poor man's variable

Alun · #1 October 6th, 2005

i tried out a new variable system this afternoon. basically we have a 25m rope attached to a buoy with a big weight at the end of the rope. you pull the quick release and off you go. obviously the weight bottoms out at 25m and you just let go and keep going... it's not as efficient as full-on variable because you don't descend very fast and you go head-down. today was the first serious test (70) and it worked really well. it's really good fun! it makes diving to depth really effortless! you can't help but surface with a huge smile on your face!

i call it poor man's variable because you don't need a fancy sled or boat etc. it's very easy to rig up and transport around.... try it yourself! it's good even if you want to increase your bottom time at shallow depths.

we're going to try to combine ours with a new counterweight system we have in the pipeline. then maybe do some more serious dives with it next year.

efattah · #2 October 6th, 2005

We built a system like that (to 15m), back in February of 2000.

I blacked out the very first time I tried it. That was the last time I ever used it.

The problem was that my buddy used it, then I pulled up the weight from the surface and got really tired. I then started breathing for my dive, and I couldn't get satisfied, so I overventilated trying to get satisfied. I then started the dive with the weight. If it had been CW, I would have had the urge to breathe immediately, since I was so depleted from the pull-up. However, with no effort on the descent to 53m (in an 8mm config), I never knew I was in trouble until the ascent. About halfway up I realized it was going to be close; I got to the surface, took off my mask, breathed then face planted in the water!

Longfins · #3 October 6th, 2005

Hey Alun,

I'm beginning to play around with modifying my counter balance rig to include a pair of stirrups so I can do a little variable weight heads up. I've done some heads down variable and it is a lot of fun! But like you, our waters is getting a little chilly so we'll see how far it will go. But will definitely have something by next year. Keep us posted.

BTW, I have a webbing loop that hooks to the buoy to serve as brace/stirrup when my buddy and I haul up the weight after diving. It saves a lot of energy.

Peter S.

Alun · #4 October 6th, 2005

sounds like you just didn't recover enough from the pulling. i'm sure you wouldn't make such a mistake now with all your experience. we bring our weight up with a DSMB. we might try to use a 3litre pony in future so we can get more lifts.

Alun · #5 October 6th, 2005

Peter,
that sounds lik fun! could you send me a photo of it, if you have one please?

thanks!

pat fish · #6 October 10th, 2005

I did sort of "poor mans free immersion" two weeks ago in Dahab... I had the idea of doing a free immersion dive head up, asked Lotta to hand me over her 6kg weight belt and went down to 45m with 8.5kg (6kg plus my 2.5kg) and my old 3mm. I found it funny until I started the ascent. I soon realised that I was a LITTLE overweighted, but didn't want to drop the weight belt(s). "poor mans free immersion" I'd call it. It was 45m only... seemed like 100m to me though... I made it clean to the surface but my arms burnt like hell.

cdavis · #7 October 11th, 2005

We made a variable system with a 20 pound piece of lead and line attached to the boat.
We pull it up while sitting on the side of the boat, 35 m is not difficult. I think the leverage is better on the boat rather than being in the water.

One question. Has anybody tried going down head up, knees bent and fins pointed at the sky, like on some sleds, but holding the lead between your knees?

Connor

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