Fine tuning of buoyancy distribution.

[Rred]

I've noticed that conventional diving, with a flutter kick, is not always the way to go. On easter egg hunts or treasure hunts [sic] I can use a dolphin kick, which allows me to streamline my arms alongside me or my tank, and move at a much better speed, covering more ground per "pound" of air. The bitch of this is that the dolphin kick requires core strength and muscle co-ordination that most of us humans don't have any training with, so we flounder about and say 'that don't work' unless we've had practice. But WITH practice, the overall angle that you bend to will keep you heading up or down, the trim control is automatic and dynamic, so head-and-foot ballasting is less of any issue.
And as you might guess, keeping the legs together instead of switching them past each other really does create a lot less turbulence and drag in the water--which is why a flutter kick will lose to a dolphin kick every time.

It can be frustrating as all hell to get the unfamiliar muscle action down, but very rewarding if you want to cover ground very efficiently.

FWIW.

 

[Bob DBF]

I used to dive with hydrodynamic efficiency back when I started diving. No BCD, no backpack, no alternate second stage, no SPG, and an old steel 72 with a k-valve and no boot. That would be a good start as it would reduce a lot of the drag you see as a problem.

I look at reducing drag in the same manner I look at Nitrox for my local dives. It would be very nice and helpful, but between the long ride in the wrong direction to get it and the added cost to use it, the marginal difference in my performance is not worth the expense.


Bob

 

[REVAN]

Absolutely, I'll read it. Knowledge is great, even if I don't think it's practical to implement it.

The first part of the article is out now. I've made a link to it here:
Diving Performance - Beyond Drag (article Series And Discussion)

 

[fjpatrum]

Deleted, replied in wrong thread.