What is REAL Streamlining?

Streamlining is discussed a lot in the dive community.

I find it remarkable that scuba diving is talked about as a streamlining sport.
Car racing? Yes.
Competitive swimming? Yes.

But Scuba Diving?

Mask, snorkel, tank(s), several hoses, regulators, SMB, weights, dry suit with two balloon pockets, boots, gloves, hoods, backup tanks, deco tanks, doubles, Aragon bottles, compass, dive computer, flashlights, canister lights, whistles, BCD, straps, camera etc.

I think when people talk about streamlining what they really mean, is maybe something I made up, like the "3C’s;Compact, Consolidate, Coordinate.

Considering these concepts further the understanding what is trying to be accomplished. Correctly attaching scuba items, nothing dangling, correctly weighted so no extra air in the BCD (compact), using a system that provides for best functionality, which provides excellent coordination of your entire diving system.

Cave divers and tech divers take this to the highest level. Cave and Tech divers that don’t take this systematic approach seriously often find themselves severely injured or dead. Actually it is the serious trained cave and tech divers that have to do the recovery dives. GUE and UTD teach these methods. They expand the concept of systematic diving to extend to the diving team and this team extends your underwater resources to each trained member.

Anyhow, I like the concept of “3C” (Compact, Consolidate, Coordinate) better than the use of the word “streamlining”.

Let's face it, we were not meant to be underwater for long. We can not survive in an UW environment without all the tools we divers prize. They guys living in a bell are the real deal, not the cave divers. We are hardly streamlined.

Man is a user of tools, but we do not do very many things well. We are not fast, compared to a cheetah. We are not strong, compared to an elephant. We are rather pathetic but somehow we rule the land. Maybe it's a good thing we do not rule the seas even if we do mess them up!

In the sense of offering the least resistance to forward progress, streamlining is all but irrelevant to most divers. Even in the dense medium, at the speeds we typically move (or the medium moves against us), the difference in drag coefficient between a streamlined diver and a Christmas tree diver will have a negligible effect on the speed or effort of headway. With exceptions for scooter users and those who swim against strong currents.

In the other sense of the word, efficient or simple, the streamlined diver will be more comfortable in his gear, able to deploy it more easily when necessary, and less prone to entanglement. These are worthwhile goals for all divers.

When I think of streamlining, I focus on the safety and environmental aspects of that concept. Unless you are in a DPV race or other race, "water resistance" is really not a big deal. But securing yur hoses, gauges, and other gear so that they do not catch on coral or rocks or plants, and don't stir up or inure the environment, that is a bog deal. We have all seen the diver who drags things across the reef, even though they stay off of it themselves. The more stuff you carry, the more important is is to secure your gear so as not to damage the environment, and not get entangled your self or entangle someone else. The simple act of securing an alternate air source or gauge console on a clip or retractor makes a big difference. So does putting alight in a pocket rather than hanging it low off a belt clip. When doing recreational dives, I streamline by not taking stuff I don't need. Now cave and tech diving, that's another story.
DivemasterDennis

There are of course more meanings to "streamlining" than specifically with respect to fluid dynamics. Business leaders often talk about streamlining processes, for example.

Definition of STREAMLINED

1
a : contoured to reduce resistance to motion through a fluid (as air)
b : stripped of nonessentials : compact
c : effectively integrated : organized


2

: having flowing lines


3

: brought up to date : modernized

Click to expand...

1b, 1c and 3 can clearly apply to scuba diving.

1a can as well, though yes you're unlikely to come up with a particularly well-shaped diver from a low-drag standpoint (though we can use that to our advantage in controlling ascent/descent rates).
2 applies to anything that moves through a fluid.

This an excellent thread for all divers but especially for new divers that are being "sold" by well meaning, but many times, less than knowing, LDS sales staff.

It is kind of funny to see basic OW divers talk about streamlining (ok, I'm guilty), toss their poodle jacket, buy a BP/W, then start hanging all sorts of things off D-rings. A walking scuba Christmas tree.

I'm glad I went BP/W for the weight distribution aspect, but otherwise, a well fitting BCD would be just as good.

Until someone really goes tech (cave, deep wreck, deco, etc) just use what you've got or buy something you are comfortable wearing. It's really not that complicated ... until we over-think it.

I dive under the GUE equipment guidelines and feel the kit is very clean. Swiching my wife over to this rig presented issues for her and i dropped the idea for now. That said I have a woman's BCD sitting in my office on a tank. Each day (we have a trip coming up) I look at it and try and clean it up. It's not that easy because i'm even having trouble with it.

REAL Streamlining in Rec diving is important because it might make the difference between having an experience of a life time or having just a nice dive.

Current equals more marine life. Strong current means marine life on Steroids!

If you can you maintain in a strong current, then you may witness nature at it's best!

As you are swimming with a whale shark, manta ray or turtle, it seems the marine creature is hardly moving.

Now, they are steamlined.

After spending extend time with marine life, you learn little tricks.

Please note: No chasing or harassing!