Weight belt safety...last gear on...first gear off.

[Chad Carney]

This thread in General Sprearfishing should be here in the safety section.

http://www.spearboard.com/forum/showthread.php?
s=&threadid=4649

It contains this St Pete Times story.

http://www.sptimes.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/APState.woa/wa/story?id=FL_Diver_Killed

In the past it was more stressed that weight belts be removed immediately in the boat. With weight integrated systems it's a lot easier to never be wearing ballst only. But today I see even freedivers leaving them on long after their fins are off. I have caught myself doing this, it's a bad habit. Weights should never be left on. Quick releases don't always work. Belts hang up on knives, etc. Even if you don't fall overboard you're more likely to be injured carrying a load when hitting the deck.

Years ago a diver came up, took off his gear, except his weight belt, then sat down and ate his lunch. The ladder on his boat came loose from the boat and before it sunk he jumped in to get it... you guessed it, they found him on the bottom with his arms outstretched, with his weight belt still on, the buckle shifted around onto his back. (This often happens during a panic and diaphram contractions.)
I've used this story for years as an example in classes, calling him the "Christ of the Gulf"

Every now and then this kind of accident happens, resulting in a death. I wonder how often it occurs but the diver manages to free the belt? Of course then it goes unreported.


Chad Carney, SDI Instructor

[fernandezh]

Great post Chad, I agree that a weight belt should be considered to be "ditchable" equipment. I have seen those weight belts with the leg straps and it looks too complicated to undo in a bind. anybody want to add to this?

[uluabusta]

Howzit,
Have you tried or seen rubber weight belts? I've tried all types of belts but I think this is the safest and most effective. The rubber stretches to conform to your body but as you descend and your body compresses, the belt still adjusts to your body and doesn't spin around like nylon belts. Once wet the belt can easily be ditched when using a regular snap-shut type of latch.

I agree that your weights should be removed before your fins or as soon as possible once your get out of the water. Too often I've seen rookie divers remove their fins to walk out of the surf then get pulled back in still wearing their belts then having to dump them. They could have easily backed out of the water standing them dump the fins and weights once on dry sand.

I haven't seen the ones with leg straps but I've seen the OMER weighted camo vests which require the undoing of several snaps just to remove. I think this is too dangerous to use.
Aloha, dive safe.

[sharkbait]

I recently observed an instructor teaching students the skill of donning equipment at the surface. Interesting was that each of the students failed to remove their weight belts while out of their BCs......they (students) just don't float with all that lead. I believe that the proliferation of integreted weights has affected the proper teaching of weight belt maintenance during SCUBA activities. Potentially a dangerous proposition.
Later,
Sharkbait