The importance of the 'right hand rule?'

[devilfish]

MikeFerrara once bubbled...


And...the fix is? plastic quick release buckles? No shortage of obsurd in diving equipment.

Keep the RHR and get rid of the bsbc

Amen Mike!!! Agree 100%.
Did anybody time an average diver in distress on the surface how long does it take to find the buckle, two buckles one on each side, unclip them and drop the weight, by feel with gloves on in dark water? I did. It takes long enough to drown.
In a rescue situation I dare the rescuer to reach over the victim horizontal on the surface, arm streched out pull out and lift a weight 10lb or more above the water with no leg support while floating. It works very nicely, on the floor of a dive shop.

 

[Walter]

devilfish,

"The reason for a weight belt to be reight hand release is because of equipment configuration. In every case except for the Fenzy which is rarely seen nowaday ALL BC inflators are on the left side."

An excellent reason to keep it right hand release, but right hand release for weight belts was SOP before the invention of BC's. The back pack has a left hand release. Didn't want to drop the tank by mistake.

Mike,

I understand the reasons for putting the crotch strap over the weight belt in a cave, but do you do this in OW as well? The reason for donning the weight belt last is to put it over the crotch strap (not in caves).

 

[devilfish]

Walter once bubbled...
devilfish,

"The reason for a weight belt to be reight hand release is because of equipment configuration. In every case except for the Fenzy which is rarely seen nowaday ALL BC inflators are on the left side."

An excellent reason to keep it right hand release, but right hand release for weight belts was SOP before the invention of BC's. The back pack has a left hand release. Didn't want to drop the tank by mistake.

Mike,

I understand the reasons for putting the crotch strap over the weight belt in a cave, but do you do this in OW as well? The reason for donning the weight belt last is to put it over the crotch strap (not in caves).

You'r right on both counts.

 

[MikeFerrara]

Walter once bubbled...
devilfish,

"The reason for a weight belt to be reight hand release is because of equipment configuration. In every case except for the Fenzy which is rarely seen nowaday ALL BC inflators are on the left side."

An excellent reason to keep it right hand release, but right hand release for weight belts was SOP before the invention of BC's. The back pack has a left hand release. Didn't want to drop the tank by mistake.

Mike,

I understand the reasons for putting the crotch strap over the weight belt in a cave, but do you do this in OW as well? The reason for donning the weight belt last is to put it over the crotch strap (not in caves).

In a cave I have double steels so I don't need a weight belt. I only have the belt in OW (when diving a single tank. The belt is easy to ditch but not by accident. Also with a full 2 piece 1/4 inch suit I only have 4 pounds on the belt.

 

[Dytis]

the most sense to me

 

[Divesherpa]

Do you stop on a green light and go on a red?

Same deal

Cheers and safe diving,
Sherpa

 

[Dectek]

devilfish once bubbled...

Ahh, so true. Neither agencies nor many Instructors give a reason why a weight belt should be a Right Hand release. As with many things there are reasons but often fergoten.

Didn't see any explanation in the Padi manual, however SSI does go into the reasoning behind the RHR. Their take on the subject was the BC configuration IE: left hand buckle.

My take on the subject is that: I don't care what the original reason for RHR was. I look at this matter as uniformity. When I am reaching over a victim to release his weights....I could do without that split second when my mind is thinking which way to tug or do I have the right buckle?
Do you know anyone that drives the wrong way down a one way street because he was not given a good reason why it is one way? HMMMM that starts the debate:


Now on Dr. PHIL...is it the Wrong way?......or just Another way?
OK....I will shut up now.