I got entangled in my p-valve!

[do it easy]

Yes, I actually got entangled in my p-valve! Duane and I were doing a practice dive with three deco bottles in an OW quarry. We stopped at one of the attractions- an amphibious assault vehicle, to move some bottles around and simulate a bottle move/gas switch. That's when it started getting sideways.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qz-xUW6LAgk

The first 4 minutes are mosty T&A- tanks and gas. The p-valve entanglement starts around 4:30.

I have the old style p-valve that has the bolt that screws in. I leave the bolt out and tied to my drysuit pocket with cave line as a backup in case of catastrophic p-valve failure of biblical proportions. I was trying to move the bottles around, but the SPG and deco leash with the O2 bottle were stuck fast to the cave line. My left d-ring felt like a jumbled mess of bolt snaps. We were in 50' of water and I actually thought about surfacing to sort the mess out because I wasn't having a good time.

If this were a real dive, my buddy would have squared me away, but for some reason, I decided it would be a good time to practice deploying my knife??? I was able to move one bottle to my right chest d-ring in an attempt to straighten out my hip d-ring, but that made things worse since I had an AL80s under each arm and couldn't move as freely. I was thinking to myself that this dive has gone completely sideways and I've lost control of it. It sucked and I wanted to be at home in my bed.

I was finally able to cut the p-valve bolt free and free up the deco leash, but now I had the bolt, the leash, and my knife in my hands, so the task loading was going to get worse. I made several attempts to stow the knife, but I was too worried about cutting something important. I eventually got the p-valve bolt into the wetnotes and the bottles squared away, but I dropped the knife in the process. I was able to pick it back up, but if this were a real deco dive...

Once I got squared away, the dive was much more enjoyable. It's not an issue now with my new drysuit, but if I have to use the old suit again, I would put the back up bolt on the medial side of the pocket

Thanks to Duane for posting the video and not drowning himself with laughter.

 

[texdiveguy]

Sounded like an interesting dip with lots of action to boot!

If it had been a 'real' deco dive you would have just had to suck it up as it appeared you did here and deal with it the best you can...as long as you are breathing all is pretty good in the u/w world.

 

[TSandM]

Oh, but through the whole thing, your TRIM was perfect . . . sigh

 

[HBDiveGirl]

Perfect trim, great story, painful moments but grace under pressure.

For a moment it looked like DIY Surgery... :scared: ... I was glad to see only gear was excised. Whew...

Great story!

~~~~
Claudette

 

[MBH]

Good story and a good save to boot! But....you need to try my betty crocker knife mod. Drill a small hole in the end of the knife handle, and attach a 1/8 inch dia surgical tube bungee loop to go around your wrist. Makes it impossible to drop your knife.

On a lighter note, teammate signals trouble with P-valve, Other teammates respond with the "you're #1 hand signal".

 

[redacted]

Reminds me of the story of the deer hunter who stopped to smoke a cigar and take a leak.

I wear a bungee loop around each wrist. My knife has a small caveline loop in the handle and a double ender is always handy. When I drop something, it usually doesn't go far.

 

[rjack321]

Nice you need a leash to hip clip stage 3 and get it outa your butt though!

And you know that you can leave the bolt in your valve just backed out a couple turns? Eventually you'll lose a bronze bolt doing that. So when you replace it get a nylon one. (you'll have to drill a hole in it) The nylon swells a little when wet and it gives a bit of friction in the hole. Not so much that you can't close it, but enough so it doesn't self loosen and fall out.

 

[do it easy]

Good story and a good save to boot! But....you need to try my betty crocker knife mod. Drill a small hole in the end of the knife handle, and attach a 1/8 inch dia surgical tube bungee loop to go around your wrist. Makes it impossible to drop your knife.

I have a set of shears in my pocket in case of an LOK emergency - low on knife

Nice you need a leash to hip clip stage 3 and get it outa your butt though!

I suppose the butt area is reserved for the backup scooter.

And you know that you can leave the bolt in your valve just backed out a couple turns? Eventually you'll lose a bronze bolt doing that. So when you replace it get a nylon one. (you'll have to drill a hole in it) The nylon swells a little when wet and it gives a bit of friction in the hole. Not so much that you can't close it, but enough so it doesn't self loosen and fall out.

I used to leave the bolt in, but I felt that it restricted the flow. I also used to keep the bolt in my wetnotes, but decided I wanted the bolt to go with the suit. I think the "p" in p-valve stands for paranoia.

 

[do it easy]

Reminds me of the story of the deer hunter who stopped to smoke a cigar and take a leak.

I haven't heard that one, but I would guess the lesson is to light the cigar after taking a leak.

 

[rjack321]

I suppose the butt area is reserved for the backup scooter.

For someone who likes swimming soooo much I figured you'd have this down already

I used to leave the bolt in, but I felt that it restricted the flow. I also used to keep the bolt in my wetnotes, but decided I wanted the bolt to go with the suit. I think the "p" in p-valve stands for paranoia.

God help us if we can't pee!