Lift bags for DIR

[patmandu]

Originally posted by Lost Yooper
Andy,

Edit: Tommy, a guy named Patrick just asked your exact question on Quest, so pay 'tention .

That was me (Patrick) asking the question over on Quest. I posed this exact question the last time it came up to my GUE Tech instructor, and his reply was that if you can't control your buoyancy, you should be shooting bags.

Just want to see what the other reasonable reasons/response are to contradict him.

Now that it has been brought up, let's open the question to everyone.

What is the problem of disconnecting your 'primary' buoyancy inflator hose to shoot a bag, If you have good buoyancy and know how to manually inflate in case of a problem?

Looking forward to the replies.

--Patrick (patmandu)

 

[jetblast00]

Originally posted by trymixdiver
Is that halcyon back plate pad/pocket worth it ? how much are they ?

Looks hard to reach, can you R&R your bag underwater?

Andy

There's no real padding to it, and the naked plate is comfortable enough by itself, so there's not a big difference there, but I like it for the pocket. I never have had a problem reaching mine, you can leave your bag clipped to your rear D-ring while still in the pocket, so you can grab that. I have an older one with no leash, but I sewed one in so that the clip now reaches to my front crotch strap D-ring (like the new ones). I've haven't tried it yet though...

 

[Lost Yooper]

I don't necessarily disagree with you, Pat. I mean, a wetsuit diver does have the option of orally inflating, not to mention his buddy. However, if I had the option of disconnecting or not disconnecting my primary source of buoyancy, then I would rather not disconnect it. As a matter of convenience and safety, I would go with the baffle style bag by Carter (or similar).

Mike

 

[jetblast00]

patmandu,
I tend to agree with you, but...
OK, In practicality, if your shooting a bag, the rest of your dive is only headed in one direction, up... you aren't going to need to add gas to your BC, you're going to dump it, so you wouldn't absolutly need the hose connected... and you can always do it orally.
But, funny things happen in panic situations, and they happen quick... I really wouldn't want to disconnect or elliminate my only anything in any situation... you'd panic all over again when you finnally reached the surface, went to inflate and establish positive bouancy, nothing happened and you started sinking again...

 

[Uncle Pug]

Originally posted by patmandu
his reply was that if you can't control your buoyancy, you should be shooting bags.

Pat I'll bet you missed an *n't* in there somewhere....

But I'll go ahead and take a stab at your question....

You are shooting the bag on your way up....
You are shooting the bag at your 70' stop....
You are not going to be adding any gas to the BC....
You are going to be getting rid of gas....

It just isn't a big deal to inflate the bag with the BC inflator hose and then reconnect it when you are done.

(What are all you panic prone people doing shooting lift bags anyway?)

 

[trymixdiver]

PAT

Im not sure what your asking or stating. Im not using the bag for extra bouyancy, just as a means to deco off if i feel like shooting a bag instead of following the bottom contour (wall). I usually deco comming back up the wall from a beach entry tech dive. No current, no boat. I never have had to use it, i use it every few dives just to keep the skill fresh. Also, decoing from a bag is a great way to pefect your bouyancy skills. Nothing to do but hover aorund for an hour or so, cant help but get good bouyancy control doing deco off your bag.

Andy

 

[patmandu]

UP....

You bet I missed an 'nt in there. See what typing, cooking dinner, and sweating all over your keyboard from a good workout will do to you?

Let me re-quote what I was trying to say.

If you can't control your buoyancy, you shouldn't be shooting a bag.

I gotta proof read once in awhile!

--Patrick

 

[patmandu]

Originally posted by trymixdiver
PAT

Im not sure what your asking or stating. Im not using the bag for extra bouyancy
Andy

Not really asking or stating anything new or exciting.

There have been a flurry of posts over on Quest about whether or not to use closed circuit bags when diving wet. The theory being not wanting to disconnect the wing LP inflator for fear of something going wrong and you not being able to inflator the wing and sinking to the bottom and dying.

Personally, I when diving wet, I dive a balanced rig that I can swim up at full gas pressure. When shooting a bag, I've used up some of that gas so I'm lighter. If I forget to re-attach the inflator and get to the surface and hit the inflator and nothing happens........I say, Oh crap I'm an idiot. Then I orally inflate (Yes, I've done this once......boy did I feel like a tool).

I'm just not seeing the why there was so much controversy on the quest list about this.

And, Finally, if I were to A) Panic at the surface and not be able to add gas to my wing. I'm diving DIR, where's my buddy to help me? Where's my surface support to drag my butt to the boat and slap me in the head for being a fool?

--Patrick

 

[Uncle Pug]

Originally posted by jetblast00

But, funny things happen in panic situations, and they happen quick... I really wouldn't want to disconnect or elliminate my only anything in any situation... you'd panic all over again when you finnally reached the surface, went to inflate and establish positive bouancy, nothing happened and you started sinking again...

Jetblast...

Relax man.... you're at the surface.... you are down on gas in the tanks cause it is at the end of the dive.... you've got a 80# lift bag by the strap and you are wearing a wetsuit.... you don't have to do anything to establish positive buoyancy - you are wearing it!

 

[Uncle Pug]

Hey Andy... bags are nice and it is good to practice once in awhile but they are not a deco tool.... they are a signalling tool.... they let the boat know where you are and which way you are drifting.

If you don't have your own live boat then they are a signal device that says to other boaters in the area, "Hey - come over here and check this out!"

I take one along on most dives but I don't shoot it unless there is a reason.... why complicate things???

For visual reference I prefer to look at the little particles in the water and gauge my ascent rate by them.... much easier than looking at the depth gauge.

And Pat...quit being such a tool ut:

BTW... it is much better to have forgotten to plug your BC inflator back in and try to use it than to forget to plug your suit inflator back in and try to use it....