12 replies to this topic

[scubaski]

Question to BP/W or tech divers. I witnessed a BP/W diver don his weight belt under his HOG-crotch strap harness. Is this the norm? should a novice BP/Wing diver put his weight belt over or under his harness-crotch strap? Thanks All.. Ss

[uwfan]

Great question. I know when I borrowed a BP/W set up, I put my weight belt on after I secured the crotch strap on one dive and later had the weight belt on before securing the crotch strap. I put the weight belt on first the later time because I was trying to wait for a tank fill and wanted to minimize the amount of time required to get ready to jump in for the dive. Thinking back, I would have held off on putting on the weight belt until after I secured the BP/W set up.

What do others do?

[Mermaid Lady]

I got my BP/W back in 2005 and wore my weight belt over the crotch strap. That quickly became an annoyance on my first dive trip with the rig.
Immediately after getting home I switched to integrated weight pockets and never looked back...

[ScubaDadMiami]

Some find it uncomfortable to put the weights over. On the other hand, it can take longer and be more difficult to drop weights if worn under. This is why many move to weight pockets.

[PerroneFord]

Question to BP/W or tech divers. I witnessed a BP/W diver don his weight belt under his HOG-crotch strap harness. Is this the norm? should a novice BP/Wing diver put his weight belt over or under his harness-crotch strap? Thanks All.. Ss

Common practice is to wear the weightbelt OVER the crotch strap when diving wet. The need to ditch the weight is crucial. When diving dry, it's worn UNDER the crotch strap. Since the drysuit acts as redundant buoyancy, there is not the immediate need to dump weight, but *losing* the weights could be catastrophic.

[MNJoe]

What I was taught was that if you are in an overhead environment to have your weight belt under the crotch strap, and if you were not going to be in an overhead environment to have the weight belt over the crotch strap.

Regardless of that, if I am diving warm water I usually can get my rig balanced enough that I rarely have a weight belt. If I am in a cold water with a thick wetsuit or drysuit, I use a DUI weight harness, much more comfortable and it doesn't make my BP rig heavier and more of pain in the butt to move around. The draw back ito the weight harness is that I have a harness on top of a harness, not a big deal.

[Dive_Girl]

Common practice is to wear the weightbelt OVER the crotch strap when diving wet. The need to ditch the weight is crucial. When diving dry, it's worn UNDER the crotch strap. Since the drysuit acts as redundant buoyancy, there is not the immediate need to dump weight, but *losing* the weights could be catastrophic.

I dive dry in cold water and when diving a single tank I wear my 16lb weightbelt under my crotch strap. I do not have any other weights, however, as my students discover in Rescue classes it is very easy to pop both buckles (the weight belt and harness) to release the weights if there was really a need. Again, as PF noted there is redundant buoyancy.

[netmage]

weight belt?

[georoc01]

weight belt?

THis may be off topic, but just how bouyant is that rebreather?

[netmage]

weight belt?
<img src="style_emoticons/default/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

THis may be off topic, but just how bouyant is that rebreather?

3mm wet in the Ocean, or Dry w/ 200g in the Caves, it's negative...
I happen to use heavier galvanized steel tanks, so I'm a few lbs heavy. With lighter fabers its closer to neutral, w/ AL19's I'd need a few lbs of lead, and then the last 20' can be corking as it becomes very difficult to manage w/ the solenoid wanting to inject volume, so I ride a few lbs negative. I have a 50lb wing and a 50lb bag at the ready when I'm diving wet, plus the counterlungs can be fully inflated for more lift if needed. in an emergency.

I was just never a big fan of lead on the belt. I opted for larger steel tanks, SS backplate, or maybe a trim weight on the tank.

I suppose, the main crux of my post is to send the message about diving a balanced rig. One where your not over or under weighted. Where a simple full inhale is all that is necessary to drive your ascent, and a exhale will gently send you down. Rather than futzing w/ your BC with every horizontal shift in the water column or becoming a dirt dart when you stop kicking forward. I've been there, I've lived it, yes, I even owned a poodle jacket BC at one time.

This past weekend I spent an afternoon at a local training site doing skills dives for a CCR Normoxic class... Tigertail lake..., I've heard horror stories, and frankly I had a blast. We ran lines, we ducked under some OW classes, I got to close my eyes and follow a line for what felt like 100 yards, and got gently reminded to remember to put my hands up as I bonked straight into a statue at a healthy clip, the bump is still on my head... When I get a dpv, I'm going to have to talk Howard and the gang into a scooter rodeo session before we head out on the boats.


-Tim

[VADiver]

Tim...I still have nightmares about Tiger Tail Lake. Glad to hear you had a good time.

[Scubatooth]

mmm I dont know if i will catch heck from the DIR and more advanced tech crowd but my weight weight belt stays under the weightbelt. If i need to dump the weight i can dump it without removing the crotch strap. with a weight trim harness you can just pull the rip cord and that weight is gone.

JMHO

Tooth

[peterbj7]

I've never had to ditch my weights in an emergency, but I've seen several people have major problems when they lost weights unintentionally. I secure my weights where they won't fall off. I usually use integrated systems, but when I'm tech diving with a drysuit I use an over-the-shoulders weight harness which has ditchable weight pockets. I NEVER use a conventional weight belt with a drysuit, as it's too unstable.

When I'm diving with a CCR in this warm water I don't carry any weight, except a little inside the CCR at the top to help with trim and balance. In cold water and a CCR the above applies.

When I'm using a drysuit I usually carry a lot of weight, and I try to keep this in several places so that I can easily ditch a portion of my weight without losing all of it. This is normal practice in the UK, and for someone using a belt they often put one third each side in their integrated system and the remaining third on the belt. Also means the belt is less likely to fall off, and reduces the consequences if it does.

In basic recreational teaching I openly ridicule the assertion that the most important aspect of a weight system is that it can be easily ditched, and I teach the importance of making sure it's secure.