Weighting,Stupid Question !!!!

[Morg_NZ]

If using a Halcyon eclipse wing with crotch strap!!!! what's the best way of adding weight?? I normally carry arround 8kg of weight in a shot belt but with a crotch strap I have no way of dumping the weight if I need to??

Sorry about the dump question but it's just something that I've thought of after seeing a DIR set up today??

Can you correct me{not after flaming or being called a troll}

 

[Derek S]

I want to preface my reply by saying I am not DIR....yet. Most BP/W divers (myself included)
wear a weight belt under the waist and crotch strap. That way, if the weight belt accidentally
comes loose, the BP/W webbing will 'catch' it where it can be refastened.

 

[mer]

Ways to weight a BP/wing rig: (in no particular order)
- weighted BP (i.e. steel = neg 6#)
- weighted single tank adapter (STA) - you are using an STA with the eclipse anyways, the weighted version adds 6# of lead in the channel
- ACB pockets from Halcyon (not DIR, however)
- trim weight pockets on cam bands or on harness waist band (debateable if DIR-acceptable)
- weight belt

Note on weight belt: most people wear them underneath the harness, so yes, it will be trapped by the crotch strap. If you have no already taken GUE-Fundies, you will learn that ditching weight is not really an option exercised often (and if so, typcially only on the surface). If you would need to ditch weight you would also pop the harness waist band to do so. This is actually a good thing, cause it keeps your weight for being ditched accidentially... I'm sure there have been discussion about weight ditching in this forum.

In a full-piece 7mm, I use an SS plate and a weighted STA for a total of 12# (about 5 kilos) with an AL80 in salt.... and non of that on a weight belt. And I'm rather floaty. In a drysuit, the same rig I need about 6# more with 400g thinsulate undies.

Check with a GUE instructor, or other GUE mentor in your area, to make sure you are weighted properly. Make sure you understand the concept of a balanced rig and ability to swim your rig to the surface with buoyancy failure.

 

[eod]

You can have the belt outside the crotch strap if you want to be able to ditch it easily. In the fundies book I believe it says you can have it either outside or inside the crotch strap. The recomendation is to have it inside the strap if you're diving dry (you have two independant bouyancy controllers) and outside when diving wet (only one bc).

 

[NOVIZWHIZ]

I'm sorry, but I cannot understand the reasoning behind wearing a wt belt, or ANY weight configuration that cannot easily be dropped. Wear it under the crotch strap and if your life depends on ditching it...you will die. I just spent a week assisting in the search for a friend who lost his life because he couldn't get out of his weights when he needed to. We buried a guy that had an incredible amount of experience, had dove all over the world, been on a number of Nat Geo specials. He died in 33 ft of water because he couldn't get out of his weight harness. Something fouled (that shouldn't have) and he's gone..., I've known him for 25 years. I miss him everyday, not to mention the grief and hardship his family is going through. Yep, he probably screwed up and it cost him his life....a good many things pprob went wrong, BUT if he'd been able to get positive he might have had a chance. To say that in most cases ditching weights is usually done on the surface is prob correct, but what about the other times when a ditch at depth MIGHT save your life. Compared to the alternatives...a rapid ascent might be the only chance you have, especially if you're sshallow. I might be dead when I get to the top, but I won't have my friends looking for my body for a week...and then having to deal with what they find a week later...it ain't pretty. Now blast me all you want, but you DIR or whatever divers that blindly follow the "way" just because a whole bunch of other divers say it's the RIGHT way to do it, please, think for yourself...think about the kind of diving you do and do what's best for you, for you own personal safety.

 

[Soggy]

Why would you ever need to ditch weight underwater?

 

[NOVIZWHIZ]

You're kidding...right?

 

[Dan Gibson]

Generally speaking, at the beginning of the dive, you should only be overweighted by the weight of the gas in the tanks. You could ditch weight by getting rid of a belt equal in weight to the gas at the start or you could ditch a can light or something else. Depends on what gear is going on the dive. At the end of the dive, you wouldn't want to ditch that weight or you won't be able to stay at your stops. You'll be underweighted.

If you consider diving a single tank, the weight of the gas isn't that great, so you should be able to swim the rig up with no problem. You probably don't need to ditch the belt. If you can't swim it up, either you are entirely overweighted or you picked the wrong exposure suit. Remember proper weighting has as much to do with chosing the proper exposure suit as using the correct amount of lead.

I haven't really found a need for ditching so quickly, therefore when I need a belt, it goes under the croth strap.

You're kidding...right?

 

[eod]

I'm sorry, but I cannot understand the reasoning behind wearing a wt belt, or ANY weight configuration that cannot easily be dropped. Wear it under the crotch strap and if your life depends on ditching it...you will die. I just spent a week assisting in the search for a friend who lost his life because he couldn't get out of his weights when he needed to. We buried a guy that had an incredible amount of experience, had dove all over the world, been on a number of Nat Geo specials. He died in 33 ft of water because he couldn't get out of his weight harness. Something fouled (that shouldn't have) and he's gone..., I've known him for 25 years. I miss him everyday, not to mention the grief and hardship his family is going through. Yep, he probably screwed up and it cost him his life....a good many things pprob went wrong, BUT if he'd been able to get positive he might have had a chance. To say that in most cases ditching weights is usually done on the surface is prob correct, but what about the other times when a ditch at depth MIGHT save your life. Compared to the alternatives...a rapid ascent might be the only chance you have, especially if you're sshallow. I might be dead when I get to the top, but I won't have my friends looking for my body for a week...and then having to deal with what they find a week later...it ain't pretty. Now blast me all you want, but you DIR or whatever divers that blindly follow the "way" just because a whole bunch of other divers say it's the RIGHT way to do it, please, think for yourself...think about the kind of diving you do and do what's best for you, for you own personal safety.

I'm wearing my belt so it can be ditched easily. I responded to the thread about the DIR way, which is either way. The one time I can understand why you don't want to be able to ditch the belt easily is when you're having a hard ceiling (overhead envirenoment). Otherwise I rather take my chances of a buckle failure than not beeing able to ditch when I see a reason to.

 

[Soggy]

You're kidding...right?

Nope. If there is a possibility that ditching a weight belt is the only way to get off the bottom, you are so incredibly overweighted that you shouldn't have gotten in the water to begin with.