I love the idea of diving BC-less in principle. But, I don't see how you can comfortably maintain neutral buoyancy throughout the dive with a 5-6lb swing in gas weight, plus wetsuit compression. I guess you just learn to hold varying amounts of air in your lungs, and I suspect there's a certain amount of swimming technique involved...
OTOH, using a minimal plate and wing is pretty unobtrusive, much less than slinging a full size tank.
You have to choose the correct equipment and you have to learn to choose your weight as well. Use of the lungs, controlled breathing is key as well. Yes, there is technique and skill involved but it really is not diffucult if you come at it with the open mind that you would have had in 1964 before there were BCs, you would not have made your negative statement.
No, with heavy tanks, thick exposure gear it can be impossible. The steel 72 works best, an aluminum 80 will work, some steel tanks are just to heavy. As well, the modern soft and stretchy neoprene is a challenge, the genuine Rubatex G231 does not compress as much and does not have as much bouyancy swing. In the day, suits were made of this or similar neoprene, stiffer and less compressible than todays stuff. Additionally you will not have absolutely neutral bouyancy throughout the dive, you learn to compensate. I dare say that many of us have better bouyancy control and remian closer to neutral than do many BC equipped divers in similar conditions.
It is relatively easy to dive no BC in a 3/2 suit or less. Heavier steel tanks must be countered by your exposure gear and no, you cannot wear a 14 pound negative steel tank and dive in a stainless plate with a Speedo for your exposure protection, no, your lungs will not compensate.
Call me jaded, don't care, bouyancy control and PadI go together about as well as oil and water. The only divers with worse bouyancy control than a PadI student diver is the PadI instructor diver crawling along the bottom, crushing the marine life and Yo-Yo-ing like a, well, YO-YO.
N
