I did my rescue in a BP/W and it was no problem. My victim had a jacket one day and a BP/W on the other. It's really not a problem.
Especially because in most real life scenarios you won't actually be removing the BCD (of whatever type) while both parties are floating in the water. While it ends up feeling emphasized because it takes up so much of the in-water training time, removing gear before you get to a boat or shore is not the default. It should be done only when there is a specific reason for it. Even if you are faced with a long tow, you are most likely better off ditching tank, weights and regs, but leaving the BC on. I was happy to see that the teaching materials now address this directly.
FWIW, I can get into my BP/W faster than when I have to rent a jacket. It's because I have really bad eyesight and so have to do most of it by feel. Assuming I'm on a boat, with a BP/W my right arm goes in as I sit down. Then it's reach down and grab the crotch strap, thread it on and buckle the waist band, then slide my left hand behind me at waist level to find the left shoulder strap and slide my arm through. I might have to untwist the left shoulder strap a half turn after my arm is through, but otherwise I'm done.
With a jacket, there's a whole bunch of feeling around for the cummerbund and clips to get strapped in, and then more time finding whatever you have to pull to tighten everything up.
Especially because in most real life scenarios you won't actually be removing the BCD (of whatever type) while both parties are floating in the water. While it ends up feeling emphasized because it takes up so much of the in-water training time, removing gear before you get to a boat or shore is not the default. It should be done only when there is a specific reason for it. Even if you are faced with a long tow, you are most likely better off ditching tank, weights and regs, but leaving the BC on. I was happy to see that the teaching materials now address this directly.
FWIW, I can get into my BP/W faster than when I have to rent a jacket. It's because I have really bad eyesight and so have to do most of it by feel. Assuming I'm on a boat, with a BP/W my right arm goes in as I sit down. Then it's reach down and grab the crotch strap, thread it on and buckle the waist band, then slide my left hand behind me at waist level to find the left shoulder strap and slide my arm through. I might have to untwist the left shoulder strap a half turn after my arm is through, but otherwise I'm done.
With a jacket, there's a whole bunch of feeling around for the cummerbund and clips to get strapped in, and then more time finding whatever you have to pull to tighten everything up.
