travel with steel bolt on plates for bp/w

[oregondiver]

Howdy! Hoping someone can point me into the right direction. I will be traveling to cozumel in 2 weeks and I always travel/fly with my steel bolt on weight plates for my bp/w setup.

Reading the stickies, it seems you can't travel OUT of czm with loose batteries in your carry on. And in saw something about weights or extra steel...

Any bp/w divers out there know if they confiscate weights (technically 2 flat plates 4lbs each). Normally I take them off plate and load at bottom of carry on for balance/tipping of carry-on.but maybe I should leave them attached to the plate so they don't appear separate? Thoughts?
Shell

---------- Post added May 26th, 2014 at 10:19 PM ----------

Or should I post this in BCD forum even though my question is specific to mexico travel? Never had trouble flying with them to Hawaii, grand cayman, Bonaire, curacao etc

---------- Post added May 26th, 2014 at 10:20 PM ----------

 

[Zman96]

I leave mine put together in my carry on. The airport security personnel tend to not be consistent with many things, so I would just leave it together and not take the chance.

 

[robint]

my husband leaves his BP put together in his checked bag with all his other dive gear. Never a problem, Cozumel or anywhere else.

ALL batteries must be put in checked bag, they were pretty direct about it when we departed last month. We saw a guy get his taken for not doing it.

 

[Sue Sue]

Dive weights are one of many items that are listed on the infamous "Cozumel Forbidden Carry-On List" which is posted at the departure gate. As with tools that are less than 6 inches, batteries or tweezers, just to name a few, dive weights are legal to Take INTO CZM in carry on but NOT Out of CZM in carry on, even though the departure transport will be on the very plane that just flew in. I realize that some people have had no problems with their flat plate BPW weights in carry on luggage, however, as a BPW owner myself, and knowing the cost of replacing these weights, I would not take the risk of loosing them to a security agent who will interpret the rule to the letter. If possible, I recommend you trade out items from your checked luggage in exchange for your weights. With that said, I also suggest that you may consider adding a couple of weight pockets to your waist belt or tank strap and use the lead weights provided by the dive op instead of the BPW plates. I have two, XS Scuba pockets in which I add two 3# or 2# weights. With my SS BP, what I like is that I can easily tweak my trim/weight from 12 pounds down to 10 pounds as my week goes on. My DH, who has an Aluminum BP, skips the pockets and just adds a 2 pound weight to the crotch strap. Plus, for me, another bonus with this system is not having to transport 6 extra pounds in luggage, leaving that weight for more stuff if need be.

Keep us posted Shell on how it all works out for you and Best Wishes for your upcoming CZM Dive trip !

Sue

 

[darkstar]

Always check my BP/w. Never had an issue. Over the years I've switched out to an aluminum plate for travel and just put weights from the dive Op in some trim pockets I got from ScubaToys.

There are scuba weights and at least one peice of steel in the "we will take this from you" display in CZM. Oddly, they take shot glasses as well, and then sell them in the departure lounge.

 

[doctormike]

I always travel to warm water dive destinations with my backplate, and it never occurred to me to bring my own weight. Since I'm not bringing my doubles, a couple of weight pockets on the cam straps seem to work fine, will hold 4 lbs each easily.

Even if I wasn't close to weight limits with my checked bag (I almost always am), why schlep lead around with you...? I do have a 6 lb bolt in weight for my STA for single tank shore diving at home, but I wouldn't bring that for the same reasons.

 

[Mossman]

I always travel to warm water dive destinations with my warm-water BCD that was designed for diving with a single tank and has built-in weight pockets that allow me to use any weights the dive boat might provide me. No adapter necessary to lug. No backplate to lug. No weights to lug.

But I can understand the challenge of doing it the hard way. Like sitting at the bar until the plane is just about to take off, then running to make the flight. Or getting drunk the night before a dive because diving without a hangover is just too easy. Or diving with an 80 instead of a 120 because that makes it more challenging to dive 60-70 minutes. Or washing my own wetsuit. Stowing my own gear. Setting up my own gear. Driving to the caleta to meet the dive boat. Bringing a blender so I can make my own drinks. Bringing a coffee maker so I can make my own coffee. Bringing a cow so I can get cream for my coffee (you think bringing weights on the plane is tough, try explaining a cow!).

After all, what's a vacation without work?

 

[paulw]

I dive a BPW, dive steel tanks and you don't need the weights.

 

[oregondiver]

Hey Mossman...maybe I need a thicker skin, I didn't expect to be mocked for traveling with my cheese making supplies. Yes, I have made my own cream cheese and ricotta when traveling (but no, I don't bring the cow). And yes, I do bring hand crank blenders and cheese graters when going camping (not backpacking though!). Doesn't everyone have an idiosyncrasy?

And yes, I dive my bp/w with bolt on weights in tropical locations. Dont' want to rent and I pack light enough everywhere else, I still had room for 3 liters of wine on my last trip to Roatan (birthday party, had room in luggage, I am a lush, pick any excuse you want). Plate with bolt on weights 11lbs. And I have a buoyant bottom/top (aka overweight woman) so I can't get away with just a few lbs of weight when diving AL tanks. I like keeping my weigh over my lungs (former swimmer/massive lungs, my bad) and it is my regular rig that fits me well for weekly diving in a drysuit. I just like my own gear in my normal configuration, not rental gear.

Based on replies sounds like I can bring it in my carry-on INTO mexico but should put it in my checked bag for way home. Normally clothes are checked and all dive gear is carryon...
Thanks for the help folks!
Shell

 

[cvchief]

Hey Mossman...maybe I need a thicker skin, I didn't expect to be mocked for traveling with my cheese making supplies. Yes, I have made my own cream cheese and ricotta when traveling (but no, I don't bring the cow). And yes, I do bring hand crank blenders and cheese graters when going camping (not backpacking though!).

Sweet!! Now if I can find someone who travels with a tequila distillery. and a lime tree.

Doesn't everyone have an idiosyncrasy?

Some of Moss's are even legal.... :acid:

I still had room for 3 liters of wine on my last trip to Roatan

Boxes?

And I have a buoyant bottom/top

:dropmouth:

Wow. Descriptive.