My first in water situation....

[Sean C]

I can see how small issues could create problems. My wife and I just got back from the BVIs and while there did our AOW. The diving was great and uneventful except for one problem.

On our forth dive after a 1hr si I had a problem with my bc. We had just switched tanks and suited up on a rather cramped rib. We did our buddy checks, sat on the sides of the rib and did our back rolls into the water from opposite sides of the boat.

As soon as I hit the water I thankfully realized I had an issue. I did not have the bouyancy I expected from a half full bc. Apparently, my shoulder dump pull had wrapped itseft around my shoulder strap and had seated inself in a position that looked correct to myself, buddy and instructor. When I entered the water the stress on the shoulder strap combined with the surrounding water pressure activated the dump. Luckily, I was properly weighted, had my reg in and was close enough to the rib to grab hold and evaluate the problem. It still took me about 30 sec's to figure it out, when I added air to my bc all I could hear was air escaping from somewhere behind me. Anyways, finally clued in and fixed the snag, while our instructor monitored the issue.

Easy to miss and no one's fault. It looked right and did not release while I was balanced on the side of the rib. Lesson learned....make special note of placement of pull dumps and from now on backward rolls from a rib or dingy will always be on the same side as my buddy if possible, regardless of the watchful eyes of others.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Sounds like the situation was handled to the best that anyone can expect. I hope to keep as cool a head if/when I come upon my "first in water situation".

I'll definately keep a closer look on my dump-valves now that I've read this post. Thanks.

 

[H2Andy]

way to spot the problem early and take steps to fix it

it's always the little things that get you. you stopped it from snowballing into a
dangerous situation, but that's not always guaranteed.

thanks for sharing

 

[s7595]

on a dive my bc inflator hose came off at surface ,could not inflate bc was close to boat swam over and dm fixed problem
now I check all connections before hit water

 

[MikeFerrara]

I saw a shoulder dump come apart and it wasn't at the surface and there wasn't anything to grab onto. Every one lived but there were a few exciting moments and lots of joking about the impact crater for years afterwards.

I don't use bc's with shoulder dumps or pull dumps on the inflator hose.

 

[vjongene]

I don't use bc's with shoulder dumps or pull dumps on the inflator hose.

I had a slightly different problem with a shoulder dump on an inflator hose. I was the buddy being "rescued" during an assisted ascent exercise. The student who was supposed to be controlling the ascent managed to completely purge my BC and the drop me. I tried to inflate the BC, but in this stressful situation I was also pulling on the inflator hose, and dumping air as fast as I was supplying it to the BC. Fortunately the instructor noticed and restored my buoyancy after I had dropped about 20 m... I got rid of the BC and have never owned one with a pull dump on the inflator since.

It was my stupid mistake, but why add possible points of failure when they aren't needed...

 

[MikeFerrara]

It was my stupid mistake, but why add possible points of failure when they aren't needed...

If the only issue with the bc is the pull on the inflator hose you don't have to get rid of the bc. For $15 or $20 (something like that) you can get a replacement inflator hose without the pull dump and just swap them out.

 

[vjongene]

If the only issue with the bc is the pull on the inflator hose you don't have to get rid of the bc. For $15 or $20 (something like that) you can get a replacement inflator hose without the pull dump and just swap them out.

In this case, the BC was an el cheapo model that was too big anyway. But yes, if the BC is OK otherwise, replacing the inflator hose is a saner and cheaper alternative.

 

[Iruka]

I personally don't have a problem with an inflator hose pull-dump, even though I don't ever use it that way. Like an appendix, I guess. Anyhow, most of them just have a steel wire running up the inside....from having put them back together now & then, I know it's pretty easy to remove the wire as well. But in this litiginous (sp?) world, that would probably void some sort of warranty, cause mad cow disease, the Cubs to lose the World Series (oops...might not make sense to Canadian & Swiss divers....) or some other calamity.

Anyhow, echoing what some others have said, you did a good job....mainly by keeping your regulator in! and were able to solve the problem with no difficulty.

 

[miketsp]

In all the BCs in my family (Mares various / Cressi / Tigulio) it's not actually a steel wire, it's plastic, cord or flexible bar. It would be quite easy to deactive the pull just leaving out the stainless steel cross pin at the lower end.
But coming back to the subject I know the DIR people don't like shoulder dumps but IMHO I would prefer to have as many ways of emptying my BC as possible. I have seen more cases of leaking inflator valves than any other sort of BC failure. This generally leads to an accelerating ascent with the consequent risks.
I would rather have my BC fail empty than full.
I know I can still get back to the surface either by finning or other methods.