RE: Wings and back plates

[Phil Clarke <phil.clarke@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>> even with unbungeed BCDs, air would escape [thru a puncture] unless
>>holed at the bottom 

even if holed at the bottom, air could escape - the air in a BCD is
under constant pressure from the downforce of the weight of your
equipment plus the ambient pressure of water, which may be fractionally
more than the equalising pressure of the water whenever you move, roll,
stress the BCD etc.

>> Besides, you do have an auxiliary buoyancy device (drysuit) if this
>>does happen.

I wonder just how much lift a drysuit really could provide, especially
if its partially inflated for comfort when you're neutral? How grippy is
a latex neck seal when (say) 15lbs of lift from the suit is trying to
force it off your neck?

Ive oft heard it quoted as the bailout option, but never seen the
figures - I know mine floats me at ahoulder level without leaking (much)
when its blown up like a rock, but Id like to hear from someone who's
had one carry them plus a full bottle (eg. aborted dive, BCD goes down
on entry from boat) and waterlogged BCD.

Phil