weight in a variety of places so you can trim out either way.

-V

 

[micknewton]

Thanks guys! Much appreciated.

 

[daniel f aleman]

Damn right you need ditchable weight, reasons are obvious.

lamont, first time, I think that I disagree with you on something. Please reconsider...

 

[SDAnderson]

Before you start fiddling with your rig, make sure that you really understand what the problem is and that evaluate any changes you plan on making in light of the Law of Unintended Consequences. The problem here is "emergency" buoyancy control, either due to suit compression or a holed bladder.

If you're naturally positive and are going to have to carry ballast, keeping some of it ditchable (in 5 pound increments) is a good idea. If you're concerned about accidentally losing a weightbelt you can run the crotch strap over the belt or use a harness system. Remember that you can't regain any ballast that you drop, so be careful to have the system set up so that you can lose little bits.

In some respects, the control issue means that redundant lift sources are a better idea. It's a heck of a lot easier to dump some gas from a dry suit or lift bag than it is to reclaim a block of lead from the bottom and an uncontrolled ascent might be just as bad as being unable to ascend. Besides, if you're negative without additional ballast (heavy doubles, giant kidney stones, etc.), adding weight just to have something to ditch is a bad idea.

V-weights and heavy backplates are an excellent way to control pitch, though they tend to increase roll problems. If you need a lot of ballast, they allow you to shift some of it away from your weightbelt so that you can ditch the belt in an emergency. Most of the time I'm very negative and don't have any added ballast, so I rely on redundant lift to save my butt in the event of a holed bladder or drysuit. When I dive a more buoyant rig and need to add ballast, I still carry redundant lift with me and I wear a weightbelt with pockets that allows me to toss one piece of lead at a time, should the situation require it.

 

[BabyDuck]

in a single, i put 6lb (fresh) or 10lb (salt) on cam band strap pockets. totally swimmable, could conceiveably be undone if i needed to chuck a weight at someone for self-defense (since i don't see much other reason to be able to take it off).

but i'm starting to use doubles - have 6 dives in them so far - and i'm so HEAVY in them! i feel like the wing overflow will pop off any second. i'll be trying my al plate this week since i've been using the ss one, so we'll see if that's any help...