Photographers Using Doughnut BP/W BCD (dump valve location)

[doctormike]

@doctormike, no, I prefaced my comment @Stoo, who quoted you and then went where? My reply carefully thanked peoples constructive comments and I carefully stated that I have a lot to learn, but some comments drift from my OP and it is fair to bring that to light. My post was regarding Dump Valve locations, immediately I was asked why I felt the need to adjust my buoyancy so often, and later why I don't just hold my rig in my right hand, it gets a bit tired. As for your comment in particular, you supplied reason and alternate and you will notice that I thanked you for your considered response. So no need for you to take umbrage!

Regarding your assessment, I think it is a rather a good observation and recommendation for a quick and easy improvement - not something that requires a demotion to 'no camera for you'. I mean, logically if I didn't have the kit, I wouldn't be having the conversation, and it really couldn't be much of an easier fix. My OP question was about having quick and direct access to a mechanical safety device without reaching over, under, swapping hands, clipping off - classic risk management - why the need to question basic competence? But I can do better with your recommendation, so again, thank you. I mean it.

Hah! Sorry, I think that I overreacted - I thought you were referring to my first comment. I apologize.

I think that you have had thoughtful posts here, and I just want to reassure you that we (well, I anyway) aren't interested in criticizing anyone else's diving for sport. We are all always learning, and I'm glad that you are here learning with us! I have changed my diving many times based on these conversations - it's why I'm here.

It's easy to misunderstand tone online....

 

[gummybun]

All's well that ends with a funny video! Never heard of K&P. Look at all what I'm learning! Cheers.

 

[eleniel]

All: good advice.
@gummybun : If need be I can i.e. clip off my rig to left and right shoulder (Arms folded in) and make it USA ladder fins on wrist entirely in-assisted. Prefer handing the rig off of course. Clipping off short comes in handy also when deploying a DSMB... I can see how the crotch ring may make sense there.
All that said, I still have a (cut-able) wrist loop on my right wrist, that I slip out off when clipping off. In retrospect, it likely is more of a hazard than help. It does allow me to sometimes brieflyuse my right hand with the rig dangling, but it‘s lazy and asking for trouble I think. And it‘s not useable if I have anything wrist mounted on the right hand anyway. Shall change that.

Pending on how cut-able the teather is, I might prefer cut-able soft rigged loops instead of steel rings (strong braided utility cord rings (double fisherman knot)). That‘s what I prefer to use for non scratch, non rattle, strong, but curable attachment „rings“/loops. But even if the teather cuts easy, I, if needed, prefer to cut the easily replaced loops as I always have extra cord with me.

I use cord in place of steel rings to attach my clips - I do make sure to check the cords and knots prior to diving, but it's a very easy fix to replace, and I can cut my way out if it's me or the camera. I use the crotch strap D ring occasionally while diving (just in case I drop it or something), but the camera is usually attached entirely to my chest rings when I'm getting in/out of the boat. I've seen too many cameras knocked off the side of a boat or dropped during a handoff to trust handing it to just anyone, plus I worry about lenses and such getting scratched or broken if it gets casually tossed into a bucket with other cameras and computers.

My tray only has the one handle on the left, on top of that is my strobe and vid light plus arms and floats, so that handle becomes the gravitational centre (of sorts). Holding the whole assembly from the right is majorly uncomfortable. I could get a tray with a second handle i suppose, but I try hard to stay compact.
It has crossed my mind about the tether risk if the kit is snatched by something large - funny that no one has ever questioned my wrist tether to me ever, on any boat - but now it will be a primary mission to resolve. That being said, we divers have so many shiny lure thingies dangling all over our suits... another shiny item I have worried about is our wedding rings... I have heard they can attract attention.

My setup has only one handle on the left and which has the lights etc there, the right side is just the camera - I could do a two handle tray but I like the one as it allows my right hand easy access to lenses and setting changes (plus the actual shutter control). No one ever questioned me when I used the wrist strap system either, but I've seen enough lost gear to know not to rely solely on using one, and then there is the risk of entanglement - it made it really difficult to check my dive computer sometimes, as the wrist strap got tangled with the computer strap and it was just more of an annoyance than it is worth. I kept my wrist strap, it lives in my dive bag so I can put it on for snorkeling and freediving uses, where I don't have the ability to clip the camera off to my chest.

 

[Nemrod]

Even Nemrod who said something similar was kind enough to say that he now sees my problem, as have others.

