On Thu, 11 Oct 2001 18:25:29 -0500, Chuck <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
in response to "J. Kelly Cunningham" <[log in to unmask]>

>A BCD is not a positive bouyancy device.  That is, if it is not inflated,
>it will not keep you up.

Certainly true.  But I would expect a SCUBA diver on a liveaboard to
be able to handle that skill of manual inflation, don't you?


>If it springs a leak it will not keep you up. It does
>not meet the criteria for a life jacket.

Can you be more specific about the "criteria"?   The life jackets
I've seen on cruiseships, liveaboards, and boats are certainly
infinitely more "flimsy" and susceptible to "spring a leak" than
any BCD I've used.


?OK, the ones on a plane have to be inflated

So are the ones on cruiseships and on the PHD liveaboards.


> but I think realistically your chances of having to
> actually use one are pretty close to nil.

But that's beside the point.  The same can be said of nearly ALL of
the "self-rescue" scenario I've gone through mentally to be PREPARED
in the event shit happens.

One instance of "close to nil" but not nil could make the difference
between life and death.  That's the reason to ANTICIPATE and THINK
before you lack the time to do so properly when it happens.

-- Bob.