Snorkel vest for SCUBA...?

[TheQuintessentialMan]

Correction, its a 40# donut (Scubapro xTec 40).

It just hit me last night, the port on the snorkel vest is too low; will never get all the air out to go down w/o a high (or low back) dump valve. Now I'm wondering how snorkelers dump air to dive down?

Kharon, how do you dump all the air out when you want to swim down while snorkeling?

Guess I'll make a list and try some of these suggestions again in case I'm missing something but pretty sure I've already tried most of them except the smaller bladder.

 

[Kharon]

Kharon, how do you dump all the air out when you want to swim down while snorkeling?

Actually I don't use it for snorkeling. I use it under my harness/soft backpack. I dump the same way I would from the shoulder dump on my BC - roll so that the dump is the highest point and pull the cord. Simple.

 

[TheQuintessentialMan]

I completely missed the dump valve on that; I've looked at so many different models they all started to run together.

Thanks

 

[Imla]

Is the lead on your shoulders on the front side... or the backside?

 

[TheQuintessentialMan]

Lead is on back. They're on the shoulder straps right where they attach to back plate.

 

[Clark Fletcher]

I'm certainly no expert diver, but I don't have much of problem. i use a crotch strap, and I keep minimal air in my BCD before descending and after ascending, as I use minimal weight, so am already somewhat buoyant at the surface. So I guess I would suggest using a crotch strap and not overinflating your BCD on the surface.

Admittedly, back inflate vests are a different animal but, you really should have never had this problem with a wrap around jacket style BCD. The only time I've ever had this problem with my wrap around BCD was when I was over-inflated at the surface. As @mi000ke pointed out, try getting your weight down and try not to over-inflate at the surface.

I was diving in a quarry last weekend and realized at the end of the dive it had been a while since I'd done a really accurate weight check. So, standing in about 5 feet of water I purged my tank down to 500 psi and completely deflated my BCD. Up to that point I had been carrying 12 lbs total in freshwater which I knew was a little heavy. I was expecting to be able to drop 2 lbs. But, I discovered that I was able to drop 4 lbs instead.

I think we often under-estimate the importance of periodically doing an accurate weight check with an empty tank. You may want to give it a try. It might keep you from having to buy another vest.

Hope this helps.

 

[DiverDownD3]

Correction, its a 40# donut (Scubapro xTec 40).

Guess I'll make a list and try some of these suggestions again in case I'm missing something but pretty sure I've already tried most of them except the smaller bladder.

That's probably still too much if you are in a 3mm. I use a 30lb wing year round.

You should hardly have any air, if any, in your wing at the end of a dive (in singles anyway).

I think your main problem is you are expecting to "ride high" in the water. I had that issue when I first started with a BPW. Try going to a smaller wing, taking air out and/or dropping weight.

 

[TheQuintessentialMan]

Just in case anyone is still watching this thread, this is a little follow up.

I did a buoyancy check without gear but in a 3 mil suit. With a full lung I float barely, exhale and straight to Davy Jones locker; this is fresh water. My dive buddy was a little mystified... my teachers in school always said I was a little dense, guess they were right.

So, I got the vest with the dump valve and put it on under my wings. It works quite well, only issue is it needs a crotch strap. Bought it according to the mfg weight size chart and it's almost too big even with the waist adjustment. It has a tendency to ride up but the flotation works as expected. It does take a little coordination to dump air but getting bugs worked out. My thought is once I install the crotch strap to stabilize it, I could probably take a nap at the surface. I found an online source for parts so I'm considering installing an inflator hose and a bigger dump valve.

 

[TheQuintessentialMan]

Follow up: So I added the crotch strap and made several dives with it. It works well. I got a nylon luggage strap from Amazon and cut it to fit, then glued it. Found out the hard way the old reliable contact cement does not bond well with synthetics and the strap came off after about 4 dives. It was reattached with shoe repair glue and is now working well (so far). Lot of other divers are curios about it, typically I answer with a joke about PADI underwater school crossing guard, then to the discussion about it being secondary surface flotation. Literally I could take a nap on the surface floating in this thing. I've been considering adding an auto fill and connecting to my reg but it works quiet well as it is so leaving the design alone for the moment.

 

[Nemrod]

Well, OP, I dove with what was essentially a snorkel vest, a USD (Mae West ) CO2 inflated unit for years and years. There were no BCs and even after there were many were slow to jump on the Stabilizer Jacket wagon. I also still have and use a SeaTec horsecollar BC with power inflator. I got two, NIB when Kenlee SCUBA closed down in Houston. I am a wing/BP guy, I finally got my wife into one as well. A 60 pounds lift wing? I use a 18/24/30 and my wife has an 18, all for single tank diving in exposure gear up to 5mm.

Yes, everyone tells you the wing/BP are fine on the surface and all they need is their head above the water. Sure, that way after a long drift and waiting for the boat to pick me up, sometimes 20 minutes or more, and then every wave washes over my head. Or, I am holding my camera, which puts a weight on a moment in front of me tugging me forward. The surface qualities of the wing/BP are not their strong suit. If you want to get your head and shoulders well above the surface you will need to go back to a jacket type BC or get a horsecollar BC. I can just about guarantee the horsecollar BC will float you head and chest up.

You know, there were manually operated horsecollar BCs. I have a Nemrod unit in fine working order. It has a large diameter oral inflater hose and a manual only inflator. It has a single large pull dump. Works fine, rubber impregnated and coated canvas. I do not know of anyone making such a thing now, a shame.

N