What if...? Equipment Issues

[Cave Diver]

For some reason, I thought someone had already mentioned that one could trap gas inside the BCD bladder (even though its integrity had been compromised).

The trapping gas was only part of it. The part that was missing was having your buddy add additional air using his reg to replace gas lost during the initial incident.

 

[Cave Diver]

So in other words you can't get any air into the BC? I guess this would be where hanging onto a line to ascend could be handy, or hanging on to your buddy. It's my understanding though, that we're supposed to be neutral with NO air in the BC at the end of the dive, so I should be able to swim up to the surface and then ditch my weights if necessary to stay afloat.

I read this to say I'm losing BC air pretty fast. If headed down beyond my ability to swim up, dump one side of weight, pull one side and dump part, or dump both, whatever seems to stop the descent without shooting up. Wouldn't swim against real hard just in order to avoid dropping weights. That's why they dump. (I doubt I'd really spend time experimenting with attitudes to try to save BC air, unless I was staying neutral and thought I could manage okay.)

If I am properly weighted, I should be able to still kick myself to the surface. I would immediately alert my buddy that I need to make an emergency ascent. Although I should be able to kick to the surface, I need to prepare to drop weight in order to stay there. I would position myself as close as comfort & safety allows to my buddy during ascend in case he needs to help me drop weight, and so I can use him and his fully inflated BC for flotation. Hopefully I would have an SMB on hand to help with flotation as well.

So I guess the answer is (for me anyways) signal buddy, end the dive, ascend and drop weights at the surface. I would want to keep my weights on as to prevent a run away ascent, considering there could still be air trapped in my BCD. I could drop them once they prevented me from either surfacing or remaining on the surface.

Already had this happen. My dump valve pulled right out of my bc on my 9th dive. I just rose up about 10 feet in the column and continued my dive. I don't use much air in my BC anyway. If I was say 80 FSW I'd probably not worry about it any more than when I was at 40 feet, though, especially after having dealt with it once already. There is absolutely no reason to end a dive because of this, in my opinion. Old-school divers didn't even use BCs. If, for whatever reason other issues started to arise, I'd abort my dive, dumping weight if necessary.

There is another consideration that needs to be taken into account when using the above resolutions. Anyone want to take a shot at the step that's missing?

 

[miketsp]

Equipment issues

..snip..
* What would you do if your mask strap broke and you lost your mask?

(Assuming no back-up mask).. this would depend on the circumstances at the time. If we were on the bottom, then I would signal my buddy and assist with a search for the mask. Once found, I would hold it in place and ascend with my buddy.

Unlikely scenario for me, because I use a velcro/neoprene mask strap that is threaded directly into the mask frame - nothing to break


..snip..

Since I regularly inspect my mask strap and replace it when it shows any sign of fatigue I thought this would never happen to me until my 12 year old mask frame simply fractured into 3 pieces without much warning when doing nothing more than swimming through a thermocline.
The mask just died of old age.

 

[Kenny13]

There is another consideration that needs to be taken into account when using the above resolutions. Anyone want to take a shot at the step that's missing?

OK, I'm somewhat drawing a blank on what you may have in mind, but at the same time I can think of some things that we left out that others did hit on - the bladder filling up with water causing a weight issue for swimming to the surface, and the possibility of trapping air/having your buddy use a reg to add some air to the bladder. I haven't read throught the entire thread, but another issue that comes to mind is possibly having to hold a deep stop with no BC function had the dive been deep enough when you ran into the problem, then the regular safety stop as well.

Care to elaborate on your thoughts, because I'm sure I've probably missed what you were asking for?

 

[Cave Diver]

OK, I'm somewhat drawing a blank on what you may have in mind, but at the same time I can think of some things that we left out that others did hit on - the bladder filling up with water causing a weight issue for swimming to the surface, and the possibility of trapping air/having your buddy use a reg to add some air to the bladder. I haven't read throught the entire thread, but another issue that comes to mind is possibly having to hold a deep stop with no BC function had the dive been deep enough when you ran into the problem, then the regular safety stop as well.

Care to elaborate on your thoughts, because I'm sure I've probably missed what you were asking for?

Let's give it a bit longer and see if any of the newer divers come up with it first.

It's somewhat of a minor step, yet nonetheless important. A few people may be considering it to be implied, but for the sake of others I think it's best if it's detailed.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

The mask just died of old age.

... and with no prior warning ... we should all be so lucky ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[TexasKaren68]

There is another consideration that needs to be taken into account when using the above resolutions. Anyone want to take a shot at the step that's missing?

Well, depending how deep you are when starting the ascent, a safety stop may be necessary to avoid possibly getting bent. Also, your buddy should be with you during this ascent, helping you out if he/she can. You also may not be ascending at the original exit point of the dive because of equipment issues so locating the boat (or the boat locating you) may be more of a challenge. Oh, and don't drop your weights without making sure another diver isn't right below you.

 

[soltari675]

* What would you do if your buddy kicked your reg out of your mouth?
Action: I would breath out slowly and get it back. If I had a hard time finding it, I would use my secondary until I found it.
Prevention: Try to avoid swimming near my buddy's fins. Either next to them, or if not possible, keep enough distance so my buddy can fin easily and not hit me.

* What would you do if your mask strap broke and you lost your mask?
Action: Get my buddy's attention and ascend. If it is fresh water I can swim up fine myself, if salt, I would hang on to them.
Prevention: Keep a spare with me just in case is the only prevention I can think of. Inspect the strap before the dive to make it less likely.

* What would you do if a fin strap broke during your dive?
Action: I have spring straps, so in theory that should never happen. However if it did, my fins sink. If I couldn't get it before it got away from me, I would use breathing and my BC if needed to ascend safely.
Prevention: Kinda did that by buying spring straps and I keep them rinsed and inspect them every dive.

* What would you do if your inflator/dump valve pulled out of your BC?
Action: Depends which one and what I am doing I suppose. If I am trying to let air out, I would adjust my position and pull a different valve to let air out. I have 3 places to release air. If I was trying to inflate and the inflater pulled out, assuming I could not manually inflate, I would drop some weights until I was neutral and ascend safely. If needed, I would drop a couple more at the surface to get positive. If I was using a dry suit, I would inflate the suit to adjust for the BC taking water or not having air if I need it.
Prevention: Have my BC serviced every year and inspect it before a dive to make sure nothing seems worn or questionable.

* What would you do if your only light went out on a night dive?
Action: Make a noise to alert my buddy and ascend. End the dive.
Prevention: I don't dive with one light at night. I keep a main light, a backup/peek in small holes light, and a tank beacon.


This all sounds reasonable. Let me know if there are better actions/preventions.

 

[Cave Diver]

Oh, and don't drop your weights without making sure another diver isn't right below you.

And there it is.

 

[Ste Wart]

Equipment issues
* What would you do if your buddy kicked your reg out of your mouth?

Buddy?

* What would you do if your mask strap broke and you lost your mask?

Tricky. When I dive Rec I have one mask, when I tech dive, 2. In the latter it's easy; switch to the back up. In the former. I guess just begin to ascend. My computer has an alarm for a fast ascent so I could keep it nice and slow, skip the safety stop and have a coffee in no time
* What would you do if a fin strap broke during your dive?

This is so unlikely it's hard to consider. The biggest stressor for a fin-strap is while donning at the surface.
* What would you do if your inflator/dump valve pulled out of your BC?

Write mental customer complaint to APEKs
* What would you do if your only light went out on a night
dive?
I've given up teaching so there's no chance of me ever doing one again!!