I have a Sea Quest Black Diamond BC with (2) releasable weight intergraded pockets in the front and (2) non-releasable buckled rear weight pockets. I need 12 lbs of weight in salt water. In order not to float face down at the surface I put (2) 4 lbs weights in the rear pockets. This only allows me to put (2) 2 lbs in the front releasable pockets. In an emergency situation is this an adequate amount of weight to drop? How common is dropping weights?
Dropping weights
- Thread starter dadiver
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ScubaVP
Guest
Are you talking of ditching at the surface, or at depth? Are you diving a wetsuit or a drysuit? This may just be me, but I would never ditch any weight at depth since as you ascend, you could potentially ascend WAY too fast due to re-expansion of your wetsuit. This shouldn't be as much of a problem with a drysuit, but don't quote me on that...i haven't dove dry yet.
scubasean
Contributor
Although I am certainly not the most experienced diver here.....
I'd think that ditching weights should be the *last* thing that should ever have to happen....but ditching two pounds is much safer than ditching ten.
If a diver is neutral in the water, they should become bouyant after one or two fin kicks upward, and their ascent rate can probably be controlled by letting air out of the B/C as the ascent takes place.
I think what you are contemplating is a decent plan....
But I await the opinions of the more experienced.
--Sean
I'd think that ditching weights should be the *last* thing that should ever have to happen....but ditching two pounds is much safer than ditching ten.
If a diver is neutral in the water, they should become bouyant after one or two fin kicks upward, and their ascent rate can probably be controlled by letting air out of the B/C as the ascent takes place.
I think what you are contemplating is a decent plan....
But I await the opinions of the more experienced.
--Sean
norcaldiver
Guest
Yes, I think that it is, but I'm not the most knowledgable diver here either. Yes, your suit will compress at depth and loose some bouyancy, but it's not a think suit to start with, so I don't think you're going to loose that much. If you were at any depth, I think as long as you are properly weighted, if you drop just 2 lbs, you are going to start to become bouyant, I know that with students that have problems staying down, adding 2 lbs makes a difference.
As was said above, I wouldn't ditch at depth, use your buddy for lift, use your own BC, wait to ditch till you're at the surface if at all possible.
As was said above, I wouldn't ditch at depth, use your buddy for lift, use your own BC, wait to ditch till you're at the surface if at all possible.
Ditching was not even that common back in the old days before BC's came along, and today it is extremely rare.
A lot of very skilled divers dive with little or no ditchable weight.
If you are starting with 12, you will be down to 6 iside a year.
Don't get hung-up on this.
A lot of very skilled divers dive with little or no ditchable weight.
If you are starting with 12, you will be down to 6 iside a year.
Don't get hung-up on this.
From what I can tell from your post you have a slight problem that you need to work out. If your back inflate BC is planting you face forward, you have too much air in it at the surface. Unlike a jacket type that you can pump full and float like a cork, a back inflate BC should only be inflated to the point where your head is comfortably out of the water, otherwise it will plant you face forward. Exactly how much depends on a lot of factors. Alternately, you can fill the BC fairly full and kind of get up on it and ride it somewhat like a raft, in calm seas this is an easy to do a long surface swim. Adding a lot of weight to the back only covers up the "problem" and totally ruins your trim. Try backing off the amount of air you have in your BC and move most of the weight back to the frount. Leave only the amount you need for proper trim in the rear. Different people vary but I typically start with a 2/1 ratio. 2lbs in frount for every 1 in the rear but that's only a starting point.
greg somers
Guest
Diet and excercise.... 
ut:
No... seriously, the thing to practice is the controlled emergency swimming ascent. Weight ditching is always the very last resort.
4 lbs is enough to release if you have to, because you don't want a helter kelter dash for the surface. Very dangerous because when we panic, we naturally hold our breath. The only times I would ditch my weight is if I cannot get to the surface any other way and on the surface when conducting a rescue. Form your good habits now and when trouble comes you will respond automatically in the safest manner.
