turn off your own tank valves???

[LGHT]

"5) Ensure that you can reach your own tank valves. There are some situations, particularly on the surface, when you may need to shut down or OPEN! your tank and you can't count on your buddy always being in the right place at the right time."

I just finished my pool training, but haven't done my 2 open water dives yet. We where never taught this nor was it covered. We did however learn to take our BCD and tank off while on the bottom. Do you normally take the BCD off in order to turn off the tank valves? Not sure if it's even possible to turn the tank valve off while your wearing it??

 

[electrix]

I can just barely do it in the water but it is not easy

 

[rhwestfall]

interesting enough, if you put it where you can reach it [easily], you will likely smack the back of your head with the valve....


buddy system for me....

 

[Orlando Eric]

Holy bejesus! You should absolutley be able to reach back and turn your valves off and more importantly ON!

---------- Post added April 4th, 2012 at 04:33 PM ----------

If you do not have it set high enough to reach try putting your other hand under the bottom of your tank and lift it to your other hand. It is a very rare occurence but possible for a deck hand to shut you off when "checking your valve" on the way off then sploosh you are in the drink with a off tank.

 

[grantwiscour]

One more thing to add to our skills review list for this weekends dive.

 

[redacted]

I am old and a bit arthritic but I can do it in the water with some planning and practice. I undo the waist strap, reach up and back with my left hand and grab a handful of hoses, and pull everything up over my head a bit and then forward. At that point, the valve is pretty much directly over my head and I can operate the valve with my right hand pretty easy. Out of the water, I have to loosen the waist strap and bend over letting the tank flip forward and hope it does not take me with it. It is not pretty but it works.

 

[LGHT]

Well I recall during training that they pushed the tank down to about shoulder level and it had a tight clip and velcro strap to keep it in place so not sure if you can simply push the tank back up. As I sit and type I can reach my right hand and touch about 1.5" on the center of my back, but recalling the placement of the valve there is no way I would be able to turn it off.

I do feel ok because I know I can take my whole BCD off in the water if I really need to.

---------- Post added April 4th, 2012 at 09:46 AM ----------

 

[fjpatrum]

Well I recall during training that they pushed the tank down to about shoulder level and it had a tight clip and velcro strap to keep it in place so not sure if you can simply push the tank back up. As I sit and type I can reach my right hand and touch about 1.5" on the center of my back, but recalling the placement of the valve there is no way I would be able to turn it off.

I do feel ok because I know I can take my whole BCD off in the water if I really need to.

---------- Post added April 4th, 2012 at 09:46 AM ----------

The good part is, after class (and even during) you can put the tank wherever YOU think is appropriate. I keep my valve somewhere just below the center line of my head, which lets me reach things but not bang my head when I look up normally. I can reach my valves with just my right hand but I typically also lift the tank with my left up and sideways toward my right shoulder a little bit, which makes the drill much easier.

 

[nimoh]

I think every diver should be able to crank their valves under water, if you can't, perhaps look into diving a sidemount rig

 

[LGHT]

I undo the waist strap, reach up and back with my left hand and grab a handful of hoses, and pull everything up over my head a bit and then forward. At that point, the valve is pretty much directly over my head and I can operate the valve with my right hand pretty easy.

Now that sounds like it's possible to do and may be a bit easier than taking the entire BCD off and trying to put it back on.