When would you ditch a buddies weights?

[Groundhog246]

Further to another thread, under what conditions would you ditch another divers weights? I remember covering how to ditch, I don't recall any discussion on why (maybe I was napping). I would have to think it would only be a last ditch effort (pun not really intended), when there's no other way to get them to the surface. Flooded dry suit? Ruptured BC bladder? Unconscious?

I've got 55lbs of lift in my BC and generally only use a small portion of it, so I would expect my first recourse would be using my own lift capacity to perform a controlled ascent. The danger would be getting separated, which would leave me in an extremely buoyant postion causing an uncontrolled ascent. I'm starting to think a buddy line, with a quick release (that will release under pressure) might be a good item to have in a pocket. I'm thinking a yachting tether would work. Made to be used one handed, release under pressure and not requiring too much dexterity.



Kent

 

[lanun]

good post, groundhog. i am eager to see the reasons.

i did ditch a buddy's weight once. the reason was because i was caught between taking the time to get the person neutral (using both BC's) and up to the surface Vs getting the person bouyant more immediately - since i saw that the eyes were getting bigger literally by the second (interesting phenomena - it's one thing looking at saucer eyes in pictures, it's quite another to see it 18 inches in front of you). not to mention the thrashing and wallowing happening on the bottom.

i probably would have approached this more differently.

and by the way, even with ditching part of the weight, my buddy didn't exactly rocket to the surface. it was still a controlled ascent.

 

[Big-t-2538]

as a matter of fact, only one that I can think of off hand. That would be a rescue of an unconscious diver. I would never ditch my buddy's weight other than that...I would consider ditching my own on an Emergency Swimming Ascent if I don't think I can get to the surface without doing that, but not my buddy's...if for some reason you are both out of air, and you are together...maybe you could ditch each other's weight...but what the hell are you doing in that situation to begin with?

Wait...I have a scenario...Buddy jumps in...he is over-weighted and we are in an 80ft quarry. He sinks to the bottom, I then (after catching up to him) help him ditch some lead off his belt, make a safe ascent and diagnose any other problems that might have arose.

Well..I'm out of ideas

 

[chrispete]

I've never been in the situation, but I would think the only time that I would take that risk (and liability) would be if the diver clearly could not make it back to the surface on their own due to being incapacitated.

 

[lanun]

wow bigt - that was what happened ...

in my case except switch 40' of OW instead of 80' in quarry. it was due to the person using a diff tank for the first time. and was very new to diving.

 

[KeyLargoBrent]

to satisfy his or her perceived need for additional bouyancy.

 

[MikeFerrara]

ON THE SURFACE
If in doubt of your ability to establish pos buoyancy...get rid of the lead without hesitation.

AT DEPTH
A correctly weighted diver should never need his weights ditched at depth. I have never seen asituation where it was required and I have never heard of one. Yes there is the move called a buoyant emergencu ascent but by this time you have made so many mistakes that the plan is now to get injured to avoid death. The Indy fire department drop each others weights when they have trouble but none have survived the technique so far.

When bringing up an unresponsive diver keep the weights in place if at all possible. We're after a controled ascent rate. Only remove weights if there is no other way you can get them to the surface. Not knowing how isn't a good excuse take a rescue class.

 

[aquababe]

I believe your question referred to situations at depths. We were taught the so-called 'buoyant emergency ascent' but the only time I would use it would be if the diver was unconscious. And only if no other way of ascending is working out..

 

[SDAnderson]

When he was dead - or if I wanted to make him that way.

Steven

 

[Tim Ingersoll]

On the surface and only if he/she was too panicked/unresponsive to do it himself/herself. In that sort of case I would fully inflate the BC and ditch the weights. I was also taught to maintain eye and hand contact if possible with a panicked diver.