Uncontrolled ascent

[Jetwrench]

I had my first dry suit dive of the year yesterday and got a lesson in "it can and will happen", so I thought I would share.

To set it up, I was diving dry, I use my suit for buoyancy control u/w, was at a familiar dive site I have dived many times with a buddy who I know well and knows me just as well. Gear checks all around and everything is right. Vis was not good(10ft at best).

The dive: My buddy and I descend from the surface, I dumping all air from my BC and using the suit for buoyancy. The dive takes us to 140ft at which time I signal 2000psi and time to get towards the shallows. At 80ft I was having to dump more air than I was used to, and at 40ft it became borderline out-of-hand. At 35ft, I was spent trying to stay down and after grabbing for something heavy more than once, had no choice but to take the ride and popped to the surface where I then found that my BC had air in it. I dumped it and I dropped immediately. My buddy(divemaster as well) made sure I was OK and we both discussed the event and what may have been the cause when we got back on shore.

Post dive: I believed it was a leak through the low pressure inflator to the BC that added air without me knowing. A test of my rig will give me more info which is what I'm doing now, but the big thing that hit me was the fact that "you will see it"! It doesn't matter what ""it" is. I never thought I would have this lesson to learn "hands on" after reading other's stories and saying to myself , not gonna happen to me. (Duhh)

It only took 45 seconds from beginning to end to teach me I still don't know how to dive "REALLY" safe. If I had only considered All of the possibilties including my BC, you would not be reading this.

JMTC

Jet

 

[SueMermaid]

This may seem like a freshman question, and I a sure I will embarrass myself by asking, but I will take that risk.

In my limited drysuit experience, I used my BC only for buoyancy control, and used the drysuit inflator/dump only to eliminate squeeze. I maintained as little air in my drysuit as was comfortable.
Is that wrong? I found it to be a bazillion times easier to "feel" my buoyancy using the BC.

 

[leo311]

I agree with Suemermaid, although I dive with a guy that uses his BCD for buoyancy at the surface and his dry suit for buoyancy during the dive. I think he's a nut. Different strokes. I only add enough air to prevent suit squeeze, which I believe is the way it should be. Aside from when I was getting Dry certified, I haven't had a OOC ascent diving dry, yet, thank goodness.

 

[boomx5]

It only took 45 seconds from beginning to end to teach me I still don't know how to dive "REALLY" safe.

Jet

I'm glad you're ok, but I'm curious...how do you plan on solving this issue?

 

[Jim Baldwin]

Jetwrench,

I had been diving for about 20 years when I got my first drysuit. I was told to use my suit for buoyancy and my BCD on the surface. That it would be less confusing. With 30 lbs of weight on I still managed to get a couple of feet first ascents in the pool. The tuck and roll procedure just did not work in 10 feet of water.

Shortly after I made my first ocean dive I found buoyancy control was much easier and faster with the BCD than with the drysuit.

As the other posters have said use the inflator on the suit to get rid of the squeeze. Either open the shoulder valve or simply extend either arm above your body on ascent and excess air will go right out the wrist seal.

After five years of diving and two different drysuit, neoprene and fabric, I use my backplate and wing and can maintain proper buoyancy at 20 feet with a group of new divers or 200 feet with a set of steel doubles and two deco tanks hung under each arm.

If you continue to use your drysuit for buoyancy you will wind up carrying more weight to correct a problem that you can cure by simply using your BCD.

Even if you find your low pressure inflator on your BCD was leaking it would have been standard procedure to simply dump air.

Just my experience.

Jim

 

[jbd]

This may seem like a freshman question, and I a sure I will embarrass myself by asking, but I will take that risk.

In my limited drysuit experience, I used my BC only for buoyancy control, and used the drysuit inflator/dump only to eliminate squeeze. I maintained as little air in my drysuit as was comfortable.
Is that wrong? I found it to be a bazillion times easier to "feel" my buoyancy using the BC.

No, its not wrong. Neither method is wrong. Just two different ways of accomplishing the same results--buoyancy control.

 

[NauticalbutNice]

I use my suit for buoyancy control...and never have had any problems. I don't think changing what you use (suit or BC) will completely eliminate any problems.

Sometimes a sticking inflator hose can inflate your bc/suit faster than you can dump air. You have to disconnect the hose. Dump valves can stick. etc. etc.

I've never had an OOC ascent. I think you handled this situation as best you could.

Hope your diving in future will be a little less....exciting!

Nauticalbutnice :fruit:

 

[wedivebc]

No, its not wrong. Neither method is wrong. Just two different ways of accomplishing the same results--buoyancy control.

Let's see ... drysuit = suit to keep you dry
buoyancy compensating device = device to compensate for the buoyancy changes that occur while diving

 

[NauticalbutNice]

All I'll say is that this has been discussed again and again.

It's all down to personal preference. I know people who use both methods and it works for them.

Do what's right for you.

Nauticalbutnice :fruit:

 

[jbd]

Let's see ... drysuit = suit to keep you dry
buoyancy compensating device = device to compensate for the buoyancy changes that occur while diving

I know, I know... but its a topic that has been beaten to death and I didn't want to fuel another firestorm. Honestly though there are enough people on each side of this issue in practice, that in reality both methods will work. My preference is to use the BC for buoyancy control.