Aqua Lung Black Diamond SL BC - Manual (Page 4)

4 Black Diamond Owner’s Manual Black Diamond Owner’s Manual 5
WARNING: A buoyancy compensator (BC) is NOT a life
jacket! It is not designed to provide face-up flotation in all
situations, and therefore it does not meet U.S. Coast Guard
regulations for a life preserver or personal flotation device
(PFD). If you become unconscious in the water without a
buddy present to immediately give assistance, you may suf-
fer serious injury or death from drowning.
Your buoyancy compensator is primarily designed to help you maintain
neutral buoyancy while in a comfortably balanced, face-down swimming
position underwater. It is also designed to provide you with flotation so
that you can rest on the surface, but it is not designed to function as a
life preserver or personal flotation device (PFD). In order to meet U.S.
Coast Guard regulations, a PFD must be designed so that it automati-
cally rights you to a face-up position and holds your head out of the
water on the surface. The design characteristics of a personal flotation
device are therefore different from those of a buoyancy compensator.
The ability of any flotation device to float you in a face-up position can
also be affected by other diving equipment you wear, including a cylin-
der, weight or exposure suit, and whether it can be inflated before you
lose consciousness.
For this reason, it is important to always dive with a buddy, and maintain
close proximity with them at all times. Do not depend on any flotation
device to hold your face above the surface in the event that you are ren-
dered unconscious in the water while diving.
WARNING: Although this manual provides some basic
guidelines for certain buoyancy control techniques, it is not
a substitute for training from a professional diving instruc-
tor. Failure to weight yourself properly may create a hazard-
ous condition that could lead to serious injury or death. If
you are unsure how to weight yourself in order to achieve
optimum buoyancy underwater and on the surface, do not
dive until you have obtained the necessary instruction
from your diving instructor or an authorized Aqua Lung/
SeaQuest Dealer.
If you have any questions regarding your Buoyancy Compensator or
these instructions, contact your local dealer or Aqua Lung/SeaQuest at
(760) 597-5000