Suggestions for bolt snap removal

[kelemvor]

need suggestions for bolt snap removal

Greetings,

I took a sidemount class a month ago, and I've made 5 sidemount OW dives (and a handful of pool dives) since. I'm trying to master sidemount in preparation for cave classes.

I am struggling with removing the bolt snap attached to the butt plate. Both when trying to just unsnap the bottom so I might move the bottles in front of me for clearing a restriction and when trying to doff the tanks post dive.

I have successfully done it several times but it's always very difficult. Usually takes me 3 or 4 minutes per tank to doff. I see others do it quickly and fluidly with no apparent difficulty. The instructor suggested I switch to some slightly different bolt snaps which I did (shown in photo). It's better but still difficult for me.

Any suggestions besides just "keep trying" to make this easier?


Gear is dive rite nomad, dive rite tank rigging, Worthington LP108 8" steel tanks.

Maybe a bigger size of bolt snap, or some other change?

 

[Dive-aholic]

The bolt snap shouldn't matter. You should be able to remove it with either style. As for removing tanks for restrictions, you won't be doing that for a few years. That is not something that is allowed in any of the cavern through full cave courses by any agency. That being said, you should be able to do remove your tanks at the end of the dive and you should have been able to remove them more efficiently than 3-4 minutes per tank during your SM class.

The first thing I would suggest is changing the style of attachment you're using. The one inch webbing is likely having an effect on your ability to remove the clip from the butt plate. Other than that, without seeing what you're doing in the water that's making it so difficult I can't really offer up any other suggestions. I've had students with the same issue as you and I have always been able to instruct them in how to remove the tanks efficiently by the end of the dive. It's a matter of technique. However, there's not ONE correct way to do it for everyone.

 

[Paul S]

What exactly is it you're finding difficult? Getting your hand to the clip? Opening it? Getting it off the rail?

Are you wearing gloves?

Certainly I don't particularly like those butterfly clips. Easy to put on but can be tricky to get purchase on when you try to open them, especially if you're in gloves. The trick with clips you can't see is to chose clips that are easy to orientate by touch. That normally means make them big. Also get ones with stainless springs in them rather than brass. They don't corrode as badly and jam shut.

 

[karstdvr]

I wonder if the problem is that you have tanks so tight against your body that there is no room for movement. I see this frequently with people who have trouble donning/doffing their tanks. I have been sidemounting for over 10 years,and I only use a bungee at the top,no bolt snap. Out of the water it would look like a mess,in the water everything goes where it needs to go.

 

[bamafan]

It looks to me as if you are using front mounted stage bottle rigging. This is totally unnecessary and could be part of your problem. Post a picture of your tank and maybe we can help. As stated above there needs to be room for movement and I don't think standard stage bottle rigging will give you enough slack.

 

[reghunnicutt]

Practice, practice, practice. I used to have difficulty doing the same thing. I'd be the first in the water and last out struggling with donning and doffing tanks.

60 dives later and it is more fluid. It is like golf, muscle memory. It is strange at first.

Reggie in NC


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[Colliam7]

I am struggling with removing the bolt snap attached to the butt plate. . . . I have successfully done it several times but it's always very difficult. Usually takes me 3 or 4 minutes per tank to doff. I see others do it quickly and fluidly with no apparent difficulty. The instructor suggested I switch to some slightly different bolt snaps which I did (shown in photo). It's better but still difficult for me.

As several have said, it may be hard for us to help, as we don't have enough information, yet. My initial thoughts - reflecting my personal preferences, so take them with a grain of salt - echo some comments already made:

1. I agree with Dive-aholic, the use of the 1" web straps may be part of the problem. My bolt snaps are attached to 3/16" or 1/4" static line (run under a tri-glide on the cam band) which makes them very easy to manipulate. I do not use a standard tank rigging kit, anyway, because I think it is both unnecessary and cumbersome, so I may not be a useful resource for you. If you are using a standard DR rigging kit, the bottom bolt snap is probably attached to the 1" webbing. If you want a little more flexibility but still wish, for whatever reason, to use a standard rigging kit, think about something like a Halcyon rigging kit (http://www.halcyon.net/essentials/stage-rigging), where the bottom bolt snap is attached by a piece of static line.

2. I do not care for butterfly clips at all - I find them difficult to open (brass or SS) - so my bias would be to go with regular swivel bolt snaps. It is not clear from your post if the instructor recommended that you use butterfly clips instead of 'standard' bolt snaps, or if the recommendation was that you move away from them. I am curious what was actually suggested. You can go with a bigger size bolt snap, particularly for the bottom attachment point. I use large swivel bolt snaps, with a snap opening of 1/2", but you could also use extra large snaps, where the opening is 9/16" (http://www.reefscuba.com/ss.htm), and may be a little easier to clip and unclip. You can order them from a supplier online, or often find them in tack shops if you want to get a 'feel' for them before buying.

3. It would help to have the 'big picture' of your rigging, as bamafan suggests. For example, I cannot tell from the picture if I am looking at the bottom of the cylinder (which would be a possible presumption, based on your question) or the top of the cylinder, given the curvature in the photo and the placement of the strapping.

 

[Dive-aholic]

It looks to me as if you are using front mounted stage bottle rigging. This is totally unnecessary and could be part of your problem. Post a picture of your tank and maybe we can help. As stated above there needs to be room for movement and I don't think standard stage bottle rigging will give you enough slack.

While I'm not a fan of using that type of rigging on anything but my deco cylinders, there are sidemount divers and instructors that use rigging similar to stage bottle rigging. I'm not saying the OP isn't front mounting but that photo isn't enough to tell one way or another. Also, my clips are tied up right against my cam bands. Any slack in them and the cylinders hang too low. My hips just aren't wide enough to do it otherwise. Slack isn't necessarily the answer.

---------- Post added March 17th, 2014 at 11:18 AM ----------

3. It would help to have the 'big picture' of your rigging, as bamafan suggests. For example, I cannot tell from the picture if I am looking at the bottom of the cylinder (which would be a possible presumption, based on your question) or the top of the cylinder, given the curvature in the photo and the placement of the strapping.

It looks like the top cylinder based on the crown of the tank in the photo. Looks like he's using the ring bungee system.

 

[raftingtigger]

Someone please (politely) shoot me down if this is a bad suggestion - I am still new at this and am experimenting myself. I had trouble orienting my hand on the snap until I put my - heavily gloved - pinky finger a little way into the ring to add stability. Then it got easy.

 

[Dive-aholic]

The issue with that is if you lose grip of the bolt snap you might just snap your pinky. I'll put my thumb in there but never my pinky.