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Diver Equipment

Two very important items of diver equipment are the weight- belt and the buoyancy control vest, or BC vest. These items work in conjunction with one another to ensure the divers safety and enjoyment of the undersea world. It can be very dangerous if there is a problem with either one.

The weight-belt is vital because without it you can’t really even get underwater. The amount of weight worn will vary based upon many factors such as wetsuit use, wetsuit thickness, depth of dive, etc. Conversely, the BC vest is the portion of diver equipment which allows the diver to ascend, or rise. The vest operates by feeding air off of the scuba tank to fill pockets in the vest, making the diver more buoyant.

The BC vest demands constant readjustment because as depth changes so does amount of pressure, influencing how buoyant the air in the vest is. The goal is to always remain neutrally buoyant, or in a state where if no movement is made, the diver neither sinks nor rises. If a diver loses his or her weight belt, they could potentially shoot upwards very quickly and dangerously. Or if a divers BC vest won’t inflate, they may have to ascend with their partner’s aid. Obviously, these items are of vital importance to a diver. Equipment such as this should be well maintained and thoroughly examined for defects before each and every dive.

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