Skills to practice during a dive

[Zef]

Sure you can do it in a shortie or 3mm. Now do it at 3 meters with a thick neoprene wetsuit or on a drysuit ;-) .

How thick of an exposure suit do you want me to do it in? 5mm wetsuit? 7mm semi-dry? 5.5mm wetsuit with a 5.5mm shorty over it? Drysuit? Drysuit with an Aqualung Thermal Fusion undersuit?

Tell me what configuration you want it done in, and when you want to show up at Lake Chautauqua in Western NY to video record it.

-Z

 

[Blackcrusader]

I am very buoyant and I do have inserts in my BCD. However if I remove my BCD and let go of it I will have an uncontrolled ascent to the surface.

 

[John C. Ratliff]

Remove and replace BC. Proper technique should be accomplished with minimal effort while maintaining depth and without twisting hoses. The logic for this exercise is to be proficient at resolving entanglements.

I have practiced doff and don exercises in the open water of the Clackamas River, and those practices came in handy when I had an actual emergency. I was using a new-to-me BCD, which was a jacket that was attached to the tank, when during the dive the tank came loose. Here’s a video I was shooting that day of the event.


If you haven’t done this recently, the doff and don exercise in open water is a valuable learning tool.

SeaRat

 

[Blackcrusader]

One can certainly doff/don their kit underwater, neutrally buoyant with a BC with integrated weight pockets, or with weight belt...or both for that matter.

If you do the exercise properly, there is no issue of "pop up due to buoyancy".

It surprises me that you are pandering this kind of drivel given your profile lists you as an Instructor / Assistant Instructor / Dive Master / Dive Con.

Do some research on diving a balanced rig for starters, but even if one doesn't have a balanced rig, if the BCD with integrated weight pockets is removed from one shoulder and then pulled around the body as it is removed from the other shoulder, the BCD and tank can be held close to the chest, manipulated, cleared a tangle or other issue if need be, then the procedure reversed. If conducted in a calm and coordinated manner, as it should be, then one will maintain control of their buoynacy and not "pop up" as you state.

I have done this. I have witnessed this. This can be done. Go do this. This is the way!

-Z

I love these videos done in a pool. It's nothing like ocean diving in a 2 knot current. Philippines Indonesia and other places can have some very fast currents. Can you make a video when you are in the ocean in a 2 knot current doing the same? Yes it can be done.

 

[Blackcrusader]

I have practiced doff and don exercises in the open water of the Clackamas River, and those practices came in handy when I had an actual emergency. I was using a new-to-me BCD, which was a jacket that was attached to the tank, when during the dive the tank came loose. Here’s a video I was shooting that day of the event.

If you haven’t done this recently, the doff and don exercise in open water is a valuable learning tool.

SeaRat

Nothing like a new BCD with a tank slide in a new strap or a strap that comes undone on a dive.

 

[uncfnp]

You have obviously never dived in South Lombok then lol Of course BCD is void of air. I make sure I suck it all out first.

I am curious what aspect of diving South Lombok would require more weight than say hot drops in Florida, the Caribbean or even other areas of Indonesia? Could you please provide additional datail.

 

[Zef]

Sorry but wearing a 2mm wet suit in a 84 degree pool is hardly the kind of situation that most divers experience, nor was it why I suggested the doff/don scuba skill.

Try wearing a 5mm wet suit with a 3mm overshorty in 60 degree water without a weight belt, using only your BCD with integrated weight pockets. Doff/don is much more challenging a skill, one that should be practiced.

Absolutely it shoud be practiced...regardless of the configuration of BCD or exposure suit one dives. I never said it wasn't challenging...I just said it can absolutely be done with relatively neutral buoyancy and without "popping to the surface" or being contact with the bottom.

Just because you don't/can't do it, does not mean it can't be done.

60 degree water is quite balmy considering the areas I spent the last 12 years diving.

There is no reason to practice donning/doffing one's kit while touching the bottom of whatever body of water one is in. Imagine being entangled in fishing line, a fishing net, kelp, or some other material in the middle of the water column, if one practices everything only while on the bottom, one will be up sh!ts creek when they experience an issue when not on the bottom.

Again, if I agreed with you, then both of us would be wrong.

-Z

 

[Blackcrusader]

This can be done. Go do this. This is the way!

Due to having back pain if lifting too heavy a weight at end of dives I will not climb the ladder on a boat with my kit on unless in very calm water. So I often unclip my BCD and swing it around my body. Then put the clip back and let the boat crew pick my kit up using the handle on my back plate. If above a sandy bottom or reef I will take out my inserts and hand then up first to lessen the weight. Once my kit it up I can then remove my fins and climb the ladder.

 

[Soloist]

You have obviously never dived in South Lombok then lol Of course BCD is void of air. I make sure I suck it all out first.

I begin my dives with a fully pressurized tank (heavy with compressed air). For negative entries I immediately fin in a head down position. Not complicated. So how much extra weight do YOU need for a "FAST" negative entry?

 

[Blackcrusader]

I am curious what aspect of diving South Lombok would require more weight than say hot drops in Florida, the Caribbean or even other areas of Indonesia? Could you please provide additional datail.

At one of the dive sites there are walls that poke up through the ocean. The entry areas are like a washing machine and the water is very foamy. You need to get below the foam quickly. Extra weights help with this. Instead of diving using 8kg I will use 10kg. Sometimes you do negative entry into an upcurrent.

Some people have used their regular weights and had issues descending and being flushed back to the surface. We had one DMT panic in the foam and had to bring him back to the boat. He claimed to be an experienced diver but had not done fast current diving before

The BCD has a purpose. So adding extra weights just means adding some air which is of course why you have a BCD. There was a member here posting how he would always use the minimum weight he could use. Then on a dive he got stuck in an overhead environment to the ceiling of that environment. Underweighted for the dive conditions. Belongas Bay does have some very challenging dive conditions.

I dive using a scubapro black XXL Plenty of lift capacity for any weights I use as I don't dive in a wetsuit.