Weight belt 'ditching' incident

[pediatron]

I'm fairly new to diving, but it seems strange to me that no one mentions turning upside down and swimming downward as a better slowing solution than just going horizontal. My husband lost half his weight (integrated system) and this worked pretty well for him with me hanging on (250 vs 100 lb diver) adding a little ballast. In a rapid ascent for any reason, would this be a good option? (Hopefully I'll never need to test this, but I would appreciate the opinion)

 

[Iruka]

I sometimes do this at a safety stop....where I've already given away all my OWN weights (usually just 2kg/4lbs) to my customers. Depending on the type of tank & amount of air left (usually I have around 1/2 a tank left when a customer's low air brings the group up) I can maintain my position at 15' without any weights...but if I'm a bit light, I'll either 1) do the safety stop swimming around, where you can angle your kick to provide just a touch of downward thrust 2) hang on the rope, like the rest of the rookies, ha ha or 3) just hover feet up/head down...where a slow "sculling" movement is enough to keep me in place. Trying to do it in concert with another diver during a weight lost situation might be more difficult, though..........:0

 

[whitedragon13]

If I'm deeper than about 15', I can pretty easily lose my weight belt and stay down just using my lungs. Back when I was a young, fit, instructor trainee, I often dove without any weights at all.

 

[gfisher4792]

But then you must answer the question of what circumstances would require that you remove your gear U/W?
I've done it, but never because I had to, and it was in 5 feet of water.

I don't think there's too many circumstances where you really have to remove your gear, except in certain entanglement situations.

 

[DEEPLOU]

I have no hips myself, and when wearing ditchanle weights find the comfort and security of my DUI weight harness a huge bonus.

For the Hip Challanged, the weight harness is excellent Idea. Although not Hip Challanged, I find harness best way, even if buckle oopens, no accidental loss of weight. And the DUI harness is easy to dump if needed, and the pockets will not accidently dump either.
Since the harness does not require hips to be held in place, you can adjust your trim by hanging the weights lower on your hips.

Another method to keep belt tight with depth compression is the use of depth compensating buckle. It is spring loaded and compensates for suit compression.

I have seen weight belt loss due to the hip challanged issue, as well as the accidental opening buckle.


The weight harness cures the problem of accidental buckle opening as well, but for those who do have hips and want to still use traditional weight belt, use two buckles. Preferably SS not plastic.
first off plastic ones break relatively easily especially when they get a little old as plastic gets more brittle w/age.
Second for the double buckle, odds are that both buckles will not accidently open together.

 

[Pillow]

I never carry all of my weights in pouches or on a belt. If I am using a integrated BC I always carry about one third of the weight in my back pockets. I do the same with a belt. If the BC has no bcak pockets I will put the weights in the side pockets. The only time that we have lost weights is when we used the side pockets. We never can ditch more than 2 thirds of our weight but I feel that is enough to get on the elevator.

I am glad you guys are ok.

I am a nut case for staying close to your buddy. Had you not you would not have had a chance to catch him. I think most of the reason we stay so close is that our vis is usually in the 5 to 10 ft. range.

 

[JMD123]

I have 2 words for all of you ZEAGLE RANGER. Now I must admit its the only BC i have ever had. You would really have to mess up to accidently drop your weights out of these pockets... Yet if you wanted to its beyond simple.

 

[pt40fathoms]

If weight integration was the first type of weighting system used in scuba, and someone then came along and invented the weight belt, the belt would be considered dangerous for a very long list of reasons.

I agree with that a "poorly designed" weight integrated system that can be easily dislodged is bad. However, there are many very well designed system that facilitate easy removal yet maintain a positive lock in place. The choice of consumers will guide manufacturers to the better methods of keeping weights secure.

The only reason I would ever consider ditching weights at depth, is only if I want to make it easier for them to recover my body. I’m sure many of you can come up with some very inventive and seemingly plausible reasons as to why you would ditch weights at depth. But that is all they would be, inventive and seemingly plausible. Ditching weights at depth is a last resort attempt at surfacing, which realizes a very high risk of injury or death.

As for removal of equipment at depth and gaining buoyancy with weight-integrated systems, if you are shallow and entangled, you have a point. However, if shallow and once your equipment is removed, are you not going to ascend anyways? More to the point, if you are entangled, is not your buddy capable of helping, negating the need for removal of equipment at a shallow depth? If you are deep and entangled, your buoyancy will not be much of a factor due to the compression of insulating air spaces when diving wet, or simply dumping air from your dry suit to become negatively buoyant when diving dry.

As I see it, a belt is a poor means of securing weight to a body. Varying body types causing poor fit, loosening at depth due to compression, entanglement possibilities hampering quick release at the surface, are just a few reasons. None of these can be addressed by a redesign, just how do you redesign a belt? The answer is you don’t. The DUI weight system is a very good answer for those who do not own a weight integrated BCD, or use a BP&W. If buying new, I would not consider anything that is not weight integrated.

Rather long winded for a “weighty” subject, but well worth discussing none the less.

 

[SquattingRadishDM]

once your equipment is removed, are you not going to ascend anyways?

Thats why I dont have a weight integrated BCD, just incase I DO need to remove my gear

If you are deep and entangled, your buoyancy will not be much of a factor due to the compression of insulating air spaces when diving wet, or simply dumping air from your dry suit to become negatively buoyant when diving dry.

What if Im a newbie diver and need 20+lbs to stay down? Compression of a wetsuit or removing air from ur dry suit wouldn't counter act loosing 20+lbs.

I don't think there's too many circumstances where you really have to remove your gear, except in certain entanglement situations.

Entaglement is probably the primary reason.

More to the point, if you are entangled, is not your buddy capable of helping

Thats assuming ur buddy is still with u, or noticed that ur entangled. Taking a look at the other posts on this board I dont think you can always take that for granted

Another reason for removal of equipment may be that ur tank band came undone and u had to redo it. Yes Im sure our tank bands never come undone do they

Cave and wreck divers routinely remove thery're gear to get thru narrow openings.

How about taking your gear off and using the tank to fend off a over-friendly shark. Not very common I agree but it would have helped those people in THAT movie "Open Water".

Im sure they are many other reasons that people have found to cope with emergencies/unforseen situations.

 

[SquattingRadishDM]

Also another situation involving gear removal, if you were seriously entangled and had to ascend becasue of OOA or no deco time and you couldn't get free what you could do is take off ur entangled gear and ascend with ur buddy, breathing off his octo. If you had a weight integrated BCD then that could make the ascent difficult.