Mask removal and Bouyancy

[jepuskar]

Any tips on keeping good bouyancy while your mask is off?

I constantly use visual clues when diving to aide me in my bouyancy, but with the mask off this doesn't work too well...

Maybe my breathing pattern changes when the mask is off causing my bouyancy to change......

Any tips?

Jason

 

[FIXXERVI6]

I have the same problem, I'm still a newb

I usually, look around, make sure I won't hit anyting if I drift, up down, whichever, then I make sure I'm off the bottom far enough that if I drift down I won't kick anything up, then I clear as quick as possible.

I'm not sure its really so much a problem anymore, I'm getting it down so that I only drift a couple of feet either way.

 

[FIXXERVI6]

OMG I LOVE YOUR LICENSE PLATE!!!!! :wacko:

sorry, I should have read better, while mask is off, not clearing

 

[Diverl]

In theory your buddy should be fairly close. I can see my buddies light and we use brightly colored dry gloves giving us all the visual queues that we could want. If you dive tropical you may find it harder. Keeping your breathing constant will definitly help.

 

[MHK]

jepuskar once bubbled...
Any tips on keeping good bouyancy while your mask is off?

I constantly use visual clues when diving to aide me in my bouyancy, but with the mask off this doesn't work too well...

Maybe my breathing pattern changes when the mask is off causing my bouyancy to change......

Any tips?

Jason

Jason,

You hit the nail on the head and answered your own question.. One of the reasons I get so frustrated when I see instructors putting their students on their knees to do the skills is because the students never learn the effect of breathing patterns while they are planted on their knees.

More often then not, students are uncomfortable with mask R & R's more then any other skill. Generally speaking, what you find is that students will take a big breath before they remove their mask, under normal circumstances they'll loose bouyancy. However, if they are planted on their knees during class [ possible with a few extra pounds on them] they never see the effect of taking that big inhaliation before removing the mask.

The reverse of course is also true. When they replace the mask, again still on their knees, and attempt to clear it all in one big breath, normally that exhaliation would cause them too loose buoyancy. However, if they are planted on their knees once again they'll never notice the effect. When I teach, I require that the student be nuetrally buoyant when they do mask R & R's and I make them hand me the mask when it's off. I generally won't give it back to them for 5 or 6 breathes so I insure that they see the effect of maintaining normal breathing patterns during the skill. Video taping them holding their breath while the mask is off and watching them ascend because of it always helps emphasize the law of effect. Loose your normal breathing patterns during the skill and your buoyancy is effected as a result..

Later

 

[H2OHead]

I don’t know that I fully understand the question. Other than training for a no mask or zero visibility events, why are you diving with no mask? I’ve done those dives where you hand the instructor your mask, close your eyes, and follow lines run all over, but other than that sort of scenario I don’t see much benefit from diving without a mask. Buoyancy should remain the same no matter if you can see or not. To test this, get neutral near something you can touch with your hand and take your mask off. You’ll be able to feel that there is no change in buoyancy just because your mask is gone.

I’m wondering why your mask is off? If you are referring to the simple remove, replace, and clear your mask drill that OW teaches, you just need to practice, practice, practice. If your breathing is changing when you take your mask off for that drill, practice diving in the pool with no mask at all. Eventually you will become quite comfortable with or without a mask and your respiratory rate will remain the same.

 

[jepuskar]

This is something I need to practice then......

Your right MHK...taking your mask off on the platform and taking it off...off the platform are two different things.

I remember having a real bad itch on my nose in about 40 feet of water...took my mask off and scratched my nose and put my mask back on and I was way off on my bouyancy.....

Having a buddy close by is always a good thing, but I think in this case...divers need to know how to handle this on their own...afterall, your buddy can't help you clear your mask.

I think I am going to practice this this weekend.

sweet.

 

[hodgson]

To scratch your nose try the "nose picking method" ... Hold the mask at the top... insert finger at the bottom skirt..... mask should only half fill with water. You can still see if you look slightly down. Been there.... done that

 

[lragsac]

jepuskar once bubbled...
This is something I need to practice then......
Having a buddy close by is always a good thing, but I think in this case...divers need to know how to handle this on their own...afterall, your buddy can't help you clear your mask.

No, your buddy can't help you clear your mask, but s/he can help you practice by giving you feedback on your buoyancy during the drill. Extend your hand out after you have removed your mask and let your buddy gently grab your thumb. If they move your thumb in an upward direction, this tells you that you are going up, and if they move it down, this means you are sinking. This tactile feedback may help you figure out how to stabilize your breathing and hold steady during the execution of the skill.

 

[MHK]

jepuskar once bubbled...
This is something I need to practice then......

Your right MHK...taking your mask off on the platform and taking it off...off the platform are two different things.

I remember having a real bad itch on my nose in about 40 feet of water...took my mask off and scratched my nose and put my mask back on and I was way off on my bouyancy.....

Having a buddy close by is always a good thing, but I think in this case...divers need to know how to handle this on their own...afterall, your buddy can't help you clear your mask.

I think I am going to practice this this weekend.

sweet.

The other trick to bear in mind is that most divers tend to think that in order to clear their mask they need to look up. More often then not that "looking up" will further lead to a position change to vertical, if they haven't started that way to begin with.

A couple of points worth noting here is that by keeping a horizontal position you'll present more drag to the water colum in the ascent and descent direction. By doing so you'll effect your buoyancy changes less. Also, bear in mind that it's pressure, not gravity, that will clear the water from the mask. Accordingly, lifting your head does nothing at all, except help make bubbles go up your nose, which is yet another reason why students are often times uncomfortable with the mask R & R. I teach to keep your head down and you don't get quit the amount of bubbles up your nose..

Try those techniques and I suspect you'll notice an improvement..

Later