| Imported post
<font color='#000080'>Sorry, but I just hate these little things. If they're part of your plan, or part of your redundancy, you've got problems. I've got a million and one things I'd do before fitting one to my jacket.
No clear surface on a dive means that precisely to me. If I'm in that position, I'm not going for the surface. Simple as that. If you're that concerned, take a pony with another inflator hose on it, so you can plug that into your wing/BCD.
If you're pootling around on easy dives without deco obligations/a roof over your head, maybe you could convince me to let you bring it on the dive with me. I doubt it, because on those sorts of dives you should be able to weight yourself precisely so as not to need to use one. You swim up, or breathe in, or I'll grab hold of you and use my kit to get you going. I'd much rahter grab hold of you in that situation than grab hold of you as you head for the surface like a polaris missile.
All round, they're a bad idea. I'm yet to hear a good argument in their favour. A couple of experiences where they've been of use, but there's all too much risk using them to convince me I'd actually want one, even for those eventualities.
They're a bit of equipment from a bygone era we just don't need anymore.
Jason, if you look at the incident reports, it's often reported that a body is recovered with air in their tanks, how some of these casualties happen is beyond me, but it seems that running out of gas is a case of dire dive planning, and an inability to manage a gas supply suggests to me someone who hasn't been trained to dive. We all have, so there's no excuse.
If you really want a third source of buoyancy, get a redundant wing with a separate inflator. Now that would be covering your arse.
I can see your logic, but it's not my logic.
have I gone on a bit of a rant? Sorry, it's late and these little bottles really pull my chain...  |