Lessons Lost integrated weight pouch at depth

[Khrissi]

Does anyone just use an old-fashioned weight belt anymore? I took my refresher course recently and used a BCD with weight pockets for the first time. I guess it's nice to not have to wear a belt, but making the BCD several pounds heavier just makes that harder to lug around.

Getting more like i hate them. My bcd has zip up pockets fr weights. Lost count the number of times i have got to the surface and my quick release weight belt is falling off my ass. BUT i still get told i must wear a quick release belt K

 

[Jonn]

If you’re diving off a Ridged Inflatable Boat, ALL your weight needs to be ditchable! I’m happy enough to lift your rig up over the pontoon for you, I’m happy to lift your weights too, my back and I are not-so-happy to lift your weights, tank, and everything all in one go.

For myself I’ve always worn an old-school nylon belt with solid castings. Might be better systems now but after 100+ years it can’t be that bad. My first cheap poodle jacket had integrated weight pockets that never gave me trouble but were inconvenient and never trimmed right. I’ll probably bow to fashion and get a harness someday, not a big priory.

 

[rmssetc]

Lessons learned

1. Don't rely on Aqualung "Sure Lock" weight pouches. I did not notice losing the weights; possibly when another diver veered into me? We had 20 divers on one three-tank trip, and lost 4 weight pouches among us, all from Aqualung.

Wow! Four weight pouches lost over 60 dives? That sounds like an incredibly high failure rate. I'm trying to imagine any common factors, beyond just the make & model of weight pouch.

Did the failures happen only on tank 2 or tank 3, or on the first dive as well?

Could there have been one person who inadvertently mishandled equipment in such a way as to unlock the weight pouches from multiple divers? Did divers remove BCDs in the water and the crew brought them on board after divers surfaced? Was this "concierge" diving, where the crew swaps BCDs over from one tank to the next. Was there a crewmember who was trying to check weights as they helped divers get off the boat?

Could there have been anything about how BCDs were stored before dives that contacted the weight release (for example, the height of a bungee strap in a tank rack, holding assembled BCD+tanks between dives)?

 

[wnissen]

Wow! Four weight pouches lost over 60 dives? That sounds like an incredibly high failure rate. I'm trying to imagine any common factors, beyond just the make & model of weight pouch.

Did the failures happen only on tank 2 or tank 3, or on the first dive as well?

Could there have been one person who inadvertently mishandled equipment in such a way as to unlock the weight pouches from multiple divers? Did divers remove BCDs in the water and the crew brought them on board after divers surfaced? Was this "concierge" diving, where the crew swaps BCDs over from one tank to the next. Was there a crewmember who was trying to check weights as they helped divers get off the boat?

Could there have been anything about how BCDs were stored before dives that contacted the weight release (for example, the height of a bungee strap in a tank rack, holding assembled BCD+tanks between dives)?

It's worse than that because some folks skipped the third dive! I see you have done some factors analysis.

This was a California day boat, a mix of divers just certified (literally on dive 5) and the very experienced. One of the lost pockets was a ProHD, mine was a Dimension, so no pattern there. Everyone set up their own gear, giant stride into the water, climb the ladder out, switch your own tank. The mate (no DM) didn't touch any of the gear except to help people in and out of their seats. No bungies on the tank slots.

Your questions did make me think, though. Is it possible that the slots were somehow forcing the weights forward, out of the pockets?