Let's talk about balanced rigs

[spectrum]

There is a thread raging that involves a diver who dropped to the bottom after the failure of a BC hose. Since he chose to drop some weight to make an ascent he is immediately pronounced over weighted. Nowhere in the posts is it said what he was wearing for a suit. The message is that any diver should be able to swim up from the bottom.

Now I'm mainly a cold water diver both dry and wet. I have my weights set such that I can barely end the dive staying down in the shallows if my cylinder is low. If I drop 2 more pounds I need to really work my lung volume to not cork.

Knowing what I need for weight sans neoprene and for an assortment of suit combos I'm quite sure that in full 7mm with 2X on the core I am over 10 pounds negative at 30-40 feet without air in my BC and will have a wicked time ascending. Likewise in my neoprene drysuit, even with minimal undergarment. I intend to test this for myself next time I dive.

So with the compression of cold water exposure protection at what point will the balanced rig directive break? I'm looking for the input of cold water divers who have been down this road.

Pete

 

[H2Andy]

i have swam my rig up from the bottom with no air on my suit or bladder. i have no weight to drop.

as far as i am concerned, i don't have an issue

 

[spectrum]

i have swam my rig up from the bottom with no air on my suit or bladder

as far as i am concerned, i don't have an issue

I don't doubt that and maybe I can too.

For the sake of perspective what were you in for a suit/garment?

 

[H2Andy]

a DUI TLS350 with a Diving Concepts' Thinsulate Extreme undergarment

(i am a cold water wuss)

 

[Cave Diver]

I can dive with no weights wearing a 3 mil shorty BPW and an AL80 in warm caribbean waters.

Using the same exposure suit and BP with double LP 108's I've done a simultated wing failure by dumping all the air from my wing and swimming the full tanks to the surface from a training platorm at 20' in a local lake, then orally inflating the wing while I continued to tread water on the surface.

In this configuration, I'm extremely negative which is why I either dive it dry, or carry liftbags, but it is possible for me to swim it up.

However the heavy exertion required to do so is not recommended for a variety of reasons. Contingency planning and practice is the best option.

 

[H2Andy]

well, yeah ... but what are the chances your dry suit AND your wing will fail on the same dive?

if you can swim your rig up in that case (worst case scenario), you should be able to ditch your tanks on the surface and get close to neutral

 

[Cave Diver]

well, yeah ... but what are the chances your dry suit AND your wing will fail on the same dive?

Slim. But if I'm on an ocean dive, I carry a SMB, sometimes more than one, whether I dive dry or wet. The primary purpose is for signalling in the event of seperation from the boat, but they can be used as alternate source of lift if needed.

if you can swim your rig up in that case (worst case scenario), you should be able to ditch your tanks on the surface and get close to neutral

Yes, which was the point of my exercise. If I can get to the surface I'm damn well gonna stay there.

 

[H2Andy]

oh yeah ... an SMB is part of my dive gear in open water

nice insurance policy

 

[rustyshakelford]

if im wearing my double steel 108s, and an al backplate with drysuit, i dont wear any weight and would have to use my drysuit in the event of a bladder failure. i guess im overweighted but what else can i do? lol

brett

 

[rjack321]

There is a thread raging that involves a diver who dropped to the bottom after the failure of a BC hose. Since he chose to drop some weight to make an ascent he is immediately pronounced over weighted. Nowhere in the posts is it said what he was wearing for a suit. The message is that any diver should be able to swim up from the bottom.

Now I'm mainly a cold water diver both dry and wet. I have my weights set such that I can barely end the dive staying down in the shallows if my cylinder is low. If I drop 2 more pounds I need to really work my lung volume to not cork.

Knowing what I need for weight sans neoprene and for an assortment of suit combos I'm quite sure that in full 7mm with 2X on the core I am over 10 pounds negative at 30-40 feet without air in my BC and will have a wicked time ascending. Likewise in my neoprene drysuit, even with minimal undergarment. I intend to test this for myself next time I dive.

So with the compression of cold water exposure protection at what point will the balanced rig directive break? I'm looking for the input of cold water divers who have been down this road.

Pete

It "breaks" somewhere around 20-25lbs of gas. Realistically that is the maximum amount of thrust you can generate kicking up. Many people can swim up 20lbs without extraordinary difficulty. 25lbs is pretty difficult but a realistic max. (double 130s have about 20lbs of gas)

So double 130s yes albit hard
double 130s and a stage no