hitting head when using BP/W

[GreenDiverDown]

Padi requires a remove and replace at the surface and on the bottom during pool sessions. In open water they require a R and R at the surface only.

I teach this as a basic skill that one should have...how to get in and out of your gear while in the water. Obviously, it comes in handy on those occasions when it is preferable to enter or exit without wearing gear. But more importantly, it's just something everyone should know how to do. I suppose there may be other times when one needs to slip out of their gear temporarily...maybe, with the help of your buddy, to get untangled...or...to adust or manipulate part of your gear.

But, I...and as far as I know...Padi does not teach this skill as a response to an immediate need to turn on a closed valve. Sure...pop loose your cumberbund, reach over your head and pull the valve within reach...but there is no need - nor is it expedient - to take your rig all the way off under such circumstances.

Now...why not just set your rig up so that you could just reach back and quickly turn it on?

If you do enough dives, eventually you WILL get in the water with your valve closed. If you catch it before you descend it's great to be able to just reach over your head and turn it on...you don't have to ask your bud to help...you don't have to take your gear off. Same thing if you don't catch it on the surface and only find out as you descend. Sure, if you're weighted right and haven't descended very far, you can just swim back up. This problem is even worse if you descend with a hard and prolonged exhale only to get no air when you get that undeniable urge inhale. But why not just reach up and turn it on?

It really is a no-brainer.

 

[cool_hardware52]

If you do enough dives, eventually you WILL get in the water with your valve closed.

Yup, it happens. To smuggly argue that it won't happen to YOU is just silly. Everybody has an off day, gets distracted, gets a little too much "help" from the well intentioned, etc.

When there is an easy fix to this problem, why not train for it?

Is there some benefit from NOT being able to reach your valve?


Tobin

 

[HBDiveGirl]

Yup, it happens. To smuggly argue that it won't happen to YOU is just silly. Everybody has an off day, gets distracted, gets a little too much "help" from the well intentioned, etc.

When there is an easy fix to this problem, why not train for it?

Is there some benefit from NOT being able to reach your valve?


Tobin

Thanks, Tobin et al, for being relentless on this point.
I'm 4 dives into trimming out my new BP/W, and your words have been bouncing around in my head on each dive. I might have been tempted to prioritize perfect comfort, (and NO head contact with the 1st stage,) over being able to effectively reach AND turn the valve... and you guys and gals just won't let me. Thanks.
It's easy above the surface, but more challenging if I've got some neoprene d.s.-squeeze going on...restricts my reach a bit...and that might well be part of the picture when I eventually splash in with my valve closed. (I notice that dry suits don't have back-up oral inflators

, so hot-dropping with the valve off is gonna put the squeeze on.)

The 20-degree tank rotation helped, Tobin. Good tip.

I'll just keep trying to do what all your little voices tell me...

Claudette

 

[Nemrod]

You valve checkers go ahead and wear your tank over your head so you can check your valve---holy cow. You know of course that if the tank is set at a correct lower position then all you have to do is reach around under it and push it up and then easily grab the valve and check it till your hearts content.
Getting in the water with your valve off is like a pilot taking off with no fuel and then blaming it on the line boy. It may happen but it has never happened to me and it WILL not and getting in the water with my valve off or partialy closed will not either. I--and I ALONE and the master of my destiny--the Captain of my ship.

Recently during a vintage double hose dive ralley the group had decided to dive to approx 200 feet. Preperations were made. I had decided that since the water was way cold down there (and I am a wuss) that I would not proceed beyond 100 feet so I was acting more like a safety diver and escort. After swimming from shore to the bouy that marked the dive point several divers of the fairly large group had returned to shore and were having some sort of discussion. Soooo, when diving double hose units as we all were they sometimes tend to free flow when you roll on to your back to rest on the surface. Quickly several divers indicated they wanted their air turned off while waiting since the wait was getting long. I turned their air off for them and when the group finally united I turned it back on. This is one of the few times I can recall that a valve was manipulated in the water on a single tank dive. I, even though I wear my tank very low on a bp with crotch strap, reached around, pushed the tank up and closed my own valve. This was no big deal.

If your swimming around with your valve whacking you in the back of the head and your getting tired of it then please feel free to ignore PadI and to lower the tank until the valve centers in the area between your shoulders. You will balance better, trim better, the tank will not hit you any more and if you absolutely must fanagle with your single tank valve then just reach back and shove the tank up and use the other arm to turn the valve-----geeezzzzzz. N

 

[GreenDiverDown]

My worst...

Long ago, as a new DM assisting with a rescue class, in a hurry to get down and "hide"...I was to be the lost unconscious victim...in a 7mil wetsuit and a Chute 2 BC...sinking pretty fast to about 8 feet in a crappy vis cold lake. I attempted to inhale but got nothing. Pretty freaked, I kicked and clawed my way back to the surface. To be honest, at that point in my diving, even if I had been able to reach my valve I might not have thought to do so. It was the first time that I had done anything really stupid and panic got the best of me. I remember thinking, "drop weights!...Nah...I don't want to have to look for 'em!...Kick harrderrr!" :11:

My best...

Just about any dive nowadays...standing at the gate, I reach over my head and check my valve. Cool!

 

[GreenDiverDown]

You valve checkers go ahead and wear your tank over your head so you can check your valve---holy cow.

I don't wear mine over my head...it's juuust right!

You know of course that if the tank is set at a correct lower position then all you have to do is reach around under it and push it up and then easily grab the valve and check it till your hearts content.

You know, of course, that if the tank is set in the correct position you can just reach over your head and turn on the valve...well some might still need to push their tank up a little.

Getting in the water with your valve off is like a pilot taking off with no fuel and then blaming it on the line boy. It may happen but it has never happened to me and it WILL not and getting in the water with my valve off or partialy closed will not either. I--and I ALONE and the master of my destiny--the Captain of my ship.

Right on... uh...captain!

If your swimming around with your valve whacking you in the back of the head and your getting tired of it

No head wackin' goin' on here.

then please feel free to ignore PadI

Hmm...PADI doesn't teach this...it's not a PADI thang!

You will balance better, trim better,

Exactly...if you trim vertical.

 

[GreenDiverDown]

Oh shoot I forgot...

...geeezzzzzz!

 

[GreenDiverDown]

Some more info on the correct fitting of should straps would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Mel

Do this with your exposure suit on...

Straps should be adjusted so that you can reach over your shoulder and touch the top of the plate. You should be able to comfortably get a couple of fingers under the straps on the front of your chest. You don't need a chest strap.


http://www.baue.org/images/galleries/equipment

Or...you can go for the low rider look and drop that thing down to your butt!

 

[Humuhumunukunukuapua'a]

Really? You guys would "just get used to" hitting your head every time you look up? Not me.

Nor I. Sounds like a sucky way to dive...

 

[gecko3s]

uh geez... I guess getting used to it was a bad choice of words... maybe...learning how far back you can tilt your head? I dunno..I mean.. I don't even notice it's there anymore maybe I just changed the way I look up....

but yes! I can also reach my valve...as I'm not quite as experienced as nemrod, and theres still a chance my valve might be off when I get in....