How to Use a Horse Collar With a Drysuit

Horse collar buoyancy compensators, or BCs, resemble an old-fashioned life vest, the kind often seen on pictures of pilots from the Second World War. They fit around the neck like a yoke. Divers can inflate them by blowing them up manually through the mouthpiece or from the tank through a pressurized hose. By inflating or deflating the BC, a diver can increase or decrease buoyancy while diving.

Instructions

  1. Preparation

    • 1
      The least enjoyable part of diving -- getting ready.

      Put on your dry suit. Check that it is seated properly at the neck and wrists and properly zipped up.

    • 2

      Seat your weight belt comfortably on the hips.

    • 3

      Place the compensator over your head and strap it into place.

    • 4

      Slip your arms through the straps of the backplate that carries your tank while a buddy holds it steady.

    • 5

      Hook up the inflator hoses to the dry suit and compensator. Check that your regulator and octopus, or spare regulator, are free of the straps and that you can reach your dry suit inflate and deflate valves.

    On the Surface

    • 6
      It's important to have enough buoyancy to float easily and reduce stress.

      Inflate the dry suit just enough to be comfortable.

    • 7

      Inflate the compensator just enough to allow you to float on your back. You can then swim easily to the beginning of the dive or return to shore if you have completed the dive.

    • 8

      Press the exhaust valve to deflate the BC before submerging.

    Underwater

    • 9
      Proper buoyancy enhances the dive experience

      Release air carefully from the dry suit to dive deeper, monitoring descent on your depth gauge.

    • 10

      Add air to the dry suit when your target depth is reached, until neutral buoyancy is achieved.

    • 11

      Add air very carefully to the dry suit to ascend, monitoring your ascent rate. Be prepared to dump air out of the dry suit if you are rising faster than your bubbles.