My weight belt drop to the ocean bed

[ShakaZulu]

If you were diving with a BP/W you would only have lost about 14lbs if you were diving wet 7mm. If you had the crotch strap over the weight belt, it would no have been able to drop into the abyss......one more for BP/W.

 

[DYOUNGER]

I have started using a DUI weight harness instead of a weight belt or the BC's WI. Love it. It does not slip or ride up and down and you can dump half or all the weights.

 

[mossym]

sorry for the OT post, but shaka, i do believe you're reusing avatar pics..pretty sure i saw that one before...what gives?

 

[ShakaZulu]

sorry for the OT post, but shaka, i do believe you're reusing avatar pics..pretty sure i saw that one before...what gives?

Dammit, you caught me........guess I will have to get some new once tonight.

 

[gfisher4792]

Well, if I dropped my weight and couldn't grab it or anything else to anchor me, I would probably just flare my arms and legs and try to at least slow my ascent.

But with my setup (yes, a BP/W) I don't have more than 14 bls on my belt and as Shaka pointed out, the crotch strap helps to secure it.

 

[blues_diver]

Hi All

Thanks for the comment!

Fyi, I was diving in a 3mm full wetsuit with 3kg of weight (about 6 to 7 lbs) and a steel tank, diving in tropical water. As I was at the back of the group, no one saw me when I drop my weight belt. And yeah, luckily there was no one under me! and nothing above me! I did remember to look up to make sure there is no boat on the surface or else I would have fin for my life!! But I did remember it happens so fast that I did not have enough time to think

I was using a rental BCD with no weight integration. Used one of those weight belt with plastic buckle and I guess I must have accidentally snag it. On my subsequent dives, I was checking my new weight belt very very frequently!


One thing I don't understand is that, does taking out your BCD helps and how?

Thanks again

Cheers

 

[blues_diver]

Well there are a few considerations here. First I think it really comes down to how buoyant you are. If I was in a full 7mm and had just lost 28lbs, finning downwards is not going to slow me down much so I would lose the advantage of being able to look up and check for obstacles. If you're going to surface at speed the last thing you want to be doing is coming up under the boat or worse yet under a sharp prop.
Also in my particular case I have trouble clearing when in a vertical head down position so if I couldn't control the ascent I'd rather be looking up, saying "Aaaaaah" and flaring to create some resistance.

If I was in a 3mm shorty then with a bit of effort I would be able to head down, dumping my BC at the rear bottom dump and try to grab a rock or something at the bottom to hold on to while my buddy found my weight belt.

I totally forgot about the "Aaaaaah" thing that I learnt during my OW course although I did continue to breath. Will make a mental note and also about the flaring to create resistance. Thanks

 

[emtdan]

I have never seen anyone have to take off their BC under water (except controlled training sessions), but I have seen multiple weight belts on the bottom. Including 2 at 125 feet. One of which was 30lbs. I hope they lost it close to the surface like you did and that no one was underneath them when they did!

I often make the mistake of not tightening my tank as much as I should, and I have had to de-kit, adjust, and re-kit more often that I would like. So, I wear most of my weight on my body with a plastic buckle, and some in my BC....