Drop the freaking weights!

[boulderjohn]

You need to actually drop your weights to make sure you can actually do it.

I discovered, for example that my weight harness pockets weren't ditchable due to a manufacturing defect that I hadn't noticed until I tried to ditch them.

How is dropping them any different from just taking them out of the pockets? I mean, I practiced removing them from my body. Letting go doesn't seem any different.

Flots can correct me if I am wrong, but I assume you are talking about two different weight dropping systems. I believe he is talking about a system in which the weights are supposed to drop out of the bottom of pockets on their own when the device holding them in place is removed. It would be a good idea to test such a system to see if it actually works. In contrast, you are talking about a system in which you physically pull the weights out and hold them in your hand. Once you have them in your hand, there is no need to test the ability to let go of them.

 

[Rich Keller]

I discovered, for example that my weight harness pockets weren't ditchable due to a manufacturing defect that I hadn't noticed until I tried to ditch them.

I am not sure how your weight harness is set up but if you are looking to separate the weights from the harness itself you could connect the weight part to the harness with two snap shackles. This however means you have to locate two releases on both sides to get rid of the weights rather then just one belt buckle.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

DD, there sure are a lot of leaks in you SPG and reg! :chuckle:

Mike

Yeah I bought that reg for very little and I think I got my money's worth. I would not do a serious dive with the gear like that, but with a depth of less than 20 feet I am comfortable dropping everything and swimming up (should that be needed).

---------- Post added October 25th, 2013 at 06:00 PM ----------

Maybe about 3 minutes of class... It was basically "if you have no other options, you can drop your weights and make a buoyant ascent". Thing is, if you are supposed to try everything else first- by the time your "try to fix the problem"; "do a CESA"; - it seems you are out of time to drop your weights.

In the pool we did practice taking our weights out of the pockets underwater; I assume that was to mimic dropping them. The pool wouldn't let us drop them though. At depth, I don't think the risk of injury is worth the practice: there is a reason it is last resort, but still, better to be injured and maybe fixable at the surface than dead at the bottom.


This isn't a skill on my practice list (I've also never worn a weight belt, I'm a bit nervous about that coming up for vacation diving). OW checkouts, we did practice removing weights on the surface and handing them to the instructor to mock ditching them, but with 2-5 feet visibility they asked us to not actually drop them.

From what I've learned on this thread, it sounds like if I ever have an OOA, it's just a good idea to drop them when I get to the surface- in a just in case sort of thing; that way there is less worry about being able to orally inflate and stay buoyant. I still really don't have any idea when to ditch them at depth- I mean, if you see that light at then end of the tunnel coming nearer? How do you know you're reached the point where there is nothing left to try? When to drop weights is not something that was well covered in training.

The video should show you that ditching some quantity of lead at depth is not going to send you rocketing upward. Also, I am trying to teach her that in a total emergency, you want to make the ascent by conserving your energy. If you start out neutral on the bottom and take a few kicks, it is likely that expansion of air in the BC, suit and wetsuit will begin to make you positive and will aid in the ascent.

If the BC does not fail, and you do not vent excessive amounts of air on the ascent, when you arrive at the surface, you should be quite buoyant with the suit expanded, the BC containg a good bit of air and you have an unlimited supply of air. I would recommend that the diver concentrate on getting several good breaths in and out and do little else when reaching the surface. Making sure you don't pass out is more important than ditching lead if you are already floating.

However, as others have said, if you are thinking of dropping lead on the ascent, then do it. You may also be able to remove the lead and hold it in your hand, so that if/when you make the final decision, there will be zero delay. I don't want my daughter to "run to the surface" when she feels apprehensive (over something that she can deal with on the bottom), but I also want her to be able to "drop the freaking weights".

 

[flots am]

Flots can correct me if I am wrong, but I assume you are talking about two different weight dropping systems. I believe he is talking about a system in which the weights are supposed to drop out of the bottom of pockets on their own when the device holding them in place is removed. It would be a good idea to test such a system to see if it actually works. In contrast, you are talking about a system in which you physically pull the weights out and hold them in your hand. Once you have them in your hand, there is no need to test the ability to let go of them.

