Suggested BP/W setup for possible convert?

[CompuDude]

Just looking for the proper procedure. Here's a scenario that just happened two weeks ago on a shore dive: 300-400 yds out, about the descent point, a group member popped the filler hose seal on his BC (filler hose on the top of the shoulder). He started to descend. Popped his reg in his mouth (mask still around neckline) and dumped his weights at about 8-10 feet or so. He popped back up. Buddy retrieved his weight sacks and excorted him back to shore.

Realize that you're discussing two different scenarios. In cold water, as Tobin mentioned, you're going to have a lot more weight than what is inherent to your backplate. So some will likely be ditchable. And regardless, you're going to have a thick exposure suit that will keep you floating easily. Very different scenario.

In warm water, with little or no exposure suit, the only weight we're talking about is the 5-6 lbs inherent to your plate. That's not so much weight that you shouldn't be able to easily kick it to the surface.

Worst case scenario is somehow you've lost your fins so you can't kick up. Highly unlikely but at the beginning of the dive you described, you have no nitrogen loading to be overly concerned about, so drop your gear and pop up if need be.

 

[runway1]

Realize that you're discussing two different scenarios. In cold water, as Tobin mentioned, you're going to have a lot more weight than what is inherent to your backplate. So some will likely be ditchable. And regardless, you're going to have a thick exposure suit that will keep you floating easily. Very different scenario.

In warm water, with little or no exposure suit, the only weight we're talking about is the 5-6 lbs inherent to your plate. That's not so much weight that you shouldn't be able to easily kick it to the surface.

Worst case scenario is somehow you've lost your fins so you can't kick up. Highly unlikely but at the beginning of the dive you described, you have no nitrogen loading to be overly concerned about, so drop your gear and pop up if need be.

Rarely diving warm water I had to think about that and I see the scenario. Makes sense - I agree. Thanks.

 

[runway1]

Tobin - good catch! Yes he was overweighted. When diving shallow reefs (<25') with surge/chop and all, we tend to go out a bit on the heavy side for obvious reasons. No need getting tossed around too much.

I see your logic better and that of CompuDude also. Great inputs and I appreciate that - thanks all!

 

[cool_hardware52]

Tobin - good catch! Yes he was overweighted. When diving shallow reefs (<25') with surge/chop and all, we tend to go out a bit on the heavy side for obvious reasons. No need getting tossed around too much.

The only reason I can see to be overweighted is if you want to stick to the bottom, i.e. be very negative. PSD divers doing low / zero vis searches would be a typical example.

If there's a surge your total mass will have some small effect, but an additional 8-10 lbs out of a divers mass of 180-240 lbs won't make much difference.

Tobin

 

[halocline]

Just looking for the proper procedure. Here's a scenario that just happened two weeks ago on a shore dive: 300-400 yds out, about the descent point, a group member popped the filler hose seal on his BC (filler hose on the top of the shoulder). He started to descend. Popped his reg in his mouth (mask still around neckline) and dumped his weights at about 8-10 feet or so. He popped back up. Buddy retrieved his weight sacks and excorted him back to shore.

Just as likely is a scenario in which a diver accidentally drops weights at depth and rockets to the surface. You have to balance the risk of that happening with the risk of not being able to maintain positive buoyancy at the surface by having no ditchable weight. When you consider that it is not clear that ditchable weights are safer for all divers.

PADI emphasizes ditchable weights because they are very much oriented towards preventing problems at the surface, which is where weights are supposed to be ditched. There is almost no realistic scenario in which you would ditch weights at depth.