My Confined Water Dive with BP/W experience

[DaK1]

I just finished my open water confined water dive with my bp/w. I have a DSS SS backplate with a 30 pound wing and bolt on 8 pound weights and a backplate attached quick release weight system on my hogarthian harness at the waist. Dove with 7mm wetsuit and boots. Instructor told me to put a total of 20 pounds into my weight system which I did. Certain parts of the test was horrible with this setup. Getting in and out of the bcd on the surface was okay but taking the weights out of the quick release and putting them back in was difficult. Took me a few minutes to really get it in correctly and snap on (Maybe I should ditch this weight system and just use a weight belt?). Doing the entire bcd removal under water was difficult because all the weight was on the bcd and I had to really struggle and balance to stay in place on the ground. I had to do this twice because I coudn't get out of the harness and had to loosen it up first at the surface so that I can complete the test. Everyone with the jacket bcd seems to do it fine without any struggle. Am I doing something wrong? What is your experience? Any recommendations? If it is this difficult to get in and out of the harness, especially underwater, why do people use it?

Thanks!

 

[Scott]

Can you explain the difference in how you took the kit off and on on the surface versus underwater?
To make removal easier, what I found was to "chicken wing" the left hand through the shoulder webbing. Once the arm is out, move the BC into whatever position you need. On top
Putting it back on in reverse, right hand, arm in. Swing it around, left elbow in the loop first, pull the hand through.
Most non-BP&W systems tend to have backpack style straps that loosen up or unbuckle to aid in ease of doff and don.


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[rhwestfall]

I am concerned... for the life of me, I cannot figure the need for that much weight..... 14# of BP and still added 20# of lead?

 

[TSandM]

Getting in and out of a correctly adjusted harness is not difficult. Problems occur when the harness is not the right length, and a lot of people set them up too tight. The issues of getting in and out of a BCD with all the weights in it are universal to putting all your weight on your rig. If you CAN wear a weight belt, it does make life easier, although the number of times you will have to get in and out of your gear underwater will hopefully be few to none.

If you can get some advice from someone who dives this gear and knows how it should be set, it would help a lot.

 

[KevinNM]

That sounds like 34 pounds of weight? SS BP 6 + 8 bolt on +20 lead? That seems like a lot of weight for a wet suit, even a 7mm. It also would mean your BCD probably won't float, (even without the tank and reg) which seems like a bad idea.

This suggests to me you are overweighted. Do you have a lot of natural buoyancy? I'm roughly neutral in the pool with my 5mm with just the backplate and tank/reg, though I used to need more weight to sink when I needed to wear a bigger size wet suit.

 

[DaK1]

Can you explain the difference in how you took the kit off and on on the surface versus underwater?
To make removal easier, what I found was to "chicken wing" the left hand through the shoulder webbing. Once the arm is out, move the BC into whatever position you need. On top
Putting it back on in reverse, right hand, arm in. Swing it around, left elbow in the loop first, pull the hand through.
Most non-BP&W systems tend to have backpack style straps that loosen up or unbuckle to aid in ease of doff and don.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

At the surface I was able to float with my gear and take it all off. At depth, when I started to take off my gear, i started to float back up which made it very difficult to completely take off the bcd and put back on since all my weight is on the BCD. I may also have the harness on very snug which made it that much harder.

---------- Post added February 23rd, 2015 at 02:27 PM ----------

That sounds like 34 pounds of weight? SS BP 6 + 8 bolt on +20 lead? That seems like a lot of weight for a wet suit, even a 7mm. It also would mean your BCD probably won't float, (even without the tank and reg) which seems like a bad idea.

This suggests to me you are overweighted. Do you have a lot of natural buoyancy? I'm roughly neutral in the pool with my 5mm with just the backplate and tank/reg, though I used to need more weight to sink when I needed to wear a bigger size wet suit.

I am concerned now to now that I think about it. My instructor just gave me a starting weight of 20 pounds (believe it or not, he was recommending more). I am 230 pounds and 6 foot tall. He didn't even try and do any buoyancy tests with any of the students. Just told everyone a set amount of weights and off we go.

---------- Post added February 23rd, 2015 at 02:29 PM ----------

Getting in and out of a correctly adjusted harness is not difficult. Problems occur when the harness is not the right length, and a lot of people set them up too tight. The issues of getting in and out of a BCD with all the weights in it are universal to putting all your weight on your rig. If you CAN wear a weight belt, it does make life easier, although the number of times you will have to get in and out of your gear underwater will hopefully be few to none.

If you can get some advice from someone who dives this gear and knows how it should be set, it would help a lot.

Looks like I will try and loosen up my harness. How much slack is recommended for the harness fully suited. I am not that flexible with my arms so it is difficult to get in and out of the harness regardless.

 

[Lefty17]

I would switch to a weight belt at least for the OW certification dives.

I agree you are likely overweighted. What do you weigh?

You are able to float at the surface because your wetsuit provides additional positive buoyancy. Your rig may not float when inflated without you attached to it.

 

[claymore]

Use a weight belt for class. I agree that you are way over weighted. I would guess 20# total would be closer to right.
It sounds like the instructor may be rushing the class along.

 

[runsongas]

did you make sure your instructor knows you have that much weight on the plate already? he may not be familiar enough with a bp/w to realize how much ballast you already were running. 20 pounds is probably a good estimate of what you need total including the plate and bolt on weights. I would leave the plate as is and run 6 to 8 pounds on a belt.

 

[DaK1]

did you make sure your instructor knows you have that much weight on the plate already? he may not be familiar enough with a bp/w to realize how much ballast you already were running. 20 pounds is probably a good estimate of what you need total including the plate and bolt on weights. I would leave the plate as is and run 6 to 8 pounds on a belt.

Yea, I told the instructor all that, but whether he understood and took into account all that information is anyone's guess. I have a open water ocean boat dive this weekend, I will ask the instructor (if the same one) again about my weights. If he recommends the same 20 pounds, should I ignore this and just put on 6 to 8 pounds? Will 6 to 8 pounds on the belt be enough for salt water?

Thanks!