Posted by MHK on June 07, 2001 at 09:54:45:
In Reply to: the "concept of *negative bouyancy* " posted by Wayne on June 07, 2001 at 00:08:42:
Wayne,
I'm not too bust discrediting anyone, let's just simply look at the facts and maybe we can either agree or agree to disagree..
He is diving with a total of 42 lbs, the stated purpose for which is to stay on the ocean floor to hunt bugs.. I'm still unclear why you need to be so overweighted to get bugs.. I have my arms inside reefs all the time hunting bugs and I don't feel compelled to be overweighted in so doing. My thinking is that I try to solve problems before they occur so let's review a potential problem for Seahunt ( and I'm limiting it to life threatening issues for purposes of this thread, I'll leave out the trim and drag issues)..
As you start your dive you are at the heaviest point of the dive,( this is due to the tank being full).. Most diver's start the dive doing the deepest part of the dive first.. Accordingly, let's assume that you are at 130' ( or any depth of consequence within recreational limits for that matter), and you have 42 lbs of lead and let's assume we are at Farnsworth bank..
Ok, now you loose your inflation source, what do you do????
To the extent you attempted to swim to the surface it's likely ( or possible) that you'll struggle very hard to surface which may result in a buildup of C02.. We had a fatality at Farnsworth a few years ago and I believe this was what happened.. I'll allow Ken Kurtis to share his thinking since he and I ( along with others) did CPR for about an hour before we got him to the chamber..
The other thing that could happen is that you'll ditch your weightbelt.. At 130' your wetsuit is providing little, if any, lift capacity and it's likely ( or possible) that you'll ascend much too quickly and it's also likely as you get shallower your wetsuit will begin to expand and thus increasing the rate at which you'll surface. Add in a little panic and you have a receipe for an ebolisim..
Am I saying that it absolutely will happen, NO.. I'm saying it is an unnecessary risk for which I see no reason to take.. I don't see the benefit to diving with so much more weight than he needs ( using his language) and despite personal discussions with him and countless posts on the subject matter I've yet to see a answer that makes since other than * I hunt for bugs*...
Is a bug worth your life??? And not everyone hunts for bugs...
Later