• Welcome to ScubaBoard

  1. Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

    Benefits of registering include

    • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
    • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
    • You can make this box go away

    Joining is quick and easy. Login or Register now by clicking on the button

BC vs. BCD

Discussion in 'New Divers & Those Considering Diving' started by defkonmusic, Sep 4, 2009.

Page 1 of 5
  1. defkonmusic

    defkonmusic Registered

    # of Dives: 0 - 24
    Location: Los Angeles, California, United States
    28
    0
    Hey Everyone,

    I know this may sound like a stupid question and I am a newbie so please bare with me, I have a couple questions.

    I am a newly certified open water diver and would like to know everyone's thoughts on calling your buoyancy control device a BCD or a BC. On my first discovery scuba dive, one of the other divers (certified) insisted that it wasn't called a buoyancy control device but a buoyancy compensation device. Being the new guy I didn't argue and no one else was in the area to possibly correct him. Although I knew I wasn't wrong, I wasn't sure if he was right. Ive also heard them referred to as buoyancy compensator and I am assuming thats where BC comes from. Please let me know your thoughts.

    P.S. I know I could just ask someone the next time I dive but I thought it might be a good topic of conversation. If there is another thread about this please let me know. When searching for BC, BCD, etc. there is a LOT to filter through.

    Thanks!
     
    defkonmusic, Sep 4, 2009
    defkonmusic, Sep 4, 2009
    #1
  2. SteveAD

    SteveAD Scuba Instructor

    # of Dives:
    Location: danvers,ma
    1,827
    20
    potato/potahto tomato tomahto boyancy compensation device/bouyancy compensator/ vest thingy they all work.
     
    SteveAD, Sep 4, 2009
    SteveAD, Sep 4, 2009
    #2
  3. fisheater

    fisheater Contributor

    # of Dives: 200 - 499
    Location: Sebastopol, CA
    4,576
    1,164
    You use your BC/BCD to compensate for your loss of exposure suit buoyancy when you descend and the water pressure increases. YOU control your buoyancy, through your breathing and BC/BCD (and/or drysuit) use.

    Hence, it's properly called a buoyancy compensator ("BC") or bouyancy compensation device ("BCD").

    I suppose a "buoyancy control device" would be your brain.
     
    fisheater, Sep 4, 2009
    fisheater, Sep 4, 2009
    #3
  4. skdiver.com

    skdiver.com Registered

    # of Dives: 50 - 99
    Location: Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
    16
    0
    like stated above bouyancy compensator device to bouyancy compensator there all the same thing
     
    skdiver.com, Sep 4, 2009
    skdiver.com, Sep 4, 2009
    #4
  5. paddler3d

    paddler3d Guest

    # of Dives: 200 - 499
    Location: Baltimore, MD
    1,022
    16
    What he said.:D
     
    paddler3d, Sep 4, 2009
    paddler3d, Sep 4, 2009
    #5
  7. diver 85

    diver 85 Contributor

    # of Dives: 1,000 - 2,499
    Location: SW Louisiana
    7,899
    1,616
    BC-most people are lazy.........BCD is for wimps....lol
     
    diver 85, Sep 4, 2009
    diver 85, Sep 4, 2009
    #6
  8. Rhone Man

    Rhone Man Scuba Instructor

    # of Dives: 1,000 - 2,499
    Location: British Virgin Islands
    11,299
    10,731
    I think in the early days they were called "Bouyancy Compensators" and abbreviated to BC, and then in a burst of political correctness this was changed to "Bouyancy Control Devices" and abbreviated to BCD, but nobody really noticed or cared.
     
    Rhone Man, Sep 4, 2009
    Rhone Man, Sep 4, 2009
    #7
  9. defkonmusic

    defkonmusic Registered

    # of Dives: 0 - 24
    Location: Los Angeles, California, United States
    28
    0
    The PADI manual calls them buoyancy control devices but apparently its not really that important. Ill be calling them BC's from now on.

    :p

    Thanks everybody!
     
    Last edited: Sep 4, 2009
    defkonmusic, Sep 4, 2009
    defkonmusic, Sep 4, 2009
    #8
  10. defkonmusic

    defkonmusic Registered

    # of Dives: 0 - 24
    Location: Los Angeles, California, United States
    28
    0
    lol!

    :)
     
    defkonmusic, Sep 4, 2009
    defkonmusic, Sep 4, 2009
    #9
  11. BCSGratefulDiver

    BCSGratefulDiver Mental toss flycoon ScubaBoard Supporter

    # of Dives: 2,500 - 4,999
    Location: On the Fun Side of Trump's Wall
    82,082
    71,553
    I call mine a BP/W ... :D

    ... Bob (Grateful Diver)
     
    BCSGratefulDiver, Sep 4, 2009
    BCSGratefulDiver, Sep 4, 2009
    #10
Page 1 of 5

Share This Page