When you are diving with ditchable weights ...

[Gerbs]

... check that they are secured. Then check again. And consider fitting a lanyard with a bolt snap as a safety, so you need to undo two connections to drop them. Or BP/W with non- ditchable weights (and redundant buoyancy). This avoids having to empty your dry suit to the point of pinching and not being able to inhale for longer than a few seconds.

This post brought to you by an improperly secured Seaquest ProQD-SL weight pocket at 40m.

Thankfully recovered (was under an overhang - bought me the time to vent completely, reinserted the thing with the help of my buddy) and managed to end the dive in a controlled fashion. Went from 2 minutes before NDL to 8 min Ascend on my Suunto and down to half tank before the situation got sorted.

Having tried the 'Can I dive with one weight pocket missing?' previously paid off - in a dry suit, there is a lot of 'comfort' air that can be dumped in a "pinch"!

Gerbs - (going to church this Sunday)

 

[alijtaylor]

I eventually went back to a weight belt after several involuntary ditches, albeit on a SeaQuest Eva where the only securing device was velcro. I'd be hesitant about too many additional connections in case a buddy ever has to drop them for you.

Well done on the recovery and having had the forethought to practice - pockets are %$#@ expensive.

Alison

 

[Belmont]

All my weights are un-ditchable.

Were you diving in the Bodensee?

 

[porgyhunter]

My dive buddy was always struggling with his BC weights, getting them in, having them wiggle almost out. After seeing that fiasco,never would consider it. Good ole belt!

 

[Ayisha]

A weight harness is an option as well. Allows more distribution and security.

 

[TSandM]

I went to a simple, old fashioned weight belt made of 2" webbing with hard weights on it, after my XS Scuba pocketed belt allowed a five pound soft weight to elope, unnoticed, during a deep dive in current. Doing stops hanging onto kelp stipes was NOT my idea of fun. A simple belt UNDER my harness may be hard to ditch, but won't ditch ME.

 

[lamont]

ditchable weight always ditches when you don't want it. octos always come out of their holders and drag behind you draining your tank. break-away connections always break away when you don't want them to, and never break away when you want them to.

 

[DevonDiver]

I also use a simple weight belt under my harness. I don't carry much weight anyway, so ditchable or not, it makes little difference.

 

[DandyDon]

Well, it takes a lot to jerk the pocket our of my Oceanic Probe BC. Not going to happen by accident. Doubly secured by jerkable.

 

[Gerbs]

Were you diving in the Bodensee?

Yep, Überlingen Parkhaus Post.

ditchable weight always ditches when you don't want it. octos always come out of their holders and drag behind you draining your tank. break-away connections always break away when you don't want them to, and never break away when you want them to.

Now experienced the first, experienced the first part of the second (and seen the rest - there is a reason more and more people use bungee/longhose), not directly a break-away connector but the third rings true with lights....

Redundant buoyancy and undictchable weights it is... I've always had more issues with belts slipping than with the pockets - gone from one near loss in 3 dives to one near loss in ~300 dives. It's just that with the diving I am doing now, a weight loss has an increased potential for hurt compared to when I had just started diving before I bought my own BCD...

Gerbs