I had drafted this post as a response to a current thread but as it evolved I felt it might be a hijack and also may deserve a dialog of its own. The thread deals with a diver whose instructor had her diving in a very under weighted configuration as the next paragraph illustrates........
If the diver needs a rope to get down then it can only go downhill from there. Kudos to the poster for recognizing the peril of this technique.
I will refrain from posting the "Bobbing at eye level with 500 PSI........." mantra and instead relate that to the new diver. Over and over again we urge divers to carry only enough weight to remain neutral through the end of the dive as their cylinder empties. Reflecting on some of the above posts makes me wonder if perhaps and only perhaps a new diver should be adding a few pounds to that perfect weight and should that be part of the suggestion.
Most new divers will react to a stressful situation and in doing so become buoyant beyond the test scenario. Like wise they may not have mastered the 100% venting of their BC. In many cases they may be diving a rental model for the first time and that BC may very well be technique sensitive. Whatever weight they start the dive with may have been based on another BC (or wetsuit or other gear) with different inherent buoyancy. My point here is that a new diver is up against several things that can upset the apple cart of the elegantly determined perfect weight load.
I know from experience that carrying 2 or even 4 extra pounds is not a dramatic hardship even though it represents a quart or 2 of air in the BC. Let's face it neutral buoyancy is a fleeting concept as best. This was outlined nicely in this thread started by Rick Murchison.. I am in no way condoning instructors who do non existent or slip shod dive weight evaluations or those who send new divers down with 10 or even 15 pounds more than we need. I and many others have said that a diver is far safer carrying a few extra pounds than a several too few.
Perhaps we need to temper our remarks to new divers. I wonder if we are instilling a weight phobic mentality that is prompting some to dive with too little.
Thoughts?
Pete
If the diver needs a rope to get down then it can only go downhill from there. Kudos to the poster for recognizing the peril of this technique.
I will refrain from posting the "Bobbing at eye level with 500 PSI........." mantra and instead relate that to the new diver. Over and over again we urge divers to carry only enough weight to remain neutral through the end of the dive as their cylinder empties. Reflecting on some of the above posts makes me wonder if perhaps and only perhaps a new diver should be adding a few pounds to that perfect weight and should that be part of the suggestion.
Most new divers will react to a stressful situation and in doing so become buoyant beyond the test scenario. Like wise they may not have mastered the 100% venting of their BC. In many cases they may be diving a rental model for the first time and that BC may very well be technique sensitive. Whatever weight they start the dive with may have been based on another BC (or wetsuit or other gear) with different inherent buoyancy. My point here is that a new diver is up against several things that can upset the apple cart of the elegantly determined perfect weight load.
I know from experience that carrying 2 or even 4 extra pounds is not a dramatic hardship even though it represents a quart or 2 of air in the BC. Let's face it neutral buoyancy is a fleeting concept as best. This was outlined nicely in this thread started by Rick Murchison.. I am in no way condoning instructors who do non existent or slip shod dive weight evaluations or those who send new divers down with 10 or even 15 pounds more than we need. I and many others have said that a diver is far safer carrying a few extra pounds than a several too few.
Perhaps we need to temper our remarks to new divers. I wonder if we are instilling a weight phobic mentality that is prompting some to dive with too little.
Thoughts?
Pete
