Drop your weights or not...

[Searcaigh]

I was trained HOW to drop my weights, and we practiced a simulated arrival at the surface out of air, with oral inflation and weight drop. We did not discuss any other times you might want to drop weights, or what the drawbacks of doing so might be. In Rescue, I was taught to drop someone ELSE's weights to ensure they would be positive at the surface.

+1

Can't imagine dropping them whilst underwater though

 

[vladimir]

If I recall correctly - and I am probably not but I seem to remember the number in the neighborhood of 94% as being the percentage of diver deaths where weights had not been dropped. That being the case - this percentage indicates a problem in training.

What is the percentage of diver deaths that would have been prevented if weights had been dropped?

 

[Sas]

I was trained to drop my weights in an emergency. I was not really given much training on when would be a good time to drop weights other than 'if in doubt ditch your weight'. Underwater, it would really be a step of last resort to ditch them.

On the surface I would have no hesitation about ditching my weight. I have had to ditch my weight once on the surface (just managed to get away with not having to ditch all of my gear as well) in order to do a long surface swim.

 

[movieflick]

I was trained how to drop my weights as well as my buddies. We practiced with pocket weights and belt. We also practiced switching weights with our buddies.

Reasons to drop were if you had an emergency with buoyancy issues or if you had an emergency situation at the surface such as an injury or if you have become separated from the dive group and will be waiting for rescue. Also told to drop weights in OOA situation but that might be covered under bounce issue as well.

Manually inflating the BCD was taught in the same group skills.

 

[BrianKon]

For every skill you take a student through for certification there is an objective and value for it. Discussing these and the scenarios is part of the instruction. Since weight removal is one of easier skills, perhaps not enough time is spent on it and hence the confusion with certified divers; who did the skill for certification, but never really understood the skill.

I think I will bring this up with my referral students tomorrow during OW 3 & 4, to test their knowledge.

 

[Kenny13]

I was taught how to drop weight and that it was mainly for emergencies at the surface. Also that dropping weight at depth was for extreme emergencies, basically as a last resort. I do like the idea of spreading my ditchable weight in multiple places so if I do have to drop some at depth I have some control.

One thing that I would like to point out - I certainly hope that any of these accidents/fatalities aren't taking place at the surface because a diver thinks they can maintain control without ditching and chooses not to because of the cost of replacing weights, belts, BC pouches, etc.

 

[boulderjohn]

I have spent the afternoon considering what Ken Kurtis has had to say on the accident thread. Drop the weights and possibly suffer the consequences of the ascent. Keep the weights and hope someone recognizes that there is a problem and finds your body on the bottom before it is to late. .

If those were the only options, the choice would be obvious.

In between those options is the CESA, where one begins an ascent to the surface while exhaling to prevent embolism. It is a controlled ascent, not a rocket ride. Remember that in an OOA emergency at depth, the tank is not OOA--it just does not have enough air in it for the regulator to supply air at the OOA depth. As you ascend and the ambient pressure around you decreases, your regulator will be able to deliver air. Thus, even if you blow out all your air early on, if you inhale you will get some more. That is one of the reasons you are taught to retain your regulator while doing this.

If I were in an OOA situation with no buddy nearby (which is unthinkable to me), that would be what I would do.

If there was something preventing me from doing this, such as for some reason being overweighted with a non-functioning BCD, I would certainly drop the weights.

 

[Rich Keller]

I would drop my weights in half a heart beat if it were called for!

 

[Fish in a Barrel]

I was taught:

If you're at depth, you can ditch and make a buoyant ascent, but you shouldn't have to and it should be avoided if a CESA will do.

If you're on the surface and you are having any trouble staying there, ditch the weights immediately. I believe a majority of scuba deaths occur after the diver has surfaced but can't stay there (but don't quote me on that).

 

[boulderjohn]

I would drop my weights in half a heart beat if it were called for!

I think everyone agrees with that.

The discussion is trying to determine when it is called for.

Let's go to one extreme: You are at 60 feet. You look at your gauge and see you have only 400PSI left. Do you drop your weights? I am guessing we would all agree it was not called for in that situation.

Let's go to another extreme: You are almost OOA at 100 feet. Your BCD is not working, so you can't get any lift from it. You feel a heart attack starting and worry that you will pass out. Is dropping weights called for? I think everyone here would vote yes.

Now, where so we draw the line?