Todays dive sucked

[Mustangfreak]

Well, I had a whole post made out but somehow IE went back and I lost it all :11doh: And I don't feel like doing it all over again.

3 things went bad

1: didn't have enough weights. I bought a new BCD and used only 12 lbs (my buddy told be to use 12, I figured I should since I had been sinking more then floating before with more weights)

2: new fin straps kept coming out of the harness.

3: forgot that the tank strap expanded when wet so the tank fell out when I got on shore


I bought more weights, better straps, and have the knowledge of the strap.:11doh:

 

[pelan-pelan]

Thanks for the post. It's this kind of post which is very helpful. These things happen. They happen when you are new to diving - and they happen when you think you should have known better.

So - always check everything, remember your training, have a good buddy, if you get a "bad dive" analyse what went wrong - fix it and move on.

And tell people about it - we can never hear these messages enough. Even when all these things have happened to us (yes, and they have) we still need to be reminded.
(And I haven't taken a close look at my fin straps recently.)

Best wishes for good diving.

 

[spectrum]

Well if those were the high points we get the picture.

My first drysuit dive by default also included very different fins, weighting and of course the gear and skill of diving dry. We survived but there was way too much going on. The good thing was that getting the suit wet was the objective and when I had enough of that we got out and called it a day. A calmer dive site would have helped a lot.

Bottom line is to always shake new gear down in a confined location. This can be a calm beach you know well or a pool. Avoid changing more gear than needed in a single dive. And do a weight check, even if it needs to be at the beginning of the dive with an adder for the air you will use.

Adjustment and familiarity with your gear is probably just as important as the gear selected and your basic skils. Make changes carefully.

I do say that "any dive where you all come back OK, with all of your gear and you learn something is a good dive" so you still did good.

Pete

Well, I had a whole post made out but somehow IE went back and I lost it all :11doh: And I don't feel like doing it all over again.

3 things went bad

1: didn't have enough weights. I bought a new BCD and used only 12 lbs (my buddy told be to use 12, I figured I should since I had been sinking more then floating before with more weights)

2: new fin straps kept coming out of the harness.

3: forgot that the tank strap expanded when wet so the tank fell out when I got on shore


I bought more weights, better straps, and have the knowledge of the strap.:11doh:

 

[Vayu]

Glad you are OK.

I have seen alot of people on boats and in pools with tanks coming out, about to plunge in. You are pretty lucky it happened OUT of the water. Those bands can be a pain to tighten at depth. Some people will wet the bands prior to adjusting, but I just make them really really tight to begin with. The knowledge of the strap and the wisdom obtained thereof can only truly be learned with experience.

I also had a similar problem with my Jet straps unbuckling, so I tied the loose part of the straps onto the rest with duct tape. They don't budge anymore, and I havn't had a problem. Most things can be fixed with duct tape and/or wire.

Wearing a new BCD is like wearing a new wetsuit. They are usually thick and pretty padded, with different style pockets and a bit of nylon thrown in for good measure. It's better to be a bit negative than a bit positive, but being properly weighted is where it's at. I'm sure you'll get it right in the future.

Good luck,

-V

 

[Phreak]

Mustang freak,

Slipped tank from having a loose BCD tank strap ? Been there. Fin strap waaay to lose ? Done that. What I'm saying is: welcome to the learning curve...I think we have all had these problems too at some point. I know I have. It's all good. Just learn from it, and get out there and keep on diving!

A lot of gear needs to be familiar before you can get really cozy in the water. Remember that part. Owning your own stuf and diving it on a regular basis is 1000 X better / safer than renting some foreign gear that you don't know the little nuances of.

Perfect example: Scubapros BCD tank strap buckles are metal...SeaQuest are plastic. I've dove with both...and I just prefer the metal buckle. I'm getting a solid 'thunk' when that buckle clicks tight around that tank. I can hear and feel that its super tight. Personal opionion here. I also get the strap slightly wet first before I put that tank on.

Spectrum is right...when you try a drysuit it's almost like starting over again. Managing the air in a drysuit is totally different from a BCD bladder. So, in a way the learning curve begins all over again.

Dive safe!

 

[Mustangfreak]

Well I wont be diving in a drysuit ever, at least while I'm in Okinawa, a 5ml is enough for me in these "winter" waters.

And I'll be carrying a big bottle of water from now on to wet the tank straps down haha.

 

[liquid_lunch]

You know my motto for diving is "the worst dive is better than my best day in the office"

 

[Diveral]

Last year, I switched from my old 16 yr old Dacor BCD with metal buckles to a new Seaquest weight integrated BCD with plastic buckles. My first dive in a quarry I was getting over a cold and could not equalize so I really didn't test the gear that much. The second time I used it I was jumping off a boat in Panama City. The front weight pouches came out on my first giant stride (I did not realize I had lost the weights until I was back in the boat at the end of the dive) I had horrible problems with buoancy control during that dive (most problems I have had in at least 20 years). On top of that my tank slipped out.

The second dive I was wearing a weight belt and had the buoancy under control but the tank slipped out again. Same thing on the third dive the next day. (Try getting on a boat with a loose tank). I then had the guys at the dive shop show me how to tighten and cinch the tank strap for the seaquest. It was different than what I was used to with my old Dacor BCD and the seaquest manual didn't do a good job of splainin it.

Bottom line, It doesn't matter how many dives you got under your belt. You are always going to have to get used to new equipment and things can go wrong on any dive. The key is how you respond.

AL

 

[TSandM]

Been there, did all that (except my tank came out at depth). The learning curve at the beginning of this sport is really steep.

Figuring out weights and weight distribution takes time, and most annoyingly, it will change with any change of gear -- tank, BC, or exposure protection. One of the big advantages of acquiring one's own gear (including TANKS) is being able to dive the same configuration until you get it right. Ask my husband, who keeps trying to get his tanks back from me -- I don't want to give them back, because I've got them dialed in!

Fin straps are a pain. One way to solve the problem forever is spring straps. Never fight with your fins again

The very nice lady who took me on my first non-instructed dive showed me her method of getting straps tight -- lie the BC down on its face, kneel on the tank, and use your whole body weight to pull up on the strap. (Be careful to make sure that nothing important -- 2nd stage, computer -- is crushed under the BC while you do this.) This may add a little abrasive wear to the BC over time, but it's better than a tank sitting on your butt and laughing at you.

Most important -- keep diving, and keep a good log of each of these dives, so you know what you have changed and what is working for future reference.

 

[Skeeter1097]

I to remember my tank comming louse at 75'. Had to take off my bcd and tyten it up. Was a pain as the golf stream was cranking that day.