That's correct.

DUI had a recall on their Weight & Trim, that I was unaware of. The pull loops wouldn't pull.

 

[liztribe]

A majority of diving incidents which occur start with one bad decision, often completely unrelated to the initiating cause of the incident. Poor equipment and skill maintenance is typically the start of it it all and it snowballs and spirals into a get bent or drown situation. People/divers make decisions to dive overweighted because they have never taken the time to master precision buoyancy control, they make decisions to dive beyond the scope of their training and experience, they make decisions to dive with poorly maintained equipment, they seek equipment solutions to something which is a skill/logic problem, so on and so forth. The issue here is not ditchable weight, the issue is lack of training, lack of skill proficiency and and lack of holding oneself accountable to safe diving practices.

 

[raftingtigger]

On my last dive my buddy had a drysuit zipper leak. It ended up partially flooding his suit and making it difficult to do the surface swim to our exit. He was struggling to stay on the surface with a full BCD, so I came over to help, gave him my inflated DSMB, and he put air in his drysuit. The rush of bubbles from the zipper said that wasn't an option. We swam for a while and he was still uncomfortable. I mentioned that I had a lift bag with me and would he like me to take his weights? He wasn't interested, but as the swim went on he did take my inflated lift bag.

Once on shore I asked him why he didn't let me take his weights, to which he said he didn't want to have to come back and get them. When he understood that I was not asking him to ditch them, just to float them with my bag, the look of understanding was priceless.

Next time I will be clearer in my offer. BTW, if my 2 floats hadn't been enough I would not have hesitated to pull his weights for him AND drop my own if needed. Also we did brief how to ditch each other's weight at the beginning of the dive day - so the concept of dropping weights was reviewed.

 

[flots am]

On my last dive my buddy had a drysuit zipper leak. It ended up partially flooding his suit and making it difficult to do the surface swim to our exit. He was struggling to stay on the surface with a full BCD, so I came over to help, gave him my inflated DSMB, and he put air in his drysuit. The rush of bubbles from the zipper said that wasn't an option..

That's not his call. Once someone needs assistance, they get it. Drop his weights. If he's having trouble staying on the surface and doesn't want to drop them, then he's not thinking rationally and you can ditch them for him.

He can be pissed off at you on shore when he's still alive if he wants, but if I were there, the weights would be going down.

flots.

 

[brnt999]

I am a new diver. Started diving earlier this year in Thailand. I took a 3 day resort ow course ( 2 days when you take into account the first day was a Discover Dive). In retrospect I didnt get solid training. One thing I remember is many of the dive shops I rented gear from gave me a warning if I lost the weights I had to pay for them. As a new diver with 10 or fewer dives behind me and not really being trained properly I had a lot on my mind. Everything was new and I was anxious and one of the last things I heard before I jumped in the water was a warning that if I lost the weights I had to pay for them. That seems like a dumb thing to tell a relatively inexperienced diver.

 

[dwhthediver]

If you are properly weighted to begin with you don't need to ditch all the weight. Losing 2- 4 lbs. is more than enough to start to get positive and once you start it doesn't just stop. But you can still control your ascent.

Dropping an entire belt can also be a very good way to get seriously hurt or even dead.

Amen! Integrated weight punches are not hard to ditch...if you know how. If you are renting, and the bcd is weight integrated you have to make sure how the quick release works. I teach how to release integrated pouches and a weight belt in the pool. Better to make sure you do proper buoyancy checks and fine tune your weight so you aren't overweighted and can swim yourself up.

 

[Storker]

one of the last things I heard before I jumped in the water was a warning that if I lost the weights I had to pay for them. That seems like a dumb thing to tell a relatively inexperienced diver.

Dumb? No.

Downright, effing irresponsible and potentially deadly? Yes, absolutely.