Instructor BCD? What not to buy?!

[rhwestfall]

I think the only skill that would be more difficult to teach in a BP/W would be the one where you orient vertically and kick up all the silt on the bottom.

:spit:

 

[genxweb]

I use a BW. There is no issues demoing any of the skills in that setup. There is also no standard that says you can not use one. When I did my IDC and IE I kept hearing the same thing about not being able to do the skills in it. I called PADI and they said it is fine to sue as long as I can do the skills in it. I aced all my demos in the IDC and IE in it.

Though if your shop requires you to teach in a standard BCD style the same or similar to your students, then borrow one of theirs. Also a few people posted about staying uniformed with your students. In the shop I am at their rental gear is a big mix of different rigs so there is rarely any two students in the class that have the same bcd on let alone myself and them.

I personally like them having different ones and I using the BW as it allows for questions and comparing about the equipment and leads to possible sales or at least a greater knowledge of what is available on the market.

 

[Frosty]

This is probably not the place to ask this question. This entire forum really is for those with a total passion for their particular way of doing things and there aint nothing wrong with that.
BUT why not ask the students?

From my prospective -and heck Im not a dive instructor.- The whole--Hey look I can do it with this gear-let me show you.
heck maybee your BC does have an issue--Here use mine-you can see mine works fine.

 

[sunnyboy]

I use a BC in the pool because it does help to demonstrate in the same gear (or very close) to what they have on. However, in the ocean I use the same BP/wing I use on all my ocean diving. Pretty hard to demo BCD removal/replace if you aren't wearing a BCD.

Besides, my bp is more weight than I need in the pool and the straps aren't very comfy when I'm in just a swimsuit.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I use a BC in the pool because it does help to demonstrate in the same gear (or very close) to what they have on. However, in the ocean I use the same BP/wing I use on all my ocean diving. Pretty hard to demo BCD removal/replace if you aren't wearing a BCD.

Besides, my bp is more weight than I need in the pool and the straps aren't very comfy when I'm in just a swimsuit.

A bpw is a bcd and I find it easier to demo remove and replace since the webbing is a little stiffer and the thing is not flopping all over the place.

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2

 

[RJP]

Also a few people posted about staying uniformed with your students.

Unless you choose to highlight the differences instead of highlighting the similarities students will see that a BP/W is in fact "uniform" compared to a traditional BCD.

Imagine the buoyancy device I describe below being worn by a single-tank diver, and see if you can determine which one I am I describing:

The key functional components of the buoyancy device are a flexible bladder to hold/release air, a hose allowing air to be added to, or vented from the bladder, and straps to enable the diver to wear the device.

The buoyancy device is attached to a scuba cylinder by means of a strap and buckle/cam-band system.

The scuba cylinder has a regulator connected to it, and along with the buoyancy device, these three pieces of equipment constitute the diver's scuba unit.

The scuba unit has a corrugated hose. It's over the left shoulder. It is connected to the flexible bladder on the shoulder end.

There's a LP hose running along side the corrugated hose. It is connected to the regulator first stage.

The corrugated hose and the LP hose connect to an inflator at the distal end.

The inflator has two buttons. Depressing the button nearest the LP hose adds air to the flexible bladder. Depressing the button nearest the mouthpiece vents air from the bladder.

There are shoulder straps that the diver's arms go through when donning the unit.

There's a strap that goes around the waist.

There's a buckle on the waist strap.

Buoyancy is controlled by adding air to, or venting air from, the flexible bladder.

The air is added to the bladder via either depressing the button near the LP hose or by blowing through the mouthpiece while depressing the button nearest the mouthpiece.

Air is vented from the bladder by raising the mouthpiece to the highest point and depressing the button nearest the mouthpiece. There is typically at least one additional vent to release air from the flexible bladder.

For single-tank diving there is one first-stage regulator attached to the tank valve. Coming from this first-stage regulator are several LP hoses. Two LP hoses each go to a 2nd-stage regulator, one LP hose goes to the inflator. A device to monitor tank pressure will be connected to the HP port.

One 2nd-stage regulator serves as the diver's primary regulator.

While underwater, the primary regulator is in the diver's mouth.

The other 2nd-stage regulator is the backup regulator.

The backup regulator is secured in front of the diver, somewhere between their chin and their waist.

The backup regulator is for use when one diver in the buddy pair has a problem breathing from their primary regulator. Typically this would be an air-share due to an OOA situation, which will be drilled in training.

If there is an OOA situation, the buddy donates the appropriate 2nd stage to the OOA buddy, and keeps the other 2nd stage for themselves. The divers ascend, and at the surface the OOA diver orally inflates their flexible bladder (if needed) by blowing into the mouthpiece of their inflator, while depressing the button nearest the mouthpiece.

The diver will typically carry weight with them.

Some of this weight will ordinarily be ditchable, but some may be non-ditchable.

The weight to really be concerned with is the ditchable weight.

Ditchable weight is typically either carried on a weight belt (or harness) worn separately from the buoyancy device, or in releasable pockets mounted directly on/in the buoyancy device. The releasable pockets are usually secured by means of a buckle.

If this weight needs to be ditched, the diver (or their buddy) releases either the weightbelt or the releasable weight pockets.

So, was I describing a full-blown tech BP/W rig or a traditional recreational BCD? Traditional recreation reg configuration or 7ft hose? Primary reg and combo octo/inflator?

To tell you the truth... even I can't tell.

:d

And, the new diver will not realize they are different... unless you choose to highlight the differences. On the other hand, if you describe a BP/W and a BCD as I did above - pointing out nearly four dozen specific features or actions that are the same - they will see uniformity.

 

[Easdem]

The shop that I teach out of likes us to use shop brand gear. We get really good pricing as well...Remember that whatever BCD you decide to use (or are told to use by the shop) is going to get beaten up by the chlorine.