Diving without BCD?

[toddjconklin]

Thanks all, I have been blown away by all the responses! And I had no idea that the vintage vs modern diving was a 'thing'. Very interesting. I also enjoy the nostalgia. I'm Australian (Wollongong is a city on the NSW Coast), but my father was from Santa Barbara, California - beautiful spot, I lived there for a couple years on one of my father's mate's boats in the marina. He used to work at Wilson Marine and probably built a few of the boats that guys on this forum would have used to get to the islands. Yes times have changed. My Dad considers himself somewhat of a naturalist, but back then *guys he knew* would take garden sheers and cut out chunks of the kelp forests that got in the way of their surfing. I think you'd get arrested for that now.

But it's been a very helpful discussion - I know enough to make a decision. It's definitely possible and something if he wants to do, then great. In fact, I think I want to do the vintage thing at some point in my progression. But yes I'm very inexperienced (PADI Open Water but not advanced) and it would have to be 30 years since he's been in the water (cert with NAUI) so his skills are likely not much better than mine at the moment. Therefore we'll rent some gear and do a refresher course with the LDS. But until he's got his skills up to date I won't consider going with him without a BC - it's nice to know he can though at some point.

2airishuman - you seem to know a bit about these regs. Where would I go to find out more? I really want to get them working (or at least the best one which sounds like the calypso). I planned to do just that - being take the 2nd stage off one 1st stage and add it as an alternate to the other. I have tried a google search but only seem to come up with Conshelf XIV - whatever that is.

Thanks again.

 

[happy-diver]

Hey mate put up some photos, we like photos
anyway if you're strapped and aren't in a hurry I've got some stuff, plus

and there's always this place

mate what google are you using

 

[happy-diver]

I stand corrected. M

Standing your ground mate is where you should be standing

Yes, when we are talking about buoyancy swing, we mean the change in overall buoyancy of the whole system from the beginning to the end of the dive. The system is your body, your exposure suit, your rig, and whatever else you are carrying with you. So (again, leaving out the exposure suit which loses and then gains back buoyancy over the course of the dive), the only thing that changes is the fact that you are carrying about 5 lbs less gas at the end of the dive. That's the buoyancy swing.

Yes perhaps when you are talking about buoyancy swing

However when we are talking about buoyancy swing we don't talk about things
that don't change, we talk about the individual characteristics of different tanks

especially steel v aluminium, that do.

So to answer your question, if you feel light at the end of the dive, that means that you are underweighted, and need to carry more ballast.

having used the same five pounds of air and only changed tanks then what must it be

overbuoyant v underweighted

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Gallery of California Backpack Divers : 1999-2001

 

[Scuba Lawyer]

Gallery of California Backpack Divers : 1999-2001

Gotta love the Peace! The only diving rule on board is, "don't come back to the boat dead." have had many happy halibut and lobster trips on board. M

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

This photo was taken a few weeks ago. Oops, looks like we all forgot our BCs. We still dove our little hearts out. Granted, the group does have a tad bit of experience and excellent buoyancy skills one and all. Mark

View attachment 511665

Where are you guys getting the retro slick outer skin suits?

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Gallery of California Backpack Divers : 1999-2001

...and every one of those wetsuits is at least 1/4” or a 7 mil. I’ve been told here on SB many times that it’s impossible to dive in a thicker suit with no BC, and I live in a fairy tale. Then how the hell do we do it???
Must be magic.

Grossman dived the rigs in a 7 mil with no BC. Others dive past a hundred wet no BC all the time for bugs. Maybe the salinity of the water or earths gravitational pull is different here in Cali? Or maybe it’s just that we aren’t brainwashed that it can't be done.

 

[Scuba Lawyer]

Where are you guys getting the retro slick outer skin suits?

JMJ Wetsuits in Torrance, CA.
Elios Wetsuits, Italy.

 

[doctormike]

Yes perhaps when you are talking about buoyancy swing

However when we are talking about buoyancy swing we don't talk about things
that don't change, we talk about the individual characteristics of different tanks

especially steel v aluminium, that do.

I don't understand. Buoyancy swing is the change in buoyancy during a dive. The individual characteristics of the tank have nothing to do with that. You can make your tanks out of steel, aluminum, fiberglass, lead or unobtanium - none of that changes the buoyancy swing.

 

[2airishuman]

2airishuman - you seem to know a bit about these regs. Where would I go to find out more? I really want to get them working (or at least the best one which sounds like the calypso). I planned to do just that - being take the 2nd stage off one 1st stage and add it as an alternate to the other. I have tried a google search but only seem to come up with Conshelf XIV - whatever that is.

The Conshelf XIV was a highly successful regulator with the same internals as earlier models but with three LP ports and a redesigned nose that could accept a DIN conversion. There have probably been more dives made on these regulators (and their successors) than any other. I have four complete sets (my kids dive) as well as a Calypso J, another Calypso, two HOG D1s. That's what I actually dive. I have a Conshelf XII and an Aquarius that I use for inflating tires etc.

The Vintage Double Hose web site has resources you may find useful. It's more or less run by one guy who also posts here occasionally but it's a quality site and he sells quality parts.