Diving without a BC

[acelockco]

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.

[hbh2oguard]

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.

[acelockco]

Well, I wasn't going to try it as I did find a new wing for my BC, BUT now I think I am going to need to try it out just as an experiment. I am out ocean diving this weekend, so I am not going to try it here, but when I get back home this week I will give it a whirl.

[Diverdaniel]

good luck.

[Tigerbeach]

I used to dive in Hawaii in 75-85 degree water with just a backpack, no wetsuit and maybe 2-4 lbs, unless I was feeling lazy and "forgot".
I loved diving with less gear...couldn't do that in California, though!

[seasnake]

When I dive in 80F water, I don't use the BC for anything more than a tank mount, it is true . . . and I don't need any weight, either . . .

[Diverdaniel]

have done this a few times, i do not recommend it. too many "What If's" involved.
and as was said here: why reinvent the wheel?
i would take the smallest bladder i could if it is drag i was worried about.
there have been many dives that i had not touched my inflator at all.
but i would rather have it there for when i need it.

[richardsantink]

OK, this question is directed toward the more technical and advanced divers out there.

I was wondering about diving without a BC. Actually to be more accurate, I was thinking about diving with my Dive Rite Trans Pac with an AL80 with no wing installed. I will have my dry suit to make minute adjustments as needed, but in my opinion if I am weighted perfectly I should be just fine.

I am sure there are many opinions on this one, I just want to hear what yours are. Also does anyone of you do this or have done this. I am sure some of the older divers around here remember the days of diving before BC's even existed. Then the old horse collar BC's, then to plates and wings, then to jacket bc's and now back to plates and wings again.

You'd better have ditchable weight... otherwise you could run into trouble. Using your DS as backup for a wing is one thing, but as your main form of buoyancy? That's insane.

RAS

[Tigerbeach]

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).

Or maybe grew dependent on...

[Steve K]

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.