Posted by Wayne on June 07, 2001 at 00:08:42:
In Reply to: Re: We all say some odd things at times... posted by MHK on June 06, 2001 at 15:45:46:
You said : "
Wayne, I've tried to keep it positive and constructive but I simply disagree with the concept of *negative bouyancy* and believe that it is ignoring a potentially life threatening problem if someone looses his inflation source..."
I can't see where we are able to disagree on this. If I am properly weighted (neutral at my stop at the end of the dive), I will be negative at depth due to wetsuit compression. I must use the BC to maintain neutral buoyancy, or if the dive demands it, I can be negative (or positive as far as that goes) by adjusting the amount of air I carry in the BC. If I lose the function of the BC, my options are to swim up against the negative buoyancy caused by wetsuit compression, or become positivly buoyant by dropping some lead.
You seem to be saying that being weighted such that you are neutral at depth with an empty BC is good. That cannot be true since it would cause the diver to be unable to hover at the safety stop. Of course I am discussing folks like me who dive wet!
Sounds like you are so busy trying to discredit another diver that you are leaving logic behind.
FTR I have had a complete failure of a BC where it could not hold any air. It was a pain since I could not adjust myself to be neutral until I was nearly at the surface. But this was not really a big deal. If I had a serious problem I would have just dropped some lead. As it was, I was able to follow the bottom countours back to the entry point on shore. But I know how to drop my weight and I am not afraid to do it.
Wayne