Why would you want to dump weight?

[String]

Given the cost of Lead id rather leave it on the boat than on the bottom

 

[FredT]

Given the cost of Lead id rather leave it on the boat than on the bottom

It's best to leave what you don't need on the dock, but lead is still cheap.


London Metal Exchange
Official and UnOfficial Prices 5/19/2004
USD/LB

Aluminum .7330
Al Alloy .6813
NASAAC .7149
Copper 1.2020
Lead .3647
Nickel 4.9215
Tin 4.2638
Zinc .4599


OTOH the ability to get rid of it easily is quite valuable sometimes. If concern over the cost of the belt causes you hesitation when it's wise to drop it you either need a cheaper ballast system or you need to stay on the beach.

FT

 

[H2Andy]

are those prices in pounds or euros?

 

[FredT]

United States Dollars

note the USD/LB notation.

 

[crispos]

Saying that 1) people should not ditch their weight system at depth but rather 2) everyone should learn to dive perfectly weighted, is like saying noone should learn how to use the emergency brake on their vehicle because they must always drive perfectly in all conditions.

And that ignores mechanical brake failures of course.

Is that so difficult to understand?

Number #2 is correct/desirable, but Number #1 does not recognize that _ _ _ _ happens.

Look at the recently reported dive fatality in Vancouver.

http://www.scubaboard.com/t56555.html

It appears the victim (and I say this carefully pending an investigation) was at 100 feet without fins and overweighted and went OOA. Perhaps knowledge, understanding and simulated training of when #1 should and must be implemented possibly could have saved his life.

If I were his Instructor and did not explain this last resort procedure, I would surely be very discouraged with myself.

As to the other error(s) that might have been made, well we must wait for whatever report will be issued. (Don't expect much).

 

[String]

Ive "lost" my weight belt last weekend (either someone took it home by mistake or i left it next to the boat). If i dont get it back its going to cost me about £50ukp to buy more lead. A lot of money for a lump of metal !

--

As for the rest, even slightly overweighted you have more than enough buoyancy and physical power to swim against. Again the accident posted would not have happened given correct weighting and other issues.

Address the root cause as opposed to solving problems associated with skipping that.

 

[flw]

Ive "lost" my weight belt last weekend (either someone took it home by mistake or i left it next to the boat). If i dont get it back its going to cost me about £50ukp to buy more lead. A lot of money for a lump of metal !

--

Eeek! - can't you find some from a house renovation or something and make them for less? - if you were closer we re-leaded our roof last year, and I've got heaps of the stuff in the garden, plus some old lead piping just waiting for a use

 

[MikeFerrara]

Saying that 1) people should not ditch their weight system at depth but rather 2) everyone should learn to dive perfectly weighted, is like saying noone should learn how to use the emergency brake on their vehicle because they must always drive perfectly in all conditions. And that ignores mechanical brake failures of course.

No one said that you should stay plastered to the bottom if you should find yourself in that situation. Have they?

Oh, and I've had to use gard rails and trees to slow my car down when the breaks failed but what does that have to do with diving?

What you're saying is more like...you should learn to use the emergency break or a tree to stop since you will be pulling a trailor that's way bigger than what the vehicle is rated to pull and you won't have trailor breaks.

Patient..."Doc, it hurts when I do this."
Doc..."Don't do it."

It is a good idea tha void the situation though especially since it's so easy.

Number #2 is correct/desirable, but Number #1 does not recognize that _ _ _ _ happens.

Overweighting and imbalanced rigs don't just happen. It's like cutting your own break line on purpose and then argueing about whether or not rubbing on gard rails is a good way to stop a car.

Look at the recently reported dive fatality in Vancouver.

http://www.scubaboard.com/t56555.html

It appears the victim (and I say this carefully pending an investigation) was at 100 feet without fins and overweighted and went OOA. Perhaps knowledge, understanding and simulated training of when #1 should and must be implemented possibly could have saved his life.

If I were his Instructor and did not explain this last resort procedure, I would surely be very discouraged with myself.

As to the other error(s) that might have been made, well we must wait for whatever report will be issued. (Don't expect much).

As I pointed out earlier. Both agencie for which I am or have been an instructor address weight ditching as a last resort measure at depth and as needed at the surface. What's the issue? To my knowledge there isn't any agency teaching anything different so what are you talking about?

 

[String]

Im using lead shot filled pouches so melting lead down etc isnt really an option. I live in a dodgy area - all the church rooves have already been stripped

Im fairly sure i left it near the boat or someone taken it by mistake and will find out tonight.

 

[nessum]

I love how everyone talks about what SHOULD be...

It would be nice if things always went as they should & people always did as they should, but neither do...

And that's why people die diving.

Yes they should be properly weighted.... but, sigh...

And as others have stated, once an emergency has occured, ditching the weights (at the surface) could be quite helpful.