"The issue" emptying your BC

[drbill]

As a SCUBA diver with 50 years of experience, I still find certain types of BCDs difficult to quickly evacuate (something I do frequently as a videographer of bottom dwelling critters). Horseshoe style wings or BCDs are a PITA to evacuate completely IMHO. I choose donut style wings which have continuous airflow and evacuate them using both the inflater and the rear dump with far greater success. Of course in my dives I only occasionally adopt a horizontal trim... only when I am traveling from subject to subject. In that attitude I have no trouble with any kind of BCD.

Of course most divers, especially new ones, should not be diving the way I do with all the "ups" and "downs!" That pattern is strictly a function of the purpose for my dives... gathering video footage of critters often hidden in crevices and under rocks.

 

[Hatul]

Hey folks something that is constantly being raised in the new diver forums is the fact you can't (or its difficult to) vent air from a "normal" BC whilst inverted or even not quite vertical.
So that begs the question
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 wondered about elastication of the "bag" so the air is forced out or even more simple the bottom dump valve having its string extended and held in place so the toggle sits on the right shoulder.

I agree with you that precise dumping of air from a BC is primitive. Tusa has an active system, but I'm not familiar with it nor read reviews of it, but it's an interesting idea. I think it's an area that manufacturers could improve.

Adam

 

[Rick Murchison]

I like the idea of some extension to the rear dump cord. That sucker's hard to reach, and has been on every BC I've tried that has one (and that's more than a few ) It needn't come all the way to the shoulder... I'd be happy with just a few inches up the bottom of the bladder cover.
Rick

 

[TSandM]

Really, Rick? I don't have any problem reaching the rear dumps on my wings, once I know where they are. I frequently fumble a bit during the pre-dive check, but after that, it's not an issue. Even with extra bottles, I can snake my arm down between the bottles and my body and reach the dump. Do you have shoulder mobility issues?

 

[RTee]

I like the idea of some extension to the rear dump cord. That sucker's hard to reach, and has been on every BC I've tried that has one (and that's more than a few ) It needn't come all the way to the shoulder... I'd be happy with just a few inches up the bottom of the bladder cover.
Rick

Rick, if you allow me some humor, I would say that if you can reach any itchy part of your body in that general area, you should have no problem reaching those dump valves. Locating them might be another story. What I have found working well is asking my dive partner to reach for his or hers and if they are having problem, then guide their hand into an easily reached and located piece of equipment or body and then follow a precise pattern for them to reach the dump valve. Once done, I then ask them to repeat the manoeuvre by themselves which is usually successful if they follow the same routing.

 

[rhwestfall]

I dive a conventional BC (old Dacor) and a back inflate (DUI Delta). Both have but dumps, so I don't see a problem. BC is 20+ years old, and the back inflate is around 9 years old. Head up, horizontal, or head down, it isn't a problem.

 

[BKP]

I was taught for negative entry to use manual inflator to suck air out. That was the only time I had any problem emptying bladder. When in water I use shoulder dump or normal deflate without any noticeable issue.

Sent from my SGH-T959V using Tapatalk

I'd be careful about that approach, if I'm understanding what you do, correctly... there's a good current thread on here somewhere that addresses the possibility of mold spore inspiration breathing bladder gas...

 

[Diver0001]

Rick, if you allow me some humor, I would say that if you can reach any itchy part of your body in that general area, you should have no problem reaching those dump valves.

Maybe, albeit counterintuitively, "spare tires" inflate or arms shrink while under water.

R..

 

[Rick Murchison]

Really, Rick? I don't have any problem reaching...

Well of course you don't. You're a girl! Every girl I know can reach the middle of her back, too. But I'm an arthritic old fart, serious tennis player in my youth who hasn't been able to reach above my belt behind me since I was 20. I can reach the rear dump, but it *hurts* to do it, so I'd be happy with a little housed extension on the cord that puts the pull further up the wing/bc.

Rick

 

[String]

I fail to see the problem here. There is a reason there is more than 1 dump on a BCD. The only people with problems are those that insist on always using the hhose (for a purpose it was never originally intended for).
Just use the pull dump and the BC will magically empty.
I did 100% of the time using the lower arse dump on my wing. No need to roll, change position in the water, it just works. If someone wants to sink at the surface they can use the shoulder dump.
It's worrying the number of qualified divers and students that arrived here having NEVER used a pull dump and some of which are completely unaware of what they actually do or are used for. Mainly a symptom of poor instruction.