BCD: Extra baggage ??

Hi,
Just getting into the sport...Did a lot of skin diving years past and thoroughly enjoyed the freedom of motion.

Like getting into anything new I spent a lot of time researching scuba equipment....Since I will be diving in warm water, San Carlos, Mexico, no deeper than 45 ft., do I really need a BCD..?

Please advise, Thanks, Larry

maven101:

Hi,
Just getting into the sport...Did a lot of skin diving years past and thoroughly enjoyed the freedom of motion.

Like getting into anything new I spent a lot of time researching scuba equipment....Since I will be diving in warm water, San Carlos, Mexico, no deeper than 45 ft., do I really need a BCD..?

Please advise, Thanks, Larry

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One thing you should consider when you think about this question is that the buoyancy of your cylinders change as you breath off of them. You will want a means of compensating for that change. You will also find them very useful when on the surface.

Simple answer: yes.

If explanation is needed I will explain but it's a pretty simple answer.

maven101:

Hi,
Just getting into the sport...Did a lot of skin diving years past and thoroughly enjoyed the freedom of motion.

Like getting into anything new I spent a lot of time researching scuba equipment....Since I will be diving in warm water, San Carlos, Mexico, no deeper than 45 ft., do I really need a BCD..?

Please advise, Thanks, Larry

Click to expand...

Divers managed to dive without BCD or other buoyancy compensation devices for years. It's more work and it's not as safe, but it can be done. Since people rarely chose the hard way when easier methods are at hand, rarely do divers now dive without BCD.

If you aren't ready to buy yet, go ahead and rent one.

Charlie

p.s. Many boats won't let you dive without a BCD, just as nowdays many boats won't let you dive off of them without an octopus and a tank pressure gauge. All 3 items were not common in the early days of scuba, but are now considered essential gear.

Just curious.....you certified?

RICHinNC:

Just curious.....you certified?

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Not according to his profile...

Thanks for all the input...I asked the question because I saw some underwater footage of Cousteau, circa 1990's, that showed his dive team without BCD's and using the double hose configuration. They also had triple tanks mounted on a harness with balloon compensators... I understand that Cousteau invented the double hose configuration which only has 6 moving parts.... I love simple...less to go wrong down there...I would think that diving in warm water, 45' max, should not require a BCD...although, as Charlie mentioned, they may be required on some dive boats... As someone that dislikes being told to wear seatbelts, bike helmets, where to smoke ( even though I don't smoke ), or any of the other politically correct precautions mandated by law, I will probably be third man in the boat for the scuba diving, and limit myself to freedives of 20-25 feet... Jacques, where are you when I need you..? I will go for the PADI certification anyway, and perhaps find a way to scuba without all the high tech accruements other than a top ranked regulator.

maven101:

I will go for the PADI certification anyway, and perhaps find a way to scuba without all the high tech accruements other than a top ranked regulator.

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I suspect your equipment opinions will change as you learn more. For shallow, warm water diving, the piece of equipment that you probably have to worry about the least is the regulator. You could easily buy a 20-30 year old SP (or similar) get it serviced by someone who knows what they're doing, and it would work great. If you want to stay "low tech" check out the zillions of threads on this forum extolling the virtues of the backplate and wing. You might be able to satisfy your luddite side (not a bad thing at all!) and still be able to dive safely and comfortably.

mattboy:

I suspect your equipment opinions will change as you learn more. For shallow, warm water diving, the piece of equipment that you probably have to worry about the least is the regulator. You could easily buy a 20-30 year old SP (or similar) get it serviced by someone who knows what they're doing, and it would work great. If you want to stay "low tech" check out the zillions of threads on this forum extolling the virtues of the backplate and wing. You might be able to satisfy your luddite side (not a bad thing at all!) and still be able to dive safely and comfortably.

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Thanks Mattboy..
Good advise all, though my wife would snicker at the Luddite comparison...I will indeed check out the vintage dive threads for further info...I must have watched too much Sea Hunt in the 60's....Thanks again, Larry