Posted by MHK on August 02, 2001 at 09:51:45:
In Reply to: Responses to all (and long!) posted by Eins on August 01, 2001 at 23:49:33:
EINS,
My sense is that you will do what you are still doing despite our advice so I caution you to be careful..
I'll make my comments with the understanding that other's may also be following the thread so I want to make sure they understand why I believe what you are doing is wrong and why.. But as I said, you do what you will...
Using your drysuit for the primary inflation source should be discouraged for the following reasons:
1) It is MUCH easier to have an out of control ascent due to the fact that you can NOT vent your drysuit as quickly as you can your BC. This is of particular importance if you get out of proper position [ ie; feet up]..
2) If you are using your undergarments properly [ we use C-4's] that will provide sufficient warmth and will keep you warm even in the event of a leak, at which point you'd obviously would abort the dive.. Argon and undergarments are recommended to control warmth, not added inflation...
3) If you are using the drysuit as your primary inflation it is very easy to throw off your trim when the suit has too much gas in it.. If you are porperly weighted [ which is a whole separate discussion] the amount of inflation you'll need is minimal..
4) The proper balance you are trying to achieve is that you should have sufficient gas in your suit to allow you to properly respond to an emergency, ie; OOA, vale shut-down, entanglement etc... Anymore than that is unnessary and COULD result in an uncontrolled ascent.. It is easier to dump a BC quickly than it is a drysuit..
5) Any suggestion that out methodology is task loading and is less safe is simply not well thought out.. For the reasons sited above you'll see that it is actually safer and more efficient to use the BOUYANCY COMPENSATING DEVICE as the primary.
Most agenecies and DUI recommend using the drysuit as the primary and I strongly disagree..
Later