New in N. Cal! - Question about BC

[ERP]

OK Karl, I took my open water up in Seattle (considerably North of Pt whatever).

All of my early dives (after OW dive 2) were made overweighted in a Balance BC with 32lbs of lift, wearing a 7mm farmer john. The 32lbs of lift was more than adequate even overweighted by 6 or 7 lbs.

Now living in N California, I use a 36lb wing, with my singles and a 40lb wing with my doubles, if anything the 36 is too much wing, and I'd opt for the 27 doing it agian.

35lbs of lift is more than adequate, for diving on either coast, and probably excessive with lighter exposure protection.

 

[Dryglove]

boomx5 once bubbled...


When I dive a single