Rescue of DIR style Diver

[g1138]

Are you talking scuba diving throught the uiversity club, or the scientific diving program?.

If you are diving in connection with scientific diving program you must follow the diving manual of the university you are diving under. In that manual, as directed by the DSO of your program (i.e. the instructor you mentioned I am assuming), you must have your weight belt outside of any croch strap. This is not a debatable issue. If you think you want to do it your way you need to present your change in diving procedure to the Diving Control Board for your university for approval.

I agree with you there. This is in relation to diving outside the program on fun dives, but possibly with members from the program. I wouldn't challenge either the recreation or scientific diving program unless I thought their practices were unsafe.

 

[aquaregia]

The trick is that DIR has much less to do with the rig than a lot of people think. If you need to intentionally ditch weight underwater, it's stupid to have it trapped by the crotchstrap. If you need to not unintentionally ditch weight underwater, it's stupid to have it loose.

 

[rjack321]

I see now that ditching a weightbelt at depth is not universal for a rescue so I think I have my answers now. =]

Its not an option at all for cave or technical divers and properly trained DIR divers (even if in a single tank or non-deco situation) will be using an "appropriate" combination of tanks & exposure suit.

If you are trained differently, ditching the weightbelt UW is considered a valid contingency. You can still ditch it from underneath the crotch strap although its a less smooth process and more difficult for a buddy to do. Some scientific diver programs allow this, some may not.

This is another case where, "I wanna be sorta like DIR" loses its elegance because you are picking and choosing bits and peices.

 

[g1138]

You can still ditch it from underneath the crotch strap although its a less smooth process and more difficult for a buddy to do.

I guess that was the answer I was looking for more or less.

 

[LouieLouie]

As I already mentioned, this is not an issue whatsoever. Open both buckles and gravity takes care of the crotch strap. It's pulled from the harness belt by the weight belt immediately. There is absolutely no way I would dive with my weight belt outside the crotch strap, which I would consider unsafe for anything but dives shallow enough to make an uncontrolled ascent uneventful.

 

[g1138]

As I already mentioned, this is not an issue whatsoever. Open both buckles and gravity takes care of the crotch strap. It's pulled from the harness belt by the weight belt immediately. There is absolutely no way I would dive with my weight belt outside the crotch strap, which I would consider unsafe for anything but dives shallow enough to make an uncontrolled ascent uneventful.

Gotcha. I'm not a fan of unbuckling straps and harnesses in the event of a rescue at depth. But I guess there's plenty of options and solutions to this issue. Time to go back to my thinking room. :dork:

 

[rjack321]

Gotcha. I'm not a fan of unbuckling straps and harnesses in the event of a rescue at depth. But I guess there's plenty of options and solutions to this issue. Time to go back to my thinking room. :dork:

Anytime you ditch lead you more than halfway towards an embolism. And its probably a death sentence in a cave or overhead environment.

There are better ways starting with not being overweighted in the first place. Overweighted with either lead or a mismatched tank-exposure suit combo. Next diving with a buddy with good awareness. Next, using a primary long hose and having recent skills practice so you are not fumbling an air share. If you were to be unconcious, there are ways of raising the diver in some semblance of control so you minimize the embolism risk.

The quick draw lead ditch concept is not appropriate at depth in DIR. The only time I would expect to ditch lead is on the surface, and the belt just falls away. Its so easy I have seen several people drop them inadvertently getting back into my RIB.

You can think about this all day, but the "DIR" solution works in virtually any backmount tank environment. And why its taught by a large majority of technical instuctors across many agencies (GUE, NAUI, CDS, UTD etc). You just can't approach it piecemeal. Sidemount, no-mount, dry caving and similar such circumstances are distinct enough to usually require alternative measures.

 

[thkhoo]

Have you rescued someone in a drysuit using this method? I would have thought that if you where holding them from behind they would end up floating away from you as the air in their drysuit expanded?

Years ago there used to be a certain instructor who taught people that during rescue the first thing you had to do was punch the unconscious diver in the chest to get the air out otherwise their lungs would explode

Ah yes, my bad! Should've clarified beforehand, really. Being based in, and diving around Hong Kong and the surrounding regions, I dive in water temps ranging from 12c - 32c, so unfortunately (or should that be fortunately? ), I have never needed to use a drysuit. 7mm wetsuit when it gets below about 18c, 3mm wetsuit for the anything above 18c.

I like the idea of a good punch to the chest though! Was never taught that but may well implement it into my technique!

 

[cloudflint]

yeah the punch idea really dosent work, have you ever tried to hit something underwater? You really cant get up enough speed to make any difference through their exposure suit and all it will do will send your victim barrelling away from you. Also it really isn't necessary since the air will make its own way out as it expands anyway

 

[LouieLouie]

Gotcha. I'm not a fan of unbuckling straps and harnesses in the event of a rescue at depth.

Why not? Even after unbuckling the harness belt I have to struggle to get rid of my BP/W. There is absolutely no way it will come loose accidentally. Besides, you wouldn't want to drop the weights before reaching the surface under any circumstances.