Cheers Big Ears,
The Thunder from Down Under,
The Gasman
ut: No... seriously, the thing to practice is the controlled emergency swimming ascent. Weight ditching is always the very last resort.
4 lbs is enough to release if you have to, because you don't want a helter kelter dash for the surface. Very dangerous because when we panic, we naturally hold our breath. The only times I would ditch my weight is if I cannot get to the surface any other way and on the surface when conducting a rescue. Form your good habits now and when trouble comes you will respond automatically in the safest manner.
Cheers Big Ears,
The Thunder from Down Under,
The Gasman
Why do you need to ditch weight at the bottom ?
Normally you have air in your tank and your BC is functional.
But if your BC is no longer functional you will need to swim to the surface. You need to determine how much weight you can swim up in the event of a complete BC failure. Remember to factor in the loss of buoyancy from any neoprene compression caused by the increase in pressure. If the suit provides 12 lbs of postive bouyancy at the surface it will provide only 6 lbs of positive buoyancy at 33 feet, 4 lbs of positive bouyancy at 66 feet (3 ATA) and 3 lbs of positive buoyancy at 99 feet (4 ATA). So at 99 feet you are 9lbs negatively buoyant just from suit compression. At the start of dive the gas in your tank is probably worth about 6lbs negative buoyancy as well. So given these numbers you will be at least 15bls negatively bouyant on the bottom. Can you swim 15lbs to the surface ? If not then you need to have enough ditchable weight so that once the weight is ditched you can swim to the surface.
Once on the surface, w/o the BC inflated and with all your weight can you keep yourself at the surface comfortably - what if the boat or beach is 100 yards away ? If not, after you ditch your disposable weight is it possible ? It should be.
Take care
Marc Hall
www.enjoythedive.com
Normally you have air in your tank and your BC is functional.
But if your BC is no longer functional you will need to swim to the surface. You need to determine how much weight you can swim up in the event of a complete BC failure. Remember to factor in the loss of buoyancy from any neoprene compression caused by the increase in pressure. If the suit provides 12 lbs of postive bouyancy at the surface it will provide only 6 lbs of positive buoyancy at 33 feet, 4 lbs of positive bouyancy at 66 feet (3 ATA) and 3 lbs of positive buoyancy at 99 feet (4 ATA). So at 99 feet you are 9lbs negatively buoyant just from suit compression. At the start of dive the gas in your tank is probably worth about 6lbs negative buoyancy as well. So given these numbers you will be at least 15bls negatively bouyant on the bottom. Can you swim 15lbs to the surface ? If not then you need to have enough ditchable weight so that once the weight is ditched you can swim to the surface.
Once on the surface, w/o the BC inflated and with all your weight can you keep yourself at the surface comfortably - what if the boat or beach is 100 yards away ? If not, after you ditch your disposable weight is it possible ? It should be.
Take care
Marc Hall
www.enjoythedive.com
What everyone here is saying is correct - there should be very little if any need to ditch lead at depth. They Buoyant Emergency Ascent is really your absolute last option. That being said, let's consider something else:
As you continue on through more advanced training, you will find that the main reason that weight belts and weight pouches are made with quick releases is so that you can get a paniced diver to be positively buoyant at the surface. It is alarming when reading articles pertaining to dive fatalities how many divers made it to the surface or near to the surface and did not ditch their weights (with often tragic results).... from what I understand, this very thing happened to a solo diver in Jamestown, Rhode Island two weekends ago - fishermen on the shore heard the man cry for help, but rescue divers recovered his body in 30 feet of water.
As you continue on through more advanced training, you will find that the main reason that weight belts and weight pouches are made with quick releases is so that you can get a paniced diver to be positively buoyant at the surface. It is alarming when reading articles pertaining to dive fatalities how many divers made it to the surface or near to the surface and did not ditch their weights (with often tragic results).... from what I understand, this very thing happened to a solo diver in Jamestown, Rhode Island two weekends ago - fishermen on the shore heard the man cry for help, but rescue divers recovered his body in 30 feet of water.
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