What happens if you take your BCD off at depth.?

[Coogeeman]

Hey Fitzy

I recon what will happen is that you'll be floating feet towards the surface hanging on to your BCD while at the same time trying to cut your imaginary line.

Even if you manage to cut the line getting the BCD back on will be an interesting feat because of the weight aspect. Ideally if you have a buddy that you rely on he would be able to cut it for you. Worse case scenario is that you manage to cut the line, can't get the BCD on but have control of it, you hug it to your chest and make a slow assent.

Let’s face it if you have it cradled in your arms the weight will still keep you neutrally buoyant and if you can control your assent you'll make it back to the surface safely.

By the way, have you mentioned that you are going to try this stunt to your dive buddy or are you just going to spring it and see what happens?

Coogeeman :dazzler1:

 

[Fitzy]

Hey Fitzy

I recon what will happen is that you'll be floating feet towards the surface hanging on to your BCD while at the same time trying to cut your imaginary line.

Even if you manage to cut the line getting the BCD back on will be an interesting feat because of the weight aspect. Ideally if you have a buddy that you rely on he would be able to cut it for you. Worse case scenario is that you manage to cut the line, can't get the BCD on but have control of it, you hug it to your chest and make a slow assent.

Let’s face it if you have it cradled in your arms the weight will still keep you neutrally buoyant and if you can control your assent you'll make it back to the surface safely.

By the way, have you mentioned that you are going to try this stunt to your dive buddy or are you just going to spring it and see what happens?

Coogeeman :dazzler1:

Hi Coogeeman, this all started from a thread i was reading
about solo diving. May never find myself in this situation, however, IF i was ever solo diving and IF i became entangled i really want to be prepared for the worst case senario. My dive buddy is a pretty cool guy so I know he would be happy to assit when i get around to trying it. Will probably do it at the end of a dive so it doesnt chew into to much dive time.
PS. great advice, worst case, i can hug and control assent, as long as its been a no deco dive, would hate to be trying to hold at intervals while hugging my bcd,

nice one, thanks.
cheers

 

[lhpdiver]

If for any reason you need to take your BCD off at depth 15-30 mters, How do you deal with Bouancy? I have been trying to visulise what would happen if , say for examlpe, You become entangled in Line or netting and you cannot reach behind to cut free. (I wear a two piece 5mm wetsuit , gloves boots and hood with a weight intergrated BCD.)

If i was to remove my BCD i imagine that my body would tend to immediatley want to float to the surface due to all the neoprene. The picture conjurered up in my mind is, me upside down hanging on to my BCD for dear life while trying to cut the entaglemnet free.

Has anyone actually experienced this? if so what actually happens and how did you handle it...

Thanks for the anticipated responses.

I went into the first DM pool session naive and didn't know the equipment swap was going to be thrown at me. I had a WI BC and totally blew the drill. 2nd time out I had a weightbelt. But my inst. and I later practiced and he showed how to use your buddy as a barrier. Keep him above you, stay under him, push yourself off him until you get your gear on.

But if I were solo and simply had to take my BC off without a weight belt - I can get to all my weights - I might take them and shove them down the neck of my wetsuit before taking off the BC. I'll have to try that sometime. Just a thought.

 

[Seabear70]

If I am not in a wet suit, it's not a problem as I am negatively boyant.

In a wetsuit, I just hold onto the BCD, always keping one hand gripping it, I remain mostly negative, so it isn't much of a problem.

 

[Snowbear]

I have been trying to visulise what would happen if , say for examlpe, You become entangled in Line or netting and you cannot reach behind to cut free. (I wear a two piece 5mm wetsuit , gloves boots and hood with a weight intergrated BCD.)

If i was to remove my BCD i imagine that my body would tend to immediatley want to float to the surface due to all the neoprene. The picture conjurered up in my mind is, me upside down hanging on to my BCD for dear life while trying to cut the entaglemnet free.

That's a scary picture. I'm envisioning a neoprene-clad diver with a net entangled on gear s/he cannot reach and now has removed the WI BC. The body most likely won't float to the surface 'cause the net it's now entangled in should hold it down? :11:

I know in the pool I can get out of my gear in a 5mm wetsuit and stay down. With a steel tank, I don't use any weight anyway. In the ocean diving dry, I use a 6# weightbelt. If I get a good squeeze on the drysuit, I can stay down if I have to. I'm pretty sure I would be positively buoyant without that 6#, though...

 

[Jersey Chris]

Its a scary situation because here we dive with 7mm full suits, gloves and hoods. I dont think I would attempt to remove the BC. My luck I would lose grip of the BC and then not only will you be on a rocket to the top but you wont have your reg anymore.. I first off would never consider solo diving on or near a wreck. I have been caught in fishing line before and it gets pretty ugly. These are the reasons you dive always with a buddy.. Just my .02

 

[String]

If its entanglement you stand a fair chance of letting go of the BC - you need both hands to cut or manipulate things.

I really hate the entire idea of WI BCs for that reason, at least if YOU are still wearing the weight (either belt or harness) you arent going to do a polaris impression if you accidentally let go.

 

[Gary D.]

Try taking one side of it off and in one quick move spin it around putting the tank between your legs. Now hold it "indian" style and do what you need to do with it.

If for some reason you can't spin it around you. You spin around it.

The best thing to do is practice this or any skill at home on dry land. Take the BC and go through the motions as if a tank and weights were in it. You will come up with your own style that will work with a little practice.

It's also easier to take it off at depth than in the shallows so practice shallow.

Gary D.

 

[Seabear70]

well, if it makes you feel better, try wearing a suspender type weight belt and splitting your weight between the integrated pockets and the belt.

You won't gain as much boyancy when taking off the BCD, and so you should remain in better control.

 

[teknitroxdiver]

I've done it multiple times underwater, most of which were to fix the tank band. It's not all that hard if you keep the bc as close to you as possible the whole time. The best way I found is to leave my right arm in it, or put my right arm through both shoulder holes and grip the tank with my knees.