Mailing List Archive Mailing List Archive
I've been reading your accounts of your sump dives in low and no viz
conditions, and I am especially interested in the drop weight system you
are using to belay your line.
You wrote.........
I understand that you are using ordinary lead weights, which are held onto
your reel. Don't you find all that weight on your hand and wrist very
tiring? If you carry several, do you find the buoyancy variances problematic?
I love your accounts of your dives. I dive in murky water almost all the
time, it seems, and frequently use line in old wrecks. Since viz is bad
and tie offs can be few and far between, your procedure is very interesting.
Tks for any info you can provide, and safe diving to you.
--
Grant Wilkinson
Ottawa, Canada
grantw@fr*.ca*.ca*
Like any solution this system has its advantages and disadvantages. I use it
under conditions where the advantages outweighs the disadvantages. The weight
and buoyancy problems are certainly an issue but not much of problem in a
tight low vis sump. In many cases the passage is just barely big enough for
my body to fit, i.e. picture a dry crawl way full of water. At times I may
be pushing the weights and reel ahead of me on the floor.
Since I am doing this with my body any way it is a no vis dive. At other
times if their is a little more room I will puff up my buoyancy device and
float along the ceiling. In a really big passage it is possible to maintain
neutral buoyancy even with the reel and weights and stay off the floor and
ceiling. You just dump gas to compensate for the loss of each weight as you
deploy it . The speed of the system can allow you to stay head of the silt
cloud in a siphon situation and take advantage of good vis if it is present
and this more than compensates for the awkwardness of the added weight.
If I need to swim with the unit for any length of time I will carry it tucked
under my body to reduce trim and fatigue problems. It works just fine in this
position.
JOSEPH KAFFL
SUMPDIVER@MS*.CO*
Navigate by Author:
[Previous]
[Next]
[Author Search Index]
Navigate by Subject:
[Previous]
[Next]
[Subject Search Index]
[Send Reply] [Send Message with New Topic]
[Search Selection] [Mailing List Home] [Home]