Getting wet before the BCD

I did a few dives recently in Sardinia and had a very pleasant time. The
deck had space for 8 or so to suit up in reasonable comfort, but the DM
preferred us to don our assembled jacket/tank in the water, to which end we
weighted-up and got in, then had the jackets thrown over the side to us.

You can bet that I let go of the ladder rather gingerly on the first sortie
but was pleased to note that I had positive buoyancy without the jacket. I
found the process less than satisfactory for the buddy check, especially on
days when there was a medium swell, and I managed to strain a couple of arm
muscles in the process.

I was wondering if this is a commonly used practice and if it breaks any
rules. I learned how to do it in training, but thought it was only for use
in unusual/emergency situations.

Graeme Miller wrote:
> I did a few dives recently in Sardinia and had a very pleasant time. The
> deck had space for 8 or so to suit up in reasonable comfort, but the DM
> preferred us to don our assembled jacket/tank in the water, to which end we
> weighted-up and got in, then had the jackets thrown over the side to us.

Tell him where to go. You're paying for the dive, and it's your life.

> You can bet that I let go of the ladder rather gingerly on the first sortie
> but was pleased to note that I had positive buoyancy without the jacket.

Had you done a buoyancy check before? I'd certainly not want to
jump in not knowing if I'd sink or float.

>I found the process less than satisfactory for the buddy check, especially on
> days when there was a medium swell, and I managed to strain a couple of arm
> muscles in the process.
>
> I was wondering if this is a commonly used practice and if it breaks any
> rules. I learned how to do it in training, but thought it was only for use
> in unusual/emergency situations.

I've never heard of such a daft requirement before. If I were you I'd
complain to whatever organisation the dive school was affiliated to.

- Keith

"Graeme Miller" <graeme.m@which.net> wrote in message
news:ci42cu$1lu$1@yarrow.open.ac.uk

> I did a few dives recently in Sardinia and had a very pleasant time. The
> deck had space for 8 or so to suit up in reasonable comfort, but the DM
> preferred us to don our assembled jacket/tank in the water, to which end we
> weighted-up and got in, then had the jackets thrown over the side to us.
>


I tend to do it when in Malta and diving off the ERIB somewhere like
Santa Maria or The Blue Grotto.

I find it easier thank kitting up completely on the RIB.

However with any current running it can be a chancy proposition.

I also think it's a personal preference thing, I've seen someone
'bullied'
into it by his buddy and was nearly in the incident stats be vitue of
being over weighted anyway.

DaveA


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Graeme Miller wrote:
> I did a few dives recently in Sardinia and had a very pleasant time. The
> deck had space for 8 or so to suit up in reasonable comfort, but the DM
> preferred us to don our assembled jacket/tank in the water, to which end we
> weighted-up and got in, then had the jackets thrown over the side to us.

And you let him get away with it? DM is AOW with a
demonstration quality mask clear. He probably had a
bet on with the crew that he could get you to do
it. Next week's customers were probably told with a
totally straight face to put their wet suits on in
the sea.

I have a simple method of dealing with stupidity
like that. I look blank and don't understand how to
do anything any way other than the way I want to do
it. Never argue. That gets you into conflict and if
you are paying what you want is co-operation. Gormless
stupidity is immune to threats, reason, coercion and
pleas yet still leaves you harmless. It is a wonderful
ploy.

I don't care if it is established Sardinian local
practice and endorsed by St. Jacques himself. I
wouldn't do it.

nigelH

On Mon, 13 Sep 2004 13:14:37 GMT, "Nigel Hewitt"
<news@REMOVETHISnigelhewitt.net> wrote:

>Next week's customers were probably told with a
>totally straight face to put their wet suits on in
>the sea.
>

A couple of years ago in Indonesia there was a young lady on our boat
who did this on every dive, looked like a bloody good way to drown
yourself to us. Each to their own.

--
Pete

news 'at' melbourne 'dot' me 'dot' uk

"Nigel Hewitt" <news@REMOVETHISnigelhewitt.net> wrote in message
news:41459145$3@news.star.co.uk...
> Graeme Miller wrote:
>> I did a few dives recently in Sardinia and had a very pleasant time. The
>> deck had space for 8 or so to suit up in reasonable comfort, but the DM
>> preferred us to don our assembled jacket/tank in the water, to which end
>> we
>> weighted-up and got in, then had the jackets thrown over the side to us.
>

"DM is AOW with a demonstration quality mask clear."

LOL! Love it....

> And you let him get away with it? DM is AOW with a
> demonstration quality mask clear. He probably had a
> bet on with the crew that he could get you to do
> it.

Well, if he did, he made a tidy sum, as all 8 divers took the plunge before
the jacket. I was skeptical, but as I'd done something similar in training I
decided to proceed with caution. I kept one had on the boat and one of the
weight belt until I was sure I wasn't going down.

> I don't care if it is established Sardinian local
> practice and endorsed by St. Jacques himself. I
> wouldn't do it.

By the end of the week I'd reverted to stepping off the rather small
platform, mainly because of the contortions needed to climb into the BCD in
the water. I doubt I'll do it again myself.

>I did a few dives recently in Sardinia and had a very pleasant time. The
> deck had space for 8 or so to suit up in reasonable comfort, but the DM
> preferred us to don our assembled jacket/tank in the water, to which end
> we
> weighted-up and got in, then had the jackets thrown over the side to us.

Only time i've ever done that is when we're doing stuff with absolute
beginners in the pool, when they can stand on the bottom - just takes the
weight off. Well, i've put it back on while sat at the bottom of the pool,
but I don't suppose that counts.

In anything less than perfect conditions, I prefer to be in the water and
under as quickly as possible - even in perfect conditions I don't want to be
sat on the surface for 10 minutes - if there's a current or wind you'll be
blown away from the dive site, and ultimately it's just unnecessary.

David

David Walker wrote:
> In anything less than perfect conditions, I prefer to be in the water
> and under as quickly as possible - even in perfect conditions I don't
> want to be sat on the surface for 10 minutes - if there's a current or
> wind you'll be blown away from the dive site, and ultimately it's just
> unnecessary.

I've been on day boats abroad when the DM insisted in giving the dive
brief once everyone got in the water, you were ten or fifteen minutes on
the surface. After the first time through with this I just dropped down
and spent the time on the bottom instead, after a rather lengthly
arguement where it came out that I had 5x as many dives as him and more
teaching experience, he let me alone so long as I didn't "upset the other
customers". Ho hum...

Al.

> I've been on day boats abroad when the DM insisted in giving the dive
> brief once everyone got in the water, you were ten or fifteen minutes on
> the surface. After the first time through with this I just dropped down
> and spent the time on the bottom instead, after a rather lengthly
> arguement where it came out that I had 5x as many dives as him and more
> teaching experience, he let me alone so long as I didn't "upset the other
> customers". Ho hum...

So do they have a reason for doing it? Is it just that they can't pick up
their own cylinders or something? I know it is done for absolute
beginners - we do it the first time in the pool, and when i've done
'try-dives' abroad before I took up diving properly we once got kitted up in
the water - seems to be more common where you need to jump / roll in, rather
than shore dives. Maybe the DMs lose lots of masks when they roll in or
something?

David