Hey, why you say "even Nemrod" and be picking on me? I am sorry if I was brusque in commenting, sometimes it is the engineer part of me when I see the problem and I leave the fluff aside. As I have said, I have used wrist straps for my cameras early on and while that may work with something small, once a strobe(s) and tray get added then I am with Doctormike.

"Even Nemrod" ?????????



I am happy to hear that you cut the "problem" off.

James

 

[gummybun]

"Even Nemrod" ?????????

HaHaHa, very funny, made my day. How did I know I would regret that line! Sorry, was feeling a little cornered (to start with) Then it went away and then it came back and I blew. I should have just sucked it up. Anyway, it makes you come off as a tough-ass - thought you would like that!

It is decided, I will change the rig - that is established, but first I need to choose a BCD - that was the first order of business. I still prefer not to flip my camera hand hold to discretely add ballast so I still like the right side dump. There were a couple of options mentioned - but the Mares doesn't seem to be available in Canada. Cutting in a second dump, while not so hard, would cause me major 'household' tramma if things went pear shape on the trip. I could also go for the SP LiteHawk as a back wing style w/ right dump, my wife has the LadyHawk and she loves it. Need to choose soon as we are off at the end of next month.

 

[Nemrod]

Gummy, check this one out:

Rogue | BCDs | Aqua Lung

and the Outlaw:

Outlaw | BCDs | Aqua Lung

I sort of like the Outlaw and if you are not going to get a traditional technical/advanced diver style wing you might be interested in the Rogue or Outlaw and both appear to have a right vent. It is kind of hybrid, but not really a wing. I also like the AL Zuma, my wife has one though she has since gone to a VDH technical 18 pounds lift wing, I think it has a right vent also. The Zuma just has too much lift, the Rogue may be better for us tropical luxury resort divers .

I am not DIR/GUE, but I am a minimalist. Sometimes we get something in our heads and in due time we realize what we thought was wrong was actually right, or in this case, left! Hey, good luck, have a great trip.

James

 

[saxman242]

I've had it for so many years that I don't remember the exact make of the lanyard, but it was probably something like this. I cut off the plastic clips on both ends.

On the end that goes onto the camera, a stainless steel quicklink goes through the webbing loop. To this is attached a bolt snap and a large solid steel ring. The ring goes around the camera tray. This is the end that is potentially under strain from current, etc.. so it needs to be very sold. No matter what happens with the lanyard, I won't lose the camera (I did once when I was using a split ring instead of a solid steel ring on the housing!).

On the other end is a split ring connecting the webbing to another bolt snap. I use large bolt snaps since I need to be able to work them with heavy gloves, but for a smaller rig in warm water, you could use smaller bolt snaps. The split ring isn't an issue at this end, since it's never really under much tension.

And since the lanyard is really only there in case you drop it while holding it, it never gets put under much strain. The camera is either in my hand or clipped off by the second bolt snap (the one next to the camera), so that it's tight and secure during travel, deco, etc...

View attachment 568708

I put together a variant of this today for my rig. Still need to find one more boltsnap to add to it.

I run a rope across the top the bolt snaps together or to my chest d rings as well. We will see if I opt to trim this down a bit. Will get to try the new set up out in a couple weeks.

 

[doctormike]

I put together a variant of this today for my rig. Still need to find one more boltsnap to add to it.

Looks great! You dive with gloves? If so, use bigger bolt snaps...

 

[saxman242]

Looks great! You dive with gloves? If so, use bigger bolt snaps...

At least for the near future, florida is about the coldest water this rig will see. Maybe 1 trip to Catalina before I move, but generally there I only wear pretty thin gloves. My pony tank, spg, dsmb, etc all have larger boltsnaps on them. These happened to be what I had laying around.

 

[Stoo]

@doctormike, no, I prefaced my comment @Stoo, who quoted you and then went where?

Hey @gummybun (What kinda name is that anyway?), sorry to be AWOL. I "had" to take a spontaneous trip to Belize and didn't have web access that wasn't painful.

I'm sorry if my comment came across as harsh. All I meant (which @doctormike already expressed elegantly) was that if you're having trouble sorting out "stock" gear, then something must be goofy, so perhaps take a step back and reassess and see if there's some better way to arrange things. You guys kinda talked about this in my absence so I won't add anything, other than to say that in my experience, if something isn't working, then try a different way. I'd ditch the left wrist tether and replace it with a lanyard as others have suggested.

And again, apologies if I expressed myself poorly.