double tank weighting issue?

[JeffG]

Remind me of that the next time you get wound up in a monfiliment gill net in the middle of the ocean.

Is someout out there fishing for divers?



100's of them dying out there?

Why would they (the divers) be in the middle of the ocean waiting to swooped up?

 

[Thalassamania]

Is someout out there fishing for divers?

Gill nets fish for everything

100's of them dying out there?

I Why would they (the divers) be in the middle of the ocean waiting to swooped up?

Science, baby, science.

 

[JeffG]

Science, baby, science.

Gotcha...nothing to do with recreational technical diving. Cool

 

[Thalassamania]

Gotcha...nothing to do with recreational technical diving. Cool

Cross-pollination is often useful, sometimes not. I attempt to stick as close as possible to neutral rig/neutral diver as possible, regardless of the "type" of diving, its what I'm comfortable with, and the approach makes universal sense, except when there's a reason to be "stuck on the bottom."

 

[JeffG]

Cross-pollination is often useful, sometimes not. I attempt to stick as close as possible to neutral rig/neutral diver as possible, regardless of the "type" of diving, its what I'm comfortable with, and the approach makes universal sense, except when there's a reason to be "stuck on the bottom."

I understand (and agree), but for me the idea of a "neutral rig" sounds neat but I wouldn't expend any effort to get my rig in that state.

My double Alum 80's with my drysuit would come very close to your neutral rig, but my double 130's wouldn't. But, I use my 130's when I need that amount of gas and I have no inclination to add stuff to my 130's to get it to neutral. YMMV

 

[Thalassamania]

I understand (and agree), but for me the idea of a "neutral rig" sounds neat but I wouldn't expend any effort to get my rig in that state.

My double Alum 80's with my drysuit would come very close to your neutral rig, but my double 130's wouldn't. But, I use my 130's when I need that amount of gas and I have no inclination to add stuff to my 130's to get it to neutral. YMMV

Some of it may have come from having too much time on my hands (as well as a very good Marine Tech group and machine shop).

 

[DA Aquamaster]

Prevention is worth more than the cure.

• Don't go in
• Buddy
• A "Clean" rig that minimizes the chance of being caught. (like on some PVC pipes or pool noodles added to the rig).

When caught on something...you had the rig on to start with...ergo you should be able to untangle yourself. Knots do not magically occur. (noted exceptions of suicide clips though)

I don't often express agreement with Jeff. G. - mostly because of his cat - but he is right on the money here.

I have only had to remove things once in 23 years because I try to be as stremalined as possible, I try to avoid potential entangelment situations in the first place and stop and slowly reverse what ever movement I just made when ever I feel an entanglement.

It's worth noting that a majority of my diving has been in low visibility with an awful lot in no visibility. Visibility or not, avoiding an entanglement or extricating yourself from imminent entangelment mostly comes down to situational awareness and being prudent enough to not go where entanglement is likely, and the deeper you get the more important that becomes as the time you have to solve the problem shrinks significantly.

I feel your pain regarding monofilament gill nets - the finer the monofilament the more they seem to cling. But the last thing I would want to do is try to remove my gear to cut my way out of one. As long as I can get my self cut clear of the net, I am good to go no matter how much of it may still be snagged on me. Once well clear of the net, I may cut away any dangling strands or any strands that may restrict me during the dive, but I'll wait until I am back on the boat to remove the rest.

The last thing I would want to do is ditch my gear and my gas while risking knotting myself up in the entanglement so that I can't reach either the gas or the surface. A diver I knew right after I started diving did exactly that and died a few feet under the surface.

 

[Thalassamania]

I've gotten fouled in gill nets several times. I popped out of my rig (kept the reg in my mouth, long hose is nice here), took the net strands off my valve, backpedaled, and put my rig back on. Painless, didn't even need my knife. I could not have done that if I had my lead on my rig.

While we've focused on entanglement, its nice to be able to take your rig off and eyeball it without concern. Sure valve drills are great (and important) and serve a very real purpose, but I can have my rig in front of me with the problem solved before you can say "s-drill."

 

[JeffG]

I don't often express agreement with Jeff. G. - mostly because of his cat - but he is right on the money here.

I'm touched.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I'm touched.

Two firsts in one day !