Dare to be Dunked? | Our Guide to Water Bondage

Wanna get seriously wet? And, no, we don’t mean just in that way. Welcome to the world of helpless submission that is water bondage. We give you the lowdown on what it is, and how to stay within your depth and do it safely.

What is water bondage?

It does what it says on the tin. The easiest way to think about water bondage is as restraint that occurs under water. Water, therefore, is used in addition to your other restraints of choice. As a result, you have the interplay of restraint with breath control, water sex, and predicament bondage - to name just a few options.
 

What equipment do you need for water bondage?

You can use ropes, gags, harnesses handcuffs and any other forms of restraint. As with all BDSM, punishment and even sadism is integral to water bondage scenes. However, the great thing is that you may already have a lot of the equipment. The shower head with its adjustable speeds and temperature; that mammoth garden hose you use to freshen up the petunias... 
 

One of the most common pieces of BDSM equipment used in water bondage is the Houdini tank - a tank of water in which the submissive is restrained and immersed - or a full immersion tank.
 

Where can you practice water bondage?

The best place - for obvious privacy reasons - is bathroom, or your local BDSM club or dungeon.  But wherever you choose to get drenched, don’t get out of your depth. Ensure you can stand in the water and that it’s clean and at the right temperature. Having your nether regions ferociously scolded at high pressure is far from desirable - unless you're into that. 

Also, think about the kind of equipment you'll use, as most bondage equipment (like leather) isn't water-friendly. 


Gin Ropeburn locked by her nipple clamps under the tub spout. Flickr Create Commons.
 

What kind of scenarios can you use for water bondage?

Popular scenes frequently involve the sub being bound and then dunked in water. Spraying is also a favourite part of this scene and is frequently done at high pressure - its effect is similar to flogging or caning. Beginners could start with a shower hose and work their way up from there. 
 

Dunking is all about erotic asphyxiation or breath control, which means the restriction of oxygen to the brain to enhance sexual arousal. Once immersed in the water bondage tank, you can opt for any manner of delights: dildo fucking and endless torment with vibrators are just two examples.
 

How to do water bondage safely?

Water bondage can be extremely dangerous. However, the element of risk and heightened sexual arousal is what makes it irresistible to some - but when practising water bondage, safety is absolutely essential.  If you want to try it out for the first time, do your research and ask lots of questions to someone experienced. 
 

1. Only get involved with partners experienced in this form of BDSM. The first thing you need to agree upon is a safe word. And because you’re not going to be able to speak when you’re submerged, you also need to determine a non-verbal safe word. For example, agree on a specific arm motion. Whatever non-verbal safe word you choose needs to be easily communicable, so it can’t be misconstrued.
    
2. Dominants need to ensure that their sub can breathe in the scenario that they both choose. When the mouth is gagged, breathing becomes a challenge, so if you’re spraying your partner, be careful not to place them in the immediate flow of the water.
    
3. Dunking is the riskiest practice - and for this reason, is best only practised by those experienced in full water submersion. No matter how well you know your partner, it is not always obvious when they need to breathe.
    
4. Given the element of breath play, be aware that practising water bondage can also push your sub into subspace. Before entering a scene, talk about what might happen if subspace is achieved and put in place any aftercare plans in advance. 

As with all BDSM play, water bondage is a journey. Dip your toe in and learn how to (safely) drown in your depravity. 

Looking to stretch your BDSM limits and try some water bondage? As we mentioned above, staying safe means practising it with experts. The good news: you’ll find many on Fetish.com.