I'd have to say you may have just answered the question. If at any point in the dive you need to use your BC for positive bouyancy, then you should have it, and not just depend on your drysuit. The drysuit should be inflated just enough to keep the squeeze off, no more.
Now if you didn't need a bc at all for bouyancy compensation, I'd say you might have something to look into.
That's exactly what I am saying. I rarely use the BC for anything but a pack. The wing is there, but I don't use it.
It's just a thought anyway.
Brit sump divers make use of their dry suits for bouyancy, but then their dives are typically short and shallow (a tool to get to more remote sections of a cave, so gear is scrutinized for transport between sumps.) If you are doing longer dives to deeper depths you can see sme fairly major weight swings as you consume the gas tht you are carrying. This is exactly why early divers started carrying gas cans and clorox bottles with them until someone finally invented the BC.
At this point it does not matter anyway. I was at the dive shop today getting fills and I found a nice wing sitting there with my name on it. Well it had my name on it when I left the dive shop anyway....
Diving without BC
HI
I found that by changing to a wing and backplate, It almost felt as if I didn't have a BCD on when I dived.
In my opinion, the STAB jacket BC is much more uncomrfortable and cluttered than a wing. Some people like the feeling of "security" the Stab. Jacket BC provides (by folding around them, and giving them that familiar squeeze feeling when inflated, something we grew accustomed to and learned to rely on and believe in, when we first started and learned to dive, and such things are hard to get rid off).
The "freedom" experienced when diving with a single baldder wing and backplate (if you like that freedom) is a feeling you will never again give up for a jacket style BCD, but personal milleage may vary..
Rgds
Johan
"Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards!"
Thanks, but that is not the concern really. I was talking about just using the backplate and harness without a wing at all. Anyway it does not matter as I just bought a new wing that is the correct size for my applicaton.
Ace all I can say is my dad never dove with any bc device and he just stopped diving ten years ago. So with the proper amout of weight you should be fine. You might be on the bottom at first then fighting to stay down but what the hell it sounds like your gonna go for it. So make sure to tell us how it went.
Or maybe grew dependent on...Originally Posted by Divingtoors
ASW
"Don't believe everything you think"
Contingency Plan - DSMB, lift bag
If the wing and drysuit fail or you don't have a wing, then just use a lift back. You can store a big one in the backplate pocket. One should be able to swim a balanced rig to the surface anyway, at least for a single.
I almost always have at least one lift bag with me when diving, and a Jersey Reel, so of course that would get me to the surface. I always have ditchable weight as well if necessary.
About being able to swim a balanced rig to the surface, you hit the nail on the head. Really if your buoyancy is spot on, then you should be able to move about without much if any air in your BC or Drysuit.
I did notice a few of the old timers I have gone diving with did not use any BC. Well one guy had a wing, but it had no inflator and many tears in it. He said the only reason he had it on was to allow him to say he had a BC so he could get on the boat. LOL
Anyway, I bought a wing so it really does not matter any more.
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