Buoyancy Compensator Question

[Splitlip]

I'm primarily a butt dumper during the dive.

Surfacing however, I am usually heads up so I use the inflator hose. Obviously, if one were to use a dump while it was at the low part of the wing, he'd have a butt load of water at the end of the dive.

I do incidentally see people emptying a cup of water or more from their BC's on the boat deck after a dive.

 

[Tortuga68]

I use my drysuit for buoyancy.

Do you use your bouyancy compensator for exposure protection?

 

[kanonfodr]

Do you use your bouyancy compensator for exposure protection?

Some folks, depending on their setup and comfort in their drysuit can do that. It does fairly simplify the diving process by leaving you with only one airspace (drysuit) to manage, but I would consider the drysuit a much more dynamic airspace than a wing due simply to the size and volume it contains, as well as the fact that it is moving with your body.

Peace,
Greg

 

[Tortuga68]

... I would consider the drysuit a much more dynamic airspace than a wing due simply to the size and volume it contains, as well as the fact that it is moving with your body

Right. Meaning it's easier to use your wing for buoyancy and your drysuit for exposure protection (and redundant buoyancy if required due to wing failure), which is what it's designed for

 

[kanonfodr]

Right. Meaning it's easier to use your wing for buoyancy and your drysuit for exposure protection (and redundant buoyancy if required due to wing failure), which is what it's designed for

Unless you don't need to inflate your drysuit that much to make you neutral, at which point your wing becomes the redundant bouyancy. It makes sense if you've every tried diving without using a wing for bouyancy compensation ala vintage style. It depends on your rig and having the your weighting dialed in very well. If I were diving with an AL plate and a LP72 tank, I'm sure my drysuit would be more than adequate bouyancy compensation, for whatever my lungs couldn't swing.

Peace,
Greg

 

[Thalassamania]

Right. Meaning it's easier to use your wing for buoyancy and your drysuit for exposure protection (and redundant buoyancy if required due to wing failure), which is what it's designed for

You should keep your dry suit at as constant volume as possible, which means that you use it for buoyancy compensation due to squeeze. You should use your BC to make up for buoyancy loss due to gas consumption. If you are diving a single 80, that means that gas consumption only amounts to about five pints of air (in terms of buoyancy) which means very little in the terms of suit inflation, so using your suit under such circumstances is often the best choice.

 

[Tortuga68]

Thanks guys :focus:

 

[fnfalman]

I use whichever best fits my body's position at that particular point in time.

 

[CaboJim]

I carry just enough lead to where I only have to use the BC when I'm on the surface. That way I don't inflate at depth to reach neutral buoyancy....
I also stay away from AL bottles.....