Dropped weight belt

[mike75]

Location: Dayang
Date: 9th March 2013

I was teaching AOW when my last student to do the giant stride in dropped his weight belt.
As this was their very first dive of the day/course and we didnt have any spare weights on the boat I made them all huddle in a group and went down solo (did'nt have a DM)
I have done this (searching for dropped stuff) a few times before and decided to do it again. So I made the student how dropped the weight belt hold my smb and went down to search, unspooling the reel as I went along, I reached the end of the spool but could see that the bottom was relatively near. The depth turned out to be 34m+- at the bottom, I was constantly checking on my air (I had about 160bar) while searching, I spent about 12mins searching before I found the weights (10lbs in total)
I then used my BCD to surface while constantly monitoring my dive comp and releasing air when needed to prevent a fast ascent

On hindesight I guess I was real lucky nothing happened at that depth and that it will be a wiser/safer choice to have let it be.

 

[Dr. Lecter]

If "something had happened at" 112 feet, what would have prevented you from dropping the belt, venting your BC as needed, and ascending? I'll agree a redundant air supply would be ideal at that depth, but given the circumstances you describe (first dive of the day, full tank, 12 minutes at ~112' so within NDLs) I don't think your choice was overly risky.

The wiser/safer choice would have been to arrive better prepared--i.e., extra weights--for the class you'd taken your students' money to teach.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Sounds terribly scary. How do you come up from a dive like that and then conduct an AOW dive(s)?

 

[KD8NPB]

That's exactly why I carry a liftbag on the bottom of my backplate.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

That's exactly why I carry a liftbag on the bottom of my backplate.

You can't put an extra 10 lb weight belt on and just ascend normally? Why mess with a liftbag for 2 5 lb weights?

 

[mike75]

Sounds terribly scary. How do you come up from a dive like that and then conduct an AOW dive(s)?

well I didnt think of the dangers at that moment, just wanted to continue on with the course.
Only later on when I thought more about it that I began to go through the "what if's""
like at that depth if my equipment would stop functioning I don't think I would be able to make it to the surface.

---------- Post added April 6th, 2013 at 09:55 PM ----------

If "something had happened at" 112 feet, what would have prevented you from dropping the belt, venting your BC as needed, and ascending? I'll agree a redundant air supply would be ideal at that depth, but given the circumstances you describe (first dive of the day, full tank, 12 minutes at ~112' so within NDLs) I don't think your choice was overly risky.

The wiser/safer choice would have been to arrive better prepared--i.e., extra weights--for the class you'd taken your students' money to teach.

hmm...noted on the extra weights...will highlight it to the trip leader for future trips...thanks
I get your point regarding the dropping of weights and surfacing but the one risk that is foremost in my mind is that what could I do if my gear would to stop functioning. At 34m I am not sure if I could have made it to the surface.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

well I didnt think of the dangers at that moment, just wanted to continue on with the course.
Only later on when I thought more about it that I began to go through the "what if's""
like at that depth if my equipment would stop functioning I don't think I would be able to make it to the surface.

---------- Post added April 6th, 2013 at 09:55 PM ----------




hmm...noted on the extra weights...will highlight it to the trip leader for future trips...thanks
I get your point regarding the dropping of weights and surfacing but the one risk that is foremost in my mind is that what could I do if my gear would to stop functioning. At 34m I am not sure if I could have made it to the surface.

seriously? You TEACH diving and you never went through the mental exercise of what I would do if my equipment stopped working? How would I survive? I go through this exercise each and every dive as I plan and execute it. I think having a Plan B is essential for all diving.. Is this just a troll post and I'm the only one who doesn't get it?

 

[Abdullah]

From your description, it sounds like you continued diving for the AOW class, with no surface interval, after 12 minutes at 34 meters (did you do the 'mandatory' safety stop?). You would have been loaded up on nitrogen just as you started the AOW class. In this case I wouldn't be as concerned with the 34 meter dive as I would be with your nitrogen loading for the follow on AOW class.

I agree with Dr. Lecter, it would have been wise to have extra weight on the boat. But once the weights were lost, it seems like the better solution would have been to put the student who lost his weight back on the boat while you conducted your AOW class. He could catch up later, after reviewing his pre-dive procedures (he wouldn't make that mistake again after missing a dive).

I think you missed an opportunity to set a good example by thumbing the one diver and continuing your dive plan with the remainder of your students. Plan your dive, dive your plan.

 

[grassgreen]

Teach them to hold the buckle closed as they stride in!!

 

[LAKelpDiver]

seriously? You TEACH diving and you never went through the mental exercise of what I would do if my equipment stopped working? How would I survive? I go through this exercise each and every dive as I plan and execute it. I think having a Plan B is essential for all diving.. Is this just a troll post and I'm the only one who doesn't get it?

No, you are not the only one. Thinking like this from a credentialed instructor would have me thinking about getting a new one.