Unsafe at Any Depth?

Since 2016, we have been getting reports of Sherwood BCDs separating from the tank they are mounted on when in use. It's an old BCD, no longer sold, but we still hear from divers who use it and we have written about the dangerous problem before. In fact, Frank Leone of Christiansted, VI, recently told us at the beginning of August that "although my BCD is a few years old, it only has about 30 dives on it. Fortunately, it was a shallow dive and my buddies were able to help me ascend without a major issue."

The problem is that the cam bands do not pass through the buoyancy cell as they do on every other BC we've seen. They instead pass through plastic blocks that are superficially attached to the cell. Inevitably, the plastic gets tired, separates from the cell, and the tank drops out. It could disappear into the deep if it were not for the diver's firm grip on the mouthpiece of his second stage, which is attached to the tank. Anyone can see the danger in this.

We contacted Charlie Bush, CEO of Sherwood Scuba, and asked him about the problem. He responded in length to Undercurrent, saying (in part), "The concerns we have discussed relate to a limited selection of Sherwood BCDs manufactured more than 15 years ago, well outside the applicable warranty and expected lifespan of actively used BCDs.

"There are numerous BCDs, both jacket style and back-inflate, from multiple manufacturers that have the same cam band/aircell design as the Avid. This design is not something that Sherwood does in isolation, and it's unfair to characterize it as such. Additionally, dive equipment should be serviced annually by a trained technician. These technicians can repair and service equipment and will evaluate for excess wear and tear."

We think it is risky to use any BCD where the cam bands are not threaded securely through the buoyancy cell. If you have such a BCD, carefully check it before each trip; in fact, before each dive.

(Photo: Frank Leone, Christiansted, USVI)