"The issue" emptying your BC

[Jlpskydive]

Zeagle Stiletto has two dump vales on the shoulders and two on the back waist. Not sure how much more you could want....

 

[elan]

Apsolutely agree -I'm diving a mares ex200 and its the same IF YOU KNOW HOW.
Thats the catch. A new/newish diver seems to often forget how so why not make it simple for em??
Just reading multiple threads and the same thing keeps coming up
I'm sorta refering mostly to the "poodle jacket" rec type bc's that newer divers wear

Could be as simple as creating a PADI BCD Performace Dumper certification

 

[j yaeger]

...never,and i mean never....
attach the milk jugs with string!!!

have fun
yaeg

 

[Dr Wu]

I wondered about elastication of the "bag" so the air is forced out.....

OMS wondered the same thing. But it had nothing to do with "forcing" the air out.

Behold the "Bungee Wing Of Death":



Death sold separately.

 

[bletso]

Remember, the BC is just a tool to enable you to control buoyancy. Every BC is different, just get to know your BC. If it is a problem for the original OP, then perhaps a different make or model.

A panacea is not there. For every trick, there will be a counter trick, (or another possible failure point.) i.e. cave divers seldom use quick dumps due to there being another failure point.

Dale

 

[TSandM]

You know, every design has its pluses and minuses. Bungie or otherwise elastically contain the air bladder, and it won't hold air if it's punctured, no matter what position you get into. Similarly, with an i3 type system, if the lever sticks, you cannot retain air in the BC. So you gain the ability to dump without thinking about it, but lose the ability to retain flotation in the event of a malfunction.

The easiest thing is simply to train divers to use all their dumps, which we try to do. This is the essence of "never apply an equipment solution to a technique problem", which is that equipment solutions often bring other problems, but a better trained diver is simply a better trained diver.

 

[lowtech]

I think a number of people are not taught or simply don't grasp the fact that the BC deflate mechanism lets air out,
and doesn't blow it out.
The power inflater, blows air in, it's not far fetched to construe that and expect the same reaction for deflate.

Hence the..."I pressed the button why isn't anything happening look".

 

[Frosty]

Just to be clear I don't have issue dumping air even if Im head down bum up. It was an idea prompted by a fair few threads discussing new divers "popping up" Or not being able to get below all atributed to BC's with air still in em.
Hey aint it great though -People thinking about diving and dive gear.?
What if in life everybody just did what others did?

 

[DevonDiver]

Why hasn't a BC manufacturer thought of an easilly accessed system that allows you to dump air whilst at less than the ideal angle?

I think they have. I use a BP&W, which holds air within a donut shaped rear bladder. Air migrates easily around the bladder and can be swiftly vented from the appropriate valve depending on your position (horizontal or vertical). There isn't many 'nooks and crannies' for air pockets to get trapped. Some jacket BCD designs are prone to this, because they hold air around the torso.

I wondered about elastication of the "bag" so the air is forced out

Because the diver needs to retain the capacity to easily orally-inflate the BCD in the event of emergency. Elastication would hamper/oppose that.

the bottom dump valve having its string extended and held in place so the toggle sits on the right shoulder.

The principle is sound, but I think there might be issues with being able to route an extended length string across the BCD, so that it wouldn't jam, tangle or otherwise work efficiently.

The simple solution is skills-based, rather than a kit modification. Practice dumping the BCD in all positions. Get personal weighting, buoyancy and trim sorted... so that there isn't that much air in the BCD anyway...and the diver has adequate control over their positioning.

I typically use the rear dump valve most of the time, because I maintain a horizontal position throughout the dive. It takes a little practice, but once it's ingrained, it is fool-proof.

If the problem we are dealing with is uncontrolled ascents, then it is far more logical to address the root of that problem, rather than throw extra functionality and design genius into the equipment. The root of that problem being adequate buoyancy control, correct weighting and adherence to proper ascent procedures.

 

[RTee]

I think part of the problem is folks doing their training using one type of BCD and either purchasing a different brand or just discarding what they were taught. I dove with an individual once who kept finning face head down while still attempting to use his normal dumping device not realizing or remembering that in such a position what he was doing was useless. Never once did he try to reach one of the lower dump valves of his BCD. I dove with another individual who did not even had dump valve in the lower part of his BCD. I came out of that dive with only half my normal weight as he was carrying the other half in his hands in addition to whatever weight he had at the start. For both of them, this constituted an ...ADVANCED (just for you Jax...lol) manoeuvre.