Question about bcd remove underwater

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I will own up to one warhammer which, for some reason also causes buddy separation. I did a number of solo river dives which resulted in a couple minor entanglements which were easily cured by doffing the BP. I probably could have worked it out without removing my gear. I would guess about 5 bubbling valves, Even with my wife/buddy helping, it was just easier to bring it over my head so I could see exactly what the problem was. So, less than 10 episodes and at least again that many just for practice.
 
Good deal Njaynl .. Did you do the R&R in open water or just the pool?

Here is a thought about trim and the R&R. If the entanglement is bad enough you may not be in horizontal trim, and you may not be able to move your BCD. It does not matter just get out of the BCD keep your air supply start cutting the line/leader and hang on to the BCD. Keeping horizontal trim while doing the skill "looks cool" but the main thing is to get free safely.
 
My wife and I were discussing R&R after our OW classes and we have done R&R a few times after the class. So we decided we might just do a few in our next practice dives where we are working on skills like deploying DSMB from depth, air shares and others.
 
I practiced in both the pool and in open water and it helped me out quite a bit. It was a great learning experience
 
I've done it several times in a pool while wearing a weight belt. I think it's a worthwhile skill to practice. The last time I did it was also in a pool with integrated weights while wearing a 7mm farmer john (fully geared up specifically to practice this). It is much more difficult to put the BCD back on when you are very very buoyant and your BCD is not. A longer octopus hose is useful since the shorter-hosed primary may be being pulled from your mouth when the BCD is at arms length. In an emergency, if I had to remove and replace my BCD, I'd start by pulling the lead from my front weight pockets and stuffing them into my wet-suit or cargo pockets to equalize out some of the buoyancy issues. I'd still be positively buoyant, just not quite as bad (a few more pounds on the tank bands). If I had to ditch the BCD I'd mark it with a DSMB and keep the lead to slow my ascent and head up with my pony bottle.
Running through such a scenario before it's necessary helps to reduce stress during an actual problem.
 
I split my weights between belt and BCD. It is a good basic skill. If get entagled or your tank comes out of the cam band u/w you have a solution. Not. Likely to be used very often,but when you need it.... the idea of having to ditch gear at depth is probably never going to happen, but, when it does, you are not going to be marking it with a DSMB.
 
Did mine at about 15m. Never gripped a weight belt that hard, before or since, as I'm a massive floater
 
Hi,

When i check my manual i only need to replace remove the bcd in the pool right ? Not in the open water ?
If you dive enough you will get comfortable with removing and putting on your BC in any conditions. I suggest practicing in shallow water when you get a chance. You will get very used to in in no time and it does com in handy for adjusting equipment, etc.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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