How much weight can YOU swim up?

[dumpsterDiver]

I intended to find out tomorrow.

But what I really need to know, is not how much I can swim up, but how much excess weight can I keep stabilized at the surface while I orally inflate? Isn't that the point of the question? Because if I can't keep it stabilized at the surface, I need to dump it before even trying, right?

- Bill

If you are wearing a wetsuit, it will expand on the ascent and it should get easier to swim. So at the surface, things should be much easier. The "experiment" is most useful (I think) for people who do not carry enough ditchable lead to easily survive the total failure of the BC. So filling the BC on the surface may not be much of an issue. If you COULD fill the BC, it would probably be done on the bottom.

 

[billt4sf]

If you are wearing a wetsuit, it will expand on the ascent and it should get easier to swim. So at the surface, things should be much easier. The "experiment" is most useful (I think) for people who do not carry enough ditchable lead to easily survive the total failure of the BC. So filling the BC on the surface may not be much of an issue. If you COULD fill the BC, it would probably be done on the bottom.

OIC. As well as that, I envision that it could be useful if, for some reason, I had to orally inflate. For example, OOA (one hopes not, but it could happen), failure of the inflator hose, or detached inflator hose and you didn't notice it (happened to me) or could not get it back on.

Is it possible to orally inflate at depth?

- Bill

 

[Tigerman]

OIC. As well as that, I envision that it could be useful if, for some reason, I had to orally inflate. For example, OOA (one hopes not, but it could happen), failure of the inflator hose, or detached inflator hose and you didn't notice it (happened to me) or could not get it back on.

Is it possible to orally inflate at depth?

- Bill

If you have air, yes..
But if you have air, why would you need to or why would it work better...

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk

 

[dumpsterDiver]

OIC. As well as that, I envision that it could be useful if, for some reason, I had to orally inflate. For example, OOA (one hopes not, but it could happen), failure of the inflator hose, or detached inflator hose and you didn't notice it (happened to me) or could not get it back on.

Is it possible to orally inflate at depth?

- Bill

this is one of the most basic and important survival skills. An inflator may stick one and inflate the BC, so you would dump and disconnect underwater. Then you may have to orally inflate.

 

[Tigerman]

If its inflating and you dump and disconnect, you already have air in the bag, probably too much.
Also, for any recreational single tank dive you shouldnt NEED the BC in the first place or you're overweighted in the first place. It is HANDY but not neccesary.
If youre diving dry, you also have a second option for lift making the BC even more of a convenience.

 

[flots am]

...I bet you'd be surprised.

I posted this because of all the interest lately in weighting, and amount of ditchable weight.

I'm not sure I see a use for non-ditchable weight, outside of cave diving.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

If its inflating and you dump and disconnect, you already have air in the bag, probably too much.
Also, for any recreational single tank dive you shouldnt NEED the BC in the first place or you're overweighted in the first place. It is HANDY but not neccesary.
If youre diving dry, you also have a second option for lift making the BC even more of a convenience.

where do you come up with this? You don;t need a bc for single tank diving... WRONG. A stuck inflator will result in too much air in BC.. WRONG again.. It is very likely the diver may over dump air as the disconnection takes place.

 

[gcarter]

If its inflating and you dump and disconnect, you already have air in the bag, probably too much.
Also, for any recreational single tank dive you shouldnt NEED the BC in the first place or you're overweighted in the first place. It is HANDY but not neccesary.
If youre diving dry, you also have a second option for lift making the BC even more of a convenience.

I see this statement or some variation thereof made on a regular basis on this forum - by experienced divers.

Being overweighted at depth and properly weighted at the surface is a normal state for anyone who dives in a compressible wet suit, with the gap widening as the exposure protection gets thicker. So yes, there is in fact a need for a BC in single tank recreational diving when wearing any amount of exposure protection. It is not just handy, it can in fact be very necessary.

 

[uncfnp]

If its inflating and you dump and disconnect, you already have air in the bag, probably too much.
Also, for any recreational single tank dive you shouldnt NEED the BC in the first place or you're overweighted in the first place. It is HANDY but not neccesary.
If youre diving dry, you also have a second option for lift making the BC even more of a convenience.

My steel 80's drop about six pounds from full to empty. Got to make that up somewhere.

 

[Tigerman]

where do you come up with this? You don;t need a bc for single tank diving... WRONG. A stuck inflator will result in too much air in BC.. WRONG again.. It is very likely the diver may over dump air as the disconnection takes place.

I see this statement or some variation thereof made on a regular basis on this forum - by experienced divers.

Being overweighted at depth and properly weighted at the surface is a normal state for anyone who dives in a compressible wet suit, with the gap widening as the exposure protection gets thicker. So yes, there is in fact a need for a BC in single tank recreational diving when wearing any amount of exposure protection. It is not just handy, it can in fact be very necessary.

My steel 80's drop about six pounds from full to empty. Got to make that up somewhere.

Your'e all saying is that you can not dive without a BC..
Guess what, thats EXACTLY what people did back in the day. Thats exactly what Ive done on certain dives just for the heck of it.
Unless you wear quite a bit of exposure protection, no you dont really NEED your BC.
You can dive perfectly fine in a 5 mill full suit with no air in your BC for the entire dive. Sure, its handy to have some extra flotation on the surface and you dont need to keep moving, but you don't NEED it.
Oh yeah, that applies to the BC as well. It might dump faster than it inflate, but pressing both buttons at the same time in the pool isnt quite how it works. Its had time to "pre-inflate" before you realize its stuck - thats kinda HOW you know its stuck..

I guess trying it for myself isn't worth a damn, so I'll just leave you all to your "omfg-im-gonna-die-without-my-BC club"..