Using Your Weight Belt

You'll need to remove your weight belt to hand it to someone on a boat, correct a gear problem, or to establish positive buoyancy in the event of an emergency.

To remove your weight belt, undo the buckle and pull the belt out of the buckle. After removing the belt, hold the belt by the end without the buckle. This leaves the buckle at the bottom of the belt, which will catch any weights that slip down as you are holding it.

What you do next with the belt depends on the reason you are removing it. If an emergency situation exists, you'll hold it out to the side and drop it. This is called ditching your weight belt. If you are preparing to replace the belt or hand it to someone, rest the belt across your upper legs or stomach so you don't have to hold all of the weight with your hand.

You can don the weight belt at the surface or underwater using a procedure called a weight belt roll. To perform a weight belt roll:

1. Deflate your BCD if you are underwater. Inflate it if you are at the surface.
2. If you are at the surface, place the 2nd stage in your mouth.
3. Hold the end without the buckle in your right hand, and lie on your back. Keep your body straight and horizontal.
4. Place the belt against your right hip. Make sure the belt is positioned with the inside of the belt is against your body.
5. While remaining horizontal, roll to your left until you face the bottom. Your body will roll into the belt, and both ends will hang below you.
6. Continue lying on your stomach while you fasten the belt. Adjust if necessary.