DM protecting weight belts?

[sumguy]

So, if a dive op has a policy of not letting their weights be used in a weight-integrated bc because they don't want to lift all that weight out of the water (understandable), are they justified in prohibiting the use of wi bcds altogether, even if you bring your own weights? What about bp divers with no ditchable weight at all?
I'm not talking zodiacs, here; I have yet to dive from one, so have no opinion on those.

 

[voop]

sumguy once bubbled...
So, if a dive op has a policy of not letting their weights be used in a weight-integrated bc because they don't want to lift all that weight out of the water (understandable), are they justified in prohibiting the use of wi bcds altogether, even if you bring your own weights? What about bp divers with no ditchable weight at all?
I'm not talking zodiacs, here; I have yet to dive from one, so have no opinion on those.

I've never had the problem of having anyone tell me that I cannot use my WI-BC. I think that if anyone started dictating what gear I could bring on board and dive with, thus second-guessing my preferencess and my own judgement, I would consider diving elsewhere.

E.g. if a dive op prohibits split-fins and 3mm pink wetsuit (or call me a stroke for wearing it), then I'll not dive with them. However if they think that the 3mm pink wetsuit is not suitable for an ice-dive, then I find them reasonable. (Now, where can I find that pink drysuit, then *gg*)

I can easilly imagine situations where WI-BC's are inappropriate -- but I'd probably not be wearing the WI-BC in that situation anyways.

 

[cantlogon]

the customers to do anything with the rented weights short of flinging them at seagulls for fun..... It IS kind of a hassle to take apart a bunch of weight belts so someone can either put the weights on their own "pouched" weight belt, or use them as integrated weights...and then put them all back together again at the end of the dive.....but I think it's certainly a reasonable request from a customer, and one I'd never think of refusing. I will sometimes suggest that the diver might not need the AMOUNT of weight he or she THINKS is necessary, but the placement, unless it's obviously out of balance, is up to them.

Sometimes new divers aren't all that sure about what they need....I've asked divers, "how much weight do you use?" and been told "3"....not 3 lbs, or 3kgs.....just "3".....meaning 3 lead weights, each of which can weigh anywhere between 2 and 5 pounds (1 & 2.5 kg).

Chris
www.letsdiveguam.com

 

[Damselfish]

I've never been someplace that had pre-made unchangable weightbelts - however would they know how many they need of what weight and size?

Someone gave an example of a Club Med doing belts in increments of 4 starting at 8. That's seems unacceptable - with the typical AL80 I use 6 at most, I'd be sinking like a rock. 4# is a pretty big increment.

 

[friscuba]

One of the places I worked for had premade 10, 12, 14 and 16 pound wieghts (3 mil suit is standard here). Premade belts save a lot of time unthreading and re-threading weights on belts for each individual customer every charter.

Oftentimes, people will just start doing their own thing without inquiring or after ignoring crew briefings. Every now and then someone would start undoing the belts and we'd have to ask them to stop, they just incorrectly assumed we didn't have weights available for integrated pouches. Occasionally, not most of the time, you'll politely explain you have separate weights available for pouches and someone will still be offended you aren't lettimg them take your weightbelts apart.

later

Steve

 

[Charlie99]

The weight-related problem I consistently encounter is that boats don't have enough small weights.

With a 3/2 full and AL80 my preferred weighting is 10#, but as two 1# + four 2#. The SeaQuest ProQD pockets feel more secure with 2 blocks of 2# in each pocket --- a single 4# block can slide back and forth when doing barrel rolls or other underwater acrobatics. Trim weights are 1#, one on each shoulder.

Not many boats have 1# weights, so I bring my own. Good boats can supply 4 blocks of 2#, but a surprising number can't.

Boat operators have told me that 2# weights have this nasty habit of sprouting feet and walking off the boat ---- generally after they get slipped into a bc pocket to adjust weighting between dives.

IIRC, a double 6 pack operator in Maui told me that he buys about 150 pounds of weights every 6 months -- mostly 2 and 3 pound blocks.