Getting started with minimalist diving

[OldNSalty]

I am just curious, how would you advice someone who is looking at dropping some of their gear?
I guess first I should define what I am thinking. For me, I already don’t have a lot of extra gear but I was wondering about trying a dive without a BCD. Now honestly, I hardly use a BCD even when I am wearing one. Usually, the only time I touch the thing is to let the air out at the start of my dive and then add some air back in when I hit the surface. Now this isn’t true 100% of the time, sometimes I do feel a need to adjust the air at depth but not on every dive.
My thoughts for now is to maybe try a beach dive with no BCD-Maybe in 20 feet of water or so just to see how comfortable I would be in this configuration. Would this be the way to go or should I try this out in a pool first? What else should I consider?
Thanks for the input.

 

[Nemrod]

Work it all out in the pool first. When diving without a BC you may not always be perfect. You will use your lungs as a BC. With some practice you should get comfortable, after all, people dived this way for decades until we dumbed diving down. If your weight is right you will be slightly negative at the beginning and slightly positive at the end. This will allow you to dump a belt--on the surface---to become very positive in an emergency. If you are wearing a suit, you will be positive even at the beginning of the dive, you will actually have to swim down 15 or 20 feet until the suit compresses and hopefully go slightly negative.

When diving from the shore without a BC it was then and is now customary to have a surface float, such as an inner tube, paddle board or today, even a kayak. I would at least carry a sausage float.

We swim down, we swim around and then we swim up.

N

 

[rstofer]

I haven't tried this type of diving because the only thing we have around here is cold water. If I would break down and buy a less compressible wetsuit (and they are available) then my buoyancy wouldn't change as much.

I know that pool diving doesn't count but I have one of those OxyCheq Ultra Light Travel Plate (essentially, just fabric) that I use in the pool with an Al 50. I have about 4# of lead on the belt. The tank changes from about -2# to +2# and my lungs can easily counter that change. I have done the same thing with a LP 72. If I lived in Florida, I know that I could make this work.

I am convinced that with a proper wetsuit, this can be done. But I don't think it is a good idea with a wetsuit that loses 20# of buoyancy.

Richard

 

[captain]

What wet suit loses 20# of buoyancy. I can see needing 20# but you wouldn't lose all 20#.

 

[Nemrod]

The OP is in Florida, he will not be using heavy wetsuits most of the year.

N

 

[OldNSalty]

Thanks all - I like the idea of having something floaty up top Nemrod. I knew there was something I was overlooking. Now all I need to do is find a pool

 

[Nemrod]

Thanks all - I like the idea of having something floaty up top Nemrod. I knew there was something I was overlooking. Now all I need to do is find a pool

Yes, the "floaty" item should be substantial enough to support you hanging on to it or otherwise using it as a base of operations and of course to rest on should something happen and of course you can mount your flag on it also.

The nylon inner tube covers sold through LP etc with the dive flag holder and the zipper type opening are great for this purpose. Can carry a spare mask, signal equipment like a mirror, a place to put all of the treasure you find, carry a camera etc.

N

 

[fdog]

I'd suggest weighting yourself in the following way:

In warm water, with a 3 mil wetsuit, at the begining of the dive (full cylinder), adjust your weight belt so that you look like this:


With a complete, full inhalation:

(water surface just at the tops of the clavicles)





With a complete exhalation:

(water level just below the eyes)




During normal breathing (as seeen from U/W):

The bulk of the "suit smash" happens in the first 15' or so, so it is very easy to handle buoyancy differences with small amounts of lung volume. We routinely dive in this configuration down to 80' to 90' without missing a BC at all.


Here's a buoyancy diamond at 30'. You can hover easily inside it.

Also, in this configuration with an AL80 @ 700 psi, a safety stop at 15' is at the verge of (but not quite at) positive bouyancy, so that works out well. And at the end of the dive, since the cylinder is empty, you'll float with your head easily out of the water.

Note we do carry a SMB, just in case we need extra buoyancy in an emergency. Also, the sccooter is weighted at exactly neutral.

Hope this helps!



All the best, James

 

[captain]

You also need to consider that once you get your weighting dialed in, if you decide to carry something such as a camera that may be several pounds negative you will have to readjust your weights to accommodate for it.

 

[Nemrod]

He scooters down, scooters around, the scooters back up.

N