Suggestions needed for weights when doffing still in the water.

[Tina5269]

I'm searching for weight systems with some kind of carry strap or handle.

I have to don/doff my gear while in the water. At the end of my dive I want to take some weight off my BPW & pass my weights up to the boat. That way my gear will be much lighter for the boat guys to lift or for my dive buddy to carry up the ladder.

I'm trying to find a way to make it easier for the people helping me dive.

Due to a back injury I've had to have 3 back surgeries, and now I have the S1-L3 bones fused with metal rods and junk... So I can't flex at the waist anymore and I'm weaker than I used to be. My surgeon is also a diver and I brought my stuff to the office after my last surgery. He ok'd me to drive but said I must never wear my gear out of the water for any reason or I'll risk breaking a bone. It's just too much to carry.

So I now, my dive buddy (my BF) enters the water 1st, the boat crew throws my gear with with on it into the water. My BF cares it and then I jump in, swim to my stuff, soon the gear and remove the tether line, then I go diving. When done, i catch a tether line, doff the gear, get back on the boat. Then the crew either lifts the gear up or my boyfriend has to climb up himself, did his gear and then jump in and carry mine up.

If I could take 14 lbs off my rig and pass that up to the boat, it would make life easier and safer for everyone...right? So how can I do that without losing the weights?

 

[Searcaigh]

I have another suggestion for you ..... Sidemount

You could pass the tanks up or weather them so that someone on the boat can lift them up. A couple of S40s would work well if you can't manage S80s

That way you can climb up with the SM harness on without fear of losing weights.

 

[johndiver999]

A weightbelt would seem like a good option.

 

[theduckguru]

My BDD weight pouches have straps. I suppose I could attach them to a lowered strap or rope if needed.

 

[Tina5269]

A weightbelt would seem like a good option.

I tried that but the problem I've got is my waist is really small but I have bigger hips... I'm really hourglass shaped. That's great in clothes but worth dive gear on it makes the weight belt get tangled in the crotch strap & harness if it's under my rig, and it's impossible to wear as I enter the water. If I put it in after I enter, then don the gear... Now it's impossible to get on over the rig. We practiced it in shore dives after my surgery to try to figure this out.

Good idea though. Thank you.

 

[Tina5269]

I have another suggestion for you ..... Sidemount

You could pass the tanks up or weather them so that someone on the boat can lift them up. A couple of S40s would work well if you can't manage S80s

That way you can climb up with the SM harness on without fear of losing weights.

I use the boat's tanks when I go diving. Those are usually AL80's, right? I'm super new ..31 dives in 2 years. So near with me if I seem like a dunce ..I kinda am one.

 

[Akimbo]

A weightbelt would seem like a good option.

Agreed. I add a D-ring to the buckle side of my rubber Marseilles style weight belts so I have something comfortable to grab when I release it before passing it into an inflatable.

 

[Tina5269]

My BDD weight pouches have straps. I suppose I could attach them to a lowered strap or rope if needed.

BDD pouches? Is that a certain brand?

My rig is a mashup of things. It started as a bare bones UTD rig with long hose reg set. Now I have the original steel backplate and donut, but the harness is a diveright adjustable one. I had all 14lbs on my cam bands but the pockets on the bands make it so hard to attach the rig to the tank... Plus I'm leg heavy that way. I'm thinking of doing the dive right 20# pockets at the waist band mounted vertically with trim pockets at the shoulder... I need a little at heart height to tip my fwd just a bit in the water. I'm wondering if changing the steel plate to soft plate would be ok, then add the 6# I lost to my lead.

Hmmm so many ideas.. I'm probably overthinking this.

 

[johndiver999]

I tried that but the problem I've got is my waist is really small but I have bigger hips... I'm really hourglass shaped. That's great in clothes but worth dive gear on it makes the weight belt get tangled in the crotch strap & harness if it's under my rig, and it's impossible to wear as I enter the water. If I put it in after I enter, then don the gear... Now it's impossible to get on over the rig. We practiced it in shore dives after my surgery to try to figure this out.

Good idea though. Thank you.

I think you might be surpised how well an elastic freedive belt will fit. In general, you should be able to put the weightbelt on before entering the water and then put the BP/W "over" it. You will be trapping the weightbelt with the crotch strap, but that is pretty normal. When you want to take the gear off, remove the BP/W waist strap and crotch strap falls away and then remove the weightbelt. Really not difficult if you try it a few times.

If you are worried the weightbelt is too heavy to wear without the BP/W on, then you could slightly reduce the lead on the belt and move some to the BP harness or something. In other words, if the weightbelt has no more lead than you can snorkel with, it should not be a problem. Obviously depends a lot on the wetsuit worn.

 

[Marie13]

DUI weight harness