Novice Diver needs help with BCD

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Jody2803

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Messages
16
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Location
SE England
# of dives
25 - 49
Hi All,

I wondered if someone could advise...I am a PADI OW diver but still very much novice and having two trips booked this year (which I intend to dive on both) I decided to get my own BCD and Regs. I pool tested both bits of equipment out yesterday and have a few 'issues' with my BCD.

I bought a Cressi Flex travel BCD for ease of packing, this is one that has no back plate so rolls up nicely. I did quite a bit of reading up about it before I bought it and understood that due to the double tank strap, the tank may sit slightly higher on my bank than with a 'normal' BCD. That is very much the case and while it is not a huge issue, the bigger issue that combines with the high tank issue is that I can't stop the BCD from riding up once I start putting air into it which means that the tank is sitting way over my head and I can barely look ahead, let alone up. The riding up issue is not one I have only experienced with this BCD, to an extent I have had it with all of the ones I have used while diving, although that's usually because I get given a 'L' size and end up moving down to a 'M' - which is what the Flex is as well. I couldn't go down another size in any BCD as the Cumberbund wouldn't go round me (I might be a little portly!) so that isn't really an option.

I ended up keep pulling the jacket down and trying to get the cumberband as tight as possible, but it is still riding up :no:. Is there any way of helping the BCD stay down? I did try the jacket on dry and it was fine but now I am wondering whether I should go for a BCD with a back plate to give it some rigidity - which might help?!

Any ideas/help/experiences would be greatly recieved.

Jody

Edited to add - I was wearing all my weight on a belt but the BCD will take about 4kg in various pockets (according to the advertising gumph), I guess re-distributing the weight would help?
 
Last edited:
Crotch strap?
 
Are you using the integrated weight pockets and pockets at the top of the tank? This should help the problem.
 
Hadn't though about a crotch strap until you mentioned it but the only ones I can find attach to the backplate and my BCD doesn't have one. Just checked it over and there is nowhere on the inside to hook a strap to unfortunately!

Hi Allen, I just had 3kg on a belt yesterday when I dived (in a pool), it looks like the Jacket could take a total of 6kg in 1kg weights in the pockets, that should help a lot but I might have to try it on a check dive when I get to Kenya as it's hard to test in a pool.
 
In order to use a crotch strap, you would need to sew it on at the back, and have a loop to pass the cumberbun through on the front. However, I wouldn't recommend doing that.

Instead, there are few things I would recommend.

1. in your last post, it sounds like you are carrying your weight on a separate belt. If this is the case, you are weighing yourself down while your BC is trying to float away. If you get the weight attached to your BC (as someone else suggested) you will float up into your now neutral (or negative) BC, keeping the BC on you.

2. try to avoid being vertical in the water, and work on staying horizontal. If the BC is a little floaty, then it will not be pushing towards your head.

3. get your weight right. If you are using too much weight, then you need to add air to your BC, making it more floaty.
 
In order to use a crotch strap, you would need to sew it on at the back, and have a loop to pass the cumberbun through on the front. However, I wouldn't recommend doing that.

Instead, there are few things I would recommend.

1. in your last post, it sounds like you are carrying your weight on a separate belt. If this is the case, you are weighing yourself down while your BC is trying to float away. If you get the weight attached to your BC (as someone else suggested) you will float up into your now neutral (or negative) BC, keeping the BC on you.

2. try to avoid being vertical in the water, and work on staying horizontal. If the BC is a little floaty, then it will not be pushing towards your head.

3. get your weight right. If you are using too much weight, then you need to add air to your BC, making it more floaty.

Thanks very much for this, a few of these points I had come up with 'in hindsight', especially about having the weight in the BC. I was definitely over-weighted yesterday (its a 3m deep pool I hasten to add) which wasn't helping and I managed to strap the tank slightly off centre so I was being pulled to the side. Will definitely try to remain horizontal (my favourite position, no pun intended!). I am doing an UW photography course next month so will get a chance to play around with it then but will get a check dive in early on my holiday so I can get my weighting spot on.

Thanks
 
I had this issue with my BC which doesn't have a cumberbun (Sherwood Axis). There are several ways to fix this

1) add weight to the integrated front pockets - This will aid in keeping the back of the BC from floating away from you, it will not solve the problem entirely. Your BC will still ride up on you, but the tank won't tilt into your head.

2) Add a crotch strap. - This means that you will either have to place your weightbelt over or under the crotch strap
There are multiple problems with this. You may not be able to comfortably place the weightbelt over, especially if the BC rides below your waist. If you are able to do this then you will probably have trouble donning as you have to squeeze the belt between the BC and crotch strap.
Having the WB under the crotch strap means you can't quickly ditch your belt w/o undoing the crotch strap (there's plenty of threads discussing this issue)

I'll attach a picture of how I attached a crotch strap to my BC, PM if you decide to do this. I'll give you specifics and insight.
Basically I use scrap wetsuit neoprene and neoprene cement to secure a wide 2in triglide onto the soft backing of my BC. I then used triglides and D-rings to fashion a crotch strap and threaded it through the wide triglide.
You have to attach it high in the middle of your backpad if you want to use a weight belt over the crotch strap, it's not a comfy thing to put on in the boat or on dry land though. Sliding the belt under your BC and between the crotch strap is a pain in the butt. I don't feel the triglide bumping me in the back though.
This technically voids your warranty as well.
Sherwood Axis Crotch Strap.jpg
 
Thanks for the insight, it sounds like a crotch strap will be my last resort. I don't mind the tank sitting higher but I do like to be able to move my head around freely which is the main problem I was facing yesterday. I will see if I can get another pool dive before my holiday and try putting the weight in the jacket to see what sort of difference it makes, I think it might be hard to tell as obviously I will carry a lot more lead in SW than in the pool.

Appreciate the advice, I actually really like the jacket and it being so light is a real bonus so I would like to stick with it if possible. I expect it will take a bit of patience and getting used to.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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