New BP/W worked great but one issue

[vel525]

Unless you at the extremes, i.e. very slender, low body fat, or quite over weight your own body weight is not a major player.

The exposure suit buoyancy, and the buoyancy characteristics of the tank used has a much larger effect on required ballast.

Where body weight is useful is when calculating the weight required to move from fresh to salt, as if provides a means of estimating the volume of water displaced.

Tobin

Thanks for the reply Tobin. I was just trying to gauge whether the OP was built similar to me or not...lol. I guess body fat % shoudl've also been asked then. I've actually been reading A LOT about BP/W setups and have learned a lot from your posts, so thanks for sharing knowledge.

Victor

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

I have the same "problem" with my DSS 4LB SS BP. I am overweighted in the summer! Thinking of going to an aluminum plate to help offset the negative bouyancy.

 

[kawasakign]

if you don't mind me asking how tall and how much do you weigh? i only ask because i am about to purchase a BP/W and am deciding between a SS or AL plate. Most of my diving requires travel so AL would be great, but honestly, carrying a few more lb if i pick SS will not be a big deal. I guess my concern is that a SS plus AL80 (what i normally use) mightl be too much weight when i'm in a 3mm.

I'm 5'9 and about 170lbs right now. Also around 15-17% body fat depending on the method you use to measure. My guess is that with a full 3mm I would be close to neutral at the surface.

 

[cool_hardware52]

I'm 5'9 and about 170lbs right now. Also around 15-17% body fat depending on the method you use to measure. My guess is that with a full 3mm I would be close to neutral at the surface.

Unless you are 3-4 lbs negative in just a pair of swim trunks I doubt you would be neutral after donning a full 3mm suit.

Can you float in fresh water in just a swim suit?

For most people, when they add a buoyant tank (al80) and a full 3mm wetsuit they will be 6-10 lbs positive.

A 6 lbs SS backplate and harness and a 2 lbs regulator is often all they need to get neutral.

Tobin