Is remove and replace weight belt at the surface skill out dated?

[Sevenrider860]

I totally get the "remove weight system" skill. Without that, it'd be pretty complicated to do the kind of diving I do from small boats (I almost always remove my weights and hand them to the boat tender before getting out of the water). But please enlighten me, what's the important issue with being able to replace your weights at the surface?

It is not uncommon to see divers who have not been diving in a while underweight themselves. When on a boat, it is a lot easier to have the diver remove the belt/pocket so weight can be added. The belt/pocket is handed back to the diver and they need to know how to get the belt back on or the pocket back in.

 

[agilis]

I greatly prefer a weight belt to an integrated system. One of my BCs is a weight integrated model. I use the weight pockets for other purposes.

 

[Storker]

so that the diver gets more familiar with their gear and can make weight adjustments in the water if necessary.

Sorry, I don't buy it. With weight pockets, the risk of just dropping the weight while fumbling to put it into the pocket is too big to defend having to adjust the weighting while in the water. Particularly if the diver is wearing thick gloves.

It is not uncommon to see divers who have not been diving in a while underweight themselves.

Ah, that may be one reason why I can't see the point. I assume that the diver has been diving regularly enough to not be underweighted.

When on a boat, it is a lot easier to have the diver remove the belt/pocket so weight can be added. The belt/pocket is handed back to the diver and they need to know how to get the belt back on or the pocket back in.

The scenario you're describing seems more typical for warm water destinations, where the boat provides more than just a taxi ride to the site and a site briefing. Up here, you'll find neither extra weights on the boat nor a DM who can assist you in that way. What you've got is what you carried aboard yourself. Period.

So, basically, I understand now the point in places where the diving practice is different from the practice where I dive. I still believe it's not particularly relevant for Nordic (and perhaps UK) diving.

 

[Octopusprime]

I can see for those using a BP/W using a weight belt but BP/W is not an open water skill. I am not asking if remove and replace weight system should be removed, But IF your teaching a group of NEW OW students and they were all using weight integrated BCD should you teach Remove and replace weight belt or should you teach remove and replace weight pocket at the surface?

You could have a student in a 3 Ml wetsuit that only requires 10 lbs. of weight and to do skill you could put 4 lb. in pockets and 6 lb. on belt, but wouldn't it be a better skill to practice a configuration that they are actually dive? If they practice removing the pocket and replacing it instead?

 

[TMHeimer]

Agree with Lynne. You can't put a weight pocket back in on the surface. Pretty much the only easy enough way is to do it on land without the BC on you. As for the belt, many divers use both pockets and belt. It would be a very unusual situation to have to put a weight belt back on after removing at the surface (mostly you may just remove it to hand up to someone on the boat). But I guess there could be a reason to put it back on--like if you had to remove it to fix a strap or something. So it should continue as a skill. It's basically the same as doing it at depth anyway (unless you drop it), so I don't think having this skill slows the OW student down in finishing the skills.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

The skill is very useful. Once you attempt to remove and (especially) replace weight pockets at the surface, the student should learn that a weight belt is much better.

 

[oly5050user]

Agree with Lynne. You can't put a weight pocket back in on the surface. If most likely a person cannot , Pretty much the only easy enough way is to do it on land without the BC on you. As for the belt, many divers use both pockets and belt. It would be a very unusual situation to have to put a weight belt back on after removing at the surface (mostly you may just remove it to hand up to someone on the boat). But I guess there could be a reason to put it back on--like if you had to remove it to fix a strap or something. So it should continue as a skill. It's basically the same as doing it at depth anyway (unless you drop it), so I don't think having this skill slows the OW student down in finishing the skills.

In my experience EVERY Student I have worked with can easily replace pockets in their bcd..if a person cannot , most likely bcd is full of air making it difficult to replace pockets and the diver is using more lead than what is truly needed.If you need the bcd to stay on the surface you have too much lead. Being able to do this skill develops muscle memory so if under stress they ahave a better chance of actually finding releases.

 

[Belzelbub]

I think the skill is still required in most cases. A lot of student divers do not have a full set of gear, so may actually rent a non-weight integrated BC when they dive.

I usually don't remove my weights getting into or out of my boat. Replacing the weight pockets is usually harder than replacing slide-in weight pockets. On my Zeagle, replacing the weights is much easier. I just drop them into the pockets. The risk is accidentally dropping them to the bottom, but pretty much the same risk with a weight belt. Weight belt may actually be a bit harder as you have to wrap it, thread it, tighten, and fasten.

But, still a good skill to learn. If the student is diving with their own gear, they should be able to do it with their own stuff, as well as the weight belt.

 

[WildcatChris]

I've heard multiple instructors say, "You have to do this, but once you get a weight integrated BCD you won't have to worry about it again." To me that kind of speaks for itself.

That's not necessarily a good reason to remove the skill though. There are instances where a diver may still encounter a weight belt and it's also the easiest way to ensure a standard gear configuration across an entire class.

 

[TMHeimer]

In my experience EVERY Student I have worked with can easily replace pockets in their bcd..if a person cannot , most likely bcd is full of air making it difficult to replace pockets and the diver is using more lead than what is truly needed.If you need the bcd to stay on the surface you have too much lead. Being able to do this skill develops muscle memory so if under stress they ahave a better chance of actually finding releases.

I can see that with the BCs we use for classes. Can't say if every student could do it easily though, as of course we only have them drop the pockets as per the new OW course. When a student does (of course) lose a pocket, we put it back in for them. Sometimes you have to fart around with that a bit yourself. My own BC is an old Genesis one--with the buckles clipping after you insert it all the way. Have not tried to re-insert them while diving, as it would SEEM to be not all that easy.