How to get back onboard with weight pockets?

[Johanan]

Hi, friends!

Recently I switched from a jacket BCD to BP&W. Quite early I felt that I don't like the weight belt together with the crotch strap and the waist strap (or what was the correct name of it). I decided to try weight pockets. I liked them because the whole rig felt cleaner and simpler. However, I had to fix them with D-rings in order to prevent them from sliding forward during the dive. So far, so good. But then a dive came when I had to dive from a Zodiac - you know, that little boat without ladder where you have to jump back overboard from the water. My fellow divers elegantly removed their weight belts and handed them over to the crew. At that moment I realized that I cant easily remove the pockets. Trying to remove the weights through the openings which are used to ditch them posed a risk of loosing them.

The fact that I ask this question indicates that I got back in the boat somehow. However I have not yet solved this rebus of fixing the pockets that they would not slip forward, and being able to easily remove them and pass them to the crew. For now I use the formula - pockets for shore and boat dives and the belt for the Zodiac. Do you have a better idea? Do you use weight pockets with a BP&W at all?

Thanks!

J.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Have you considered handing up your whole rig and then climbing into the zodiac unencumbered? Or should I say, is that an option at all?

 

[Nemrod]

I would and do and did remove the equipment in the water and then slither aboard my boat and then haul the gear over.

N

 

[Johanan]

Have you considered handing up your whole rig and then climbing into the zodiac unencumbered? Or should I say, is that an option at all?

Yes, I have considered that, however, I dive dry and have quite much led in the pockets. Thus the whole rig is pretty heavy and the crew doesn't like to take it all in one piece. Therefore I was looking for other solutions. But if I learn to ignore their comments, this surely is one way how to do it. Thanks!

J.

 

[Tigerman]

So effectively youre diving with a lot of NON-REMOVABLE weight?
If thats the case, I would adress that first of all..

 

[pasley]

I wish DSS would make a weight intergrated system. But they don't so I had to do the same thing. Options are:
1. remove gear in water and secure to line (my gear will not float without me in it) and be sure to tip extra well.
2. Wear a weight harness for dives from a zodiac - ditchable weights, but more secure than a weight belt (thal always wants to slip down my hips).

 

[Nwcid]

So effectively youre diving with a lot of NON-REMOVABLE weight?
If thats the case, I would adress that first of all..

Hi, friends!

Recently I switched from a jacket BCD to BP&W. Quite early I felt that I don't like the weight belt together with the crotch strap and the waist strap (or what was the correct name of it). I decided to try weight pockets. I liked them because the whole rig felt cleaner and simpler. However, I had to fix them with D-rings in order to prevent them from sliding forward during the dive. So far, so good. But then a dive came when I had to dive from a Zodiac - you know, that little boat without ladder where you have to jump back overboard from the water. My fellow divers elegantly removed their weight belts and handed them over to the crew. At that moment I realized that I cant easily remove the pockets. Trying to remove the weights through the openings which are used to ditch them posed a risk of loosing them.

The fact that I ask this question indicates that I got back in the boat somehow. However I have not yet solved this rebus of fixing the pockets that they would not slip forward, and being able to easily remove them and pass them to the crew. For now I use the formula - pockets for shore and boat dives and the belt for the Zodiac. Do you have a better idea? Do you use weight pockets with a BP&W at all?

Thanks!

J.

That is not what it says. Plus there are many that choose to dive with no ditchable weight, I have seen many topics on it on SB.

 

[Johanan]

So effectively youre diving with a lot of NON-REMOVABLE weight?
If thats the case, I would adress that first of all..

No, I just cannot remove the pockets, but I can easily ditch the weight from them through the openings in their bottoms.

 

[Tigerman]

Then cant you do that to remove the weights and hand them over before getting back into the zodiac?

 

[Johanan]

Then cant you do that to remove the weights and hand them over before getting back into the zodiac?

May be. If I used hard led blocks instead of soft weights and would strap them together so that they don't slip out one by one. That was one of my thoughts.

Good night, friends! It's 1am in my place, but I'll come back tomorrow to collect your wisdom. Thanks!

Regards

J.