Aqua Lung Black Ice BC User Manual
Page 5
Table of Contents
© 2014 Apeks
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 automatically 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 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 cylinder, weight or exposure suit, and
whether it can be inflated before you lose consciousness.
For this reason, it is important to always dive with and maintain close proximity to your buddy at all
times. Do not depend on any flotation device to hold your face above the surface in the event that you
are rendered unconscious in the water while diving.
If you have any questions regarding your Buoyancy Compensator or the information found in
this manual, please contact your regional Apeks Dealer or Distributor. Distributor information is
available on the Apeks website at:
WARNING:
Although this manual provides some basic guidelines for certain buoyancy control
techniques, it is not a substitute for training from a professional diving instructor. Failure to weight
yourself properly may create a hazardous 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 Apeks Dealer or Distributor.