Diving without a BC

[mbelair]

[quote=Papa Bear;10328]See, another Canadian with no sense of humor about diving! If the Canadian Government had their way you would have to dive with a Mountie! [quote]

We Canadians are like that. Don't we hate diving without our horse and red jacket.

That question just reminds me of a few buddies of mine that always find it so much more convenient to dive with less than optimal gear or taking totally unwarranted risks for no reason at all other than resisting mainstream pressure.

It's also that posting about the use of a Jersey lone of all things sounded a bit... hum... intriguing for someone who wished to minimize the gear.

[Chantelle]

If the Canadian Government had their way you would have to dive with a Mountie!

I never go anywhere without my horse...

[acelockco]

Are you telling us that you are considering carrying a Jersey line but not a BC because the BC is too bulky???

Help me, I don't follow the reasoning?

Good point, anyway the reasoning is I noticed someone on a dive boat last summer and he was not using a BC. I just wanted to see if anyone else was doing this and to get opinions. It is not the method I dive or intend to dive, but rather an experiment.

[Alex777]

Good point, anyway the reasoning is I noticed someone on a dive boat last summer and he was not using a BC. I just wanted to see if anyone else was doing this and to get opinions. It is not the method I dive or intend to dive, but rather an experiment.

If it was in the Cayman Is., it was probably me.

To answer your original question, I do most of my dives without a BC, wing, wetsuit, weight belt or weights. It's a wonderful feeling of freedom - kinda like freediving with no obligation to ascend (immediately). You have to experience it to appreciate it. Your maneuverability and speed through the water are greatly enhanced. I should emphasize that I am referring only to recreational diving in tropical waters - no overheads, temperatures > 80 degrees, good viz, little if any current.

Is the BC (or wing) an added measure of safety? Yes, but only (given the type of diving I am talking about) in certain specific circumstances. If there is any surface swim in the dive plan, I will add a wing to my setup. If one is a reasonable possibility, I will add a wing. If I were to go unconscious at depth, my rescuer would be assisted by my having an inflation device. That's about it.

We have to remember that people dived for 15 - 20 years without BCs and managed to survive. To me, it's worth the small additional risk to dive that way today.

[richardsantink]

OK, this question is directed toward the more technical and advanced divers out there.

I was wondering about diving without a BC. Actually to be more accurate, I was thinking about diving with my Dive Rite Trans Pac with an AL80 with no wing installed. I will have my dry suit to make minute adjustments as needed, but in my opinion if I am weighted perfectly I should be just fine.

I am sure there are many opinions on this one, I just want to hear what yours are. Also does anyone of you do this or have done this. I am sure some of the older divers around here remember the days of diving before BC's even existed. Then the old horse collar BC's, then to plates and wings, then to jacket bc's and now back to plates and wings again.

You'd better have ditchable weight... otherwise you could run into trouble. Using your DS as backup for a wing is one thing, but as your main form of buoyancy? That's insane.

RAS

[thalassamania]

OK, this question is directed toward the more technical and advanced divers out there.

I was wondering about diving without a BC. Actually to be more accurate, I was thinking about diving with my Dive Rite Trans Pac with an AL80 with no wing installed. I will have my dry suit to make minute adjustments as needed, but in my opinion if I am weighted perfectly I should be just fine.

I am sure there are many opinions on this one, I just want to hear what yours are. Also does anyone of you do this or have done this. I am sure some of the older divers around here remember the days of diving before BC's even existed. Then the old horse collar BC's, then to plates and wings, then to jacket bc's and now back to plates and wings again.

With a single tank I do it all the time. Your suit is should be kept at constant volume and your BC should be used to compensate for your buoyancy change as you consume gas. A single 80 has a shift on the order of 4 lbs. which most people can handle just by shifting their breathing cycle.