Maybe the dumbest question on SB

[mathauck0814]

I dont think strength or configuration would help much

not the east of which is being able to rest your head instead of holding it up for 30 min.

How is strength not a factor in not experiencing fatigue from the hard work of holding one's head up for an arduous 30 minute swim?

 

[IanBrit]

Why would you be swimming for 30 minutes back to the boat anyway?

 

[rongoodman]

I'm not getting the part about having to keep your head up--I just lay back on my wing and stay flat on the surface. A navigation mishap on the last trip resulted in a 20 min surface swim and I was embarrassed, but didn't have a sore neck.

 

[MarineResearch]

I can think of better solutions, like avoiding long surface swims altogether. Better navigation? Better air management so you can surface, find the boat, take a compass heading and then swim back underwater? Or, be lazy, deploy a SMB and let the boat come get you.

 

[cnar]

I have to agree with MarineReasearch post, while I'm relatively new to diving I am accustomed to snorkeling in some instances up to an hour back to shore. If I'm diving and I'm "too" far from the boat I'd launch an SMB or use the whistle or both to get their attention. I would also have to ask though where was your dive buddy during navigation?

 

[mselenaous]

Any and all questions from new divers deserve a thorough answer even if it sounds like an odd suggestion. Agree with Marine Research's comment above. An SMB is a much better choice and is the ideal surface signalling device. I suppose you could put the inflated tube under your neck for support if you felt the need. I just lay on my back and swim with my wing supporting me. Easy to get used to this with practice.

 

[Scott L]

Why would you be swimming for 30 minutes back to the boat anyway?

Bingo. If you desire to venture that far from an anchored boat, perhaps you may wish to brush-up on navigation skills and increase your cylinder capacity in order to return back via underwater...

 

[TSandM]

Maybe put your BC on a little higher on your tank? I find the inflated upper arc of my wing supports my neck very nicely during surface swims.

I agree that the problem with a pillow would be getting all the air out of it, finding a place to stow it, and then figuring out how to keep it in place during the swim, since surface water is rarely completely calm.

 

[fjpatrum]

Ok, here's my submission: I'm wondering if anyone uses pillows while diving, and if so, how well they work. Specifically, I'm thinking of those inflatable airplane neck pillows which you'd keep rolled up in a BC and inflate it once you're on the surface.Why? Because despite having relatively few dives, I've had to make several longish surface swims back to the boat, and since I usually do this on my back, it's not very comfortable on my neck. Keeping my head elevated just make things a lot easier (chatting, keeping water out of your eyes and mouth, keeping the sun out if your eyes, etc).

Yours is not a dumb question, but doesn't your BC do this? If I inflate my BC even more than half at the surface, I generally have no trouble getting my head out of the water.

That said, it's an interesting idea for the "sun out of the eyes" option, at least. Of course, having a baseball cap stuffed in a pocket would be perhaps just as effective?

 

[GROBIOG]

As for the inflating/deflating, where to stow it debate, one of smaller SMB that can be filled by your LP inflator hose completely in seconds may answer these questions, however...

The drag such a thing you're after may add to the surface swim, may not be worth the benefit you're looking for. I would be striving to be as slick as possible and doing the swim in less time with less effort.

Avoiding such a swim though, would be a much better option altogether