Redundant buoyancy in warm weather

[The Chairman]

I don't know....I could swear I just saw a PADI class where they were practicing to climb out of the hole they were in.....there was an awful lot of clawing on all fours ( could have been a NAUI class or SSI....most of the big agency, monster sized classes. look the same underwater

Maybe it was just a DIR cave class then. You're the only person I can recall suggesting that someone climb out of a cave.

​

 

[danvolker]

Maybe it was just a DIR cave class then. You're the only person I can recall suggesting that someone climb out of a cave.

​

And you do "get" that "suggestions I will offer so that a diver will feel good about diving while being 40 pounds or more over-weighted--- would not be suggestions any DIR Diver would take to be anything other than a JOKE.

After "putting up with" my posting ideas for 5 or 6 years now....you must know what I think of a diver that is "crawling" or walking on the bottom...or trying to climb out of an U/W cave on all fours...

 

[The Chairman]

Dude, I was joshing you with that one. Of course I know what you think of a diver crawling on the bottom:

Spoiler

They're a DIR diver trying to get out of a cave! Made ya look!

 

[victorzamora]

I don't know....I could swear I just saw a PADI class where they were practicing to climb out of the hole they were in.....there was an awful lot of clawing on all fours ( could have been a NAUI class or SSI....most of the big agency, monster sized classes. look the same underwater

Are PADI, NAUI, and SSI monster classes really the best way to judge the majority of cave divers? I think not.

 

[danvolker]

Are PADI, NAUI, and SSI monster classes really the best way to judge the majority of cave divers? I think not.

Exactly. Cave diving instruction is Flying Jets compared to riding a donkey( difficulty level and skills required).
But the idea of being 40 pounds too heavy ( or more) and integrating this into tech instruction-- belongs at the rear end of the Donkey ( ie., PADI Tech!!! )

 

[DaleC]

As a vintage equipment diver I have grown accustomed to being neutral, using my drysuit for primary buoyancy (no BC) or with a lift bag or SMB when in a wetsuit. Because of this I am pretty pro balanced rig whenever possible because I see how less effort is needed for vertical movement.

I know not every dive can be done balanced, though I think more people could be closer to the mark if they worked at it.

I get a little nervous when using my DS if I am overweighted because the bubble needed for lift can easily burp the neck seal (neoprene) and even mess up the fold, creating a less airtight seal. This would not be fun if deep or stressed. I particularly think a stressed diver could be prone to this as they go vertical in an attempt to swim up. My Bare bilam was not bad for this but my Pinnacle Black Ice burps at a whim.

That said, for deeper modern dives I use a DS, single wing, lift bag neatly bungeed to my BP, and have a SMB pre-loaded on a finger reel in my pocket. Lot's of options, all of which I can use for lift. If I were diving the tropics I would probably use a WS and lift bag/SMB bungeed to plate.