PADI Remove and Replace BCD Underwater for DMC's

[WaterFox]

I'm a PADI DMC, doing my skill evaluations in a couple of days. I apologize for not posting this in the "Going Pro" section, but I do not have access to that forum.

Normally I use my own gear. However, since I started my DMC class I've been using the free rental gear that my dive shop offers for use in the pool. The trouble I'm having is the chest strap. I normally dive with a SeaQuest Diva BC which does not have a chest strap, while the rental gear I use does.

So skill evaluations are in a couple of days for our class of DMC's. My question is pertaining to the chest strap for the PADI remove/replace BC skill (demonstration quality). Since I do not normally have a chest strap, I am unsure whether to loosen the shoulder straps first or undo the chest strap first. I do not want to lose points for such a basic thing. It's been a couple years since open water and my memory is bad.

Anyone know what the PADI standard is? Thanks in advance!

 

[muddiver]

Get BC off, put BC back on.

I am not aware of any requirement to R&R a BC underwater for a Divemaster course. I did it in college under a really old program. Usually with any standard it is simply a matter of reaching point B from point A. How you remove the BC, which strap you start with, etc. is dependent on the Brand of BC. My BC is nothing like the one your are borrowing or the one you own.

Personnally for something important like a skills test, I would use the equipment I am most familular with, not some borrowed set that I am not comfortable in. So if your gear has no chest strap, why use a BC that does for the test.

Also, have you practiced this drill? Or is it some "cold turkey" thing designed to weed out the not-as-dedicated students?

We had a 200 yard swim test to get into basic SCUBA in college just to thin the herd.

 

[susiw]

Personally I would think that you should practice your skills in the equipment that you will be wearing when demonstrating to students and really this should preferably be the same as the equipment that they are wearing. So I think you are right to wear the rental gear.

In our group we teach:
BC off: undo the straps top to bottom so the chest strap would be first
BC on: undo the straps bottom to top so the chest strap would be last
The reason for this is that the cummerbund gives the most support control so you want to undo that last and do it up first.

 

[muddiver]

I also advise that you sit on the bottom, swing the tank and BC over your head after you unclip evrything so that is ends up in your lap. If weight belt removal is involved as well, don't wear a wet suit for that drill.

The college drill was a full gear removal, controlled ascent, surface dive and complete gear replacement. I doubt that you will go through that!

BC replacement is the opposite, with tank/BC in lap, top of tank facing you, lift over your head and slide down over arms. Note you lift the rigs by holding it with your hands on both sides of the tank and they will end up in the BC arm holes.

If you do the jacket swing technique you will find that all the straps and stuf will get in the way and make it harder.

 

[boulderjohn]

The instructor teaching your class should be answering this question for you.

There is no "official" order of operations in terms of the chest strap. Your instructor may prefer a certain order and tell you why, but that is where you get your advice, not from people like me giving random advice on the Internet. Your instructor should be leading you through the class, kind of like an internship, and it should not be a "learn on your own and then I'll test you" situation.

BTW, if I did what Muddiver is telling you to do when I did my DM, I think my instructor would have had a heart attack.

 

[fdog]

I agree with muddiver, over the head is the easiest and least tangling way to doff and don a BC.

...just remember to place your right arm outside the 2nd stage hose!



All the best, James

 

[scubadiver888]

I'm a PADI DMC, doing my skill evaluations in a couple of days. I apologize for not posting this in the "Going Pro" section, but I do not have access to that forum.

Go to the Going Pro forum. Go to the link that lists all the threads in the forum. At the top of the list are instructions for getting access to the forum. When you follow the instructions they will want the name, phone number and email address of your instructor.

Normally I use my own gear. However, since I started my DMC class I've been using the free rental gear that my dive shop offers for use in the pool. The trouble I'm having is the chest strap. I normally dive with a SeaQuest Diva BC which does not have a chest strap, while the rental gear I use does.

Is your instructor requiring you to use the rental gear?

So skill evaluations are in a couple of days for our class of DMC's. My question is pertaining to the chest strap for the PADI remove/replace BC skill (demonstration quality). Since I do not normally have a chest strap, I am unsure whether to loosen the shoulder straps first or undo the chest strap first. I do not want to lose points for such a basic thing. It's been a couple years since open water and my memory is bad.

Personally, I would undo the chest strap first then loosen the shoulder straps. Why? This is how I remove it when I'm not in the water.

Anyone know what the PADI standard is? Thanks in advance!

Have you asked your instructor? My instructor wants me to pass. She tells me everything I need to know to be a good DM. If she made it hard for me to pass, why would anyone else go to her to become a DM? I'd hope your instructor is the same.

 

[Thalassamania]

For removal we unclip the front stuff and then the left shoulder and then pull the rig around to the right by grasping the bottom right side and pulling everything out in front or (if continuous webbing) undo the front stuff and put your left hand, then arm, then elbow through and pull the tank around in front by the riht waist strap.

 

[BDSC]

If I am reading this right, the OP is in a class to become a Divemaster but has only 0-24 logged dives. I would have thought PADI would require a lot more dives than that to become a DM. Can you really sign up so soon to become a DM with such few dives?

By the way, this is not a knock on the OP. I think it's great you are really into diving. I would have thought that you would need at least 100 or so dives to become a DM, that's all.

 

[chipwd]

I could be wrong but I believe that PADI requires 20 dives to start DM class and 60 to complete it.

One of the skills we had to demonstrate in our DM course was to remove ALL gear (bcd, mask, fins, weight belt) and exchange with another DMC while both of us were on the bottom. This was graded on how smoothly the skill was performed, how comfortable the DMCs were in the water doing this and being able to complete the task without bolting to the surface of the pool. Needless to say, this took several attmpts to get it down and the SI had us switch off to complete with another DMC to do it after practicing with a different one. A real challenge when you consider how different each one of us was in body size and the different brands of gear we use.

We also had to do all 20 OW skills with "demonstration quality" one of which is the underwater removal and replacement of the bcd.