The trusty BCD.

[Stu S.]

So why aren't you still using it?

I let a guy named Crews use it, and never got it back. If you see him, let him know I'd be pleased to have it again.

 

[Garrobo]

If you go by what Dump says, there must have been a whooooooole lot of stupid divers before the early 70's. But to explain it a little more, I don't want to wear a BCD and the buoyancy difference between me heading for or not heading for the surface or bottom is really quite minimal in fresh water. I would imagine that there would be a need for only a few pounds of lead in salt. There would be a need to concern oneself about neoprene squeeze if a wetsuit was used for surface buoyancy and of course the air tank would get more buoyant as the air is used. These are the only things that I would be concerned about. Not really concerned about trying to save another person's life or swimming to shore. So, to bring it into perspective, I'd only need an apparatus which would add air or remove air to make up for the sqeeze at depth and weight exchange of the tank LIKE a BCD but something I could wear around my waist. Furthermore, since I have lots of stomach and very little ass and because of this a weight belt is a pain in the same ,though the minimal amount of lead I'd need might make it more useful or I could add weight to my backplate if needed. Using a $30 snorkeler's vest would be OK except that it must be manually filled. Don't want that. The $500 Zeagle thingy would be fine, except that I would like something like that which would be filled from my main air tank and the outrageous cost nullifies it. Although I've thought a lot about this subject, it may be that I don't really need anything in salt water considering the buoyancy of a near empty AL80 and a wetsuit. Can't wait till next month to find out.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

If you go by what Dump says, there must have been a whooooooole lot of stupid divers before the early 70's. But to explain it a little more, I don't want to wear a BCD and the buoyancy difference between me heading for or not heading for the surface or bottom is really quite minimal in fresh water. I would imagine that there would be a need for only a few pounds of lead in salt. There would be a need to concern oneself about neoprene squeeze if a wetsuit was used for surface buoyancy and of course the air tank would get more buoyant as the air is used. These are the only things that I would be concerned about. Not really concerned about trying to save another person's life or swimming to shore. So, to bring it into perspective, I'd only need an apparatus which would add air or remove air to make up for the sqeeze at depth and weight exchange of the tank LIKE a BCD but something I could wear around my waist. Furthermore, since I have lots of stomach and very little ass and because of this a weight belt is a pain in the same ,though the minimal amount of lead I'd need might make it more useful or I could add weight to my backplate if needed. Using a $30 snorkeler's vest would be OK except that it must be manually filled. Don't want that. The $500 Zeagle thingy would be fine, except that I would like something like that which would be filled from my main air tank and the outrageous cost nullifies it. Although I've thought a lot about this subject, it may be that I don't really need anything in salt water considering the buoyancy of a near empty AL80 and a wetsuit. Can't wait till next month to find out.

The people back then were not stupid, they didn't have the opportunity to use a BC. If you are going to be diving in salt water and you are fat, then you will need more than a few lbs, probably like 7 lbs extra.

Adding non-ditchable weight to a backplate is not something I would recommend. If you are too round to get a typical weight belt to stay on, then buy a rubber one that freedivers use. It will be much more comfortable, will stay on and it will be safer than taking non-ditchable lead.

The facts of the situation are that if you wear zero wetsuit and dive a single 80 tank, your bouyancy will change around 4 lbs or so. This is more than manageable by body position, and adjusting your breathing pattern, if you are weighted just right. You should be fine underwater and at the surface if everything goes perfect.

You stated a need to have something that will fill up automatically with a press of a button. This seems a little disconcerting. Why would you want that? convenience? It is much easier and more convenience to wear a small wing or light weight BC. If you are such a "bad ass" that you have no worries about saving someone (or yourself), then how can you possibly have a problem with removing the regulator and blowing into a retro BC?

You indicate you've thought a lot about bouyancy compensation and seem to think that saltwater will be somehow better? Your bouyancy swing will be identical in fresh and saltwater, but your comments seem to indicate that you feel there will be some difference?

Good luck with it!

 

[dumpsterDiver]

So, you would not swim a mile offshore, solo, without a BC? You know, you can tow a float, paddleboard etc? Well, to answer my own question, I would and I don't feel stupid about doing it. I simply have no fear of being in the water, I have swam many miles in open water races, drowning just is not going to happen, the worst I would hang my gear on my tube and swim like hell for shore. There are lot's of things I am skeered of, red wasps in the cockpit at 3,000 feet, that I am scared of, being in the water without a BC, no problem in comparison, I can swim without a BC, but I cannot fly without an airplane.

N

Probably not. Years ago I used to wear a horse collar BC and then I won a new stab jacket bc in a lobster contest. I used the new bc a few times, but still wasn't used to it.

A few weeks later I was meeting a buddy for a night lobster dive off the beach. We typically would swim out about 1/4 mile on the surface then go down, use all our air up and then swim in on the surface with 30 or more lbs of lobster in a bag that were pretty negative.

I showed up for the dive, and because I was not used to packing the new gear, I forgot my backpack, horsecollar and the new Stab jacket BC. I did the night dive by just hand carrying the tank by the valve and caught more lobsters than my buddy. Is that "stupid" enough for ya? My biggest worry was that I would drop the tank in the surf and loose the new tank and regulator (that I had also just won in the lobster contest).

I just see very little reason to choose not to wear a BC.

 

[Garrobo]

Dump: Thanks for straightening me out on my thinking. Without your help I might have put myself in a situation where I could die. I'll follow your suggestions to a "T". I don't know how I'll ever be able to express my sincere gratitude. If you have any other insightful suggestions please feel free to post them. I am eternally indebted to you for expressing your vast knowledge of diving and in particular buoyancy control. Again, thank you.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Dump: Thanks for straightening me out on my thinking. Without your help I might have put myself in a situation where I could die. I'll follow your suggestions to a "T". I don't know how I'll ever be able to express my sincere gratitude. If you have any other insightful suggestions please feel free to post them. I am eternally indebted to you for expressing your vast knowledge of diving and in particular buoyancy control. Again, thank you.

No problem.. Glad I could be of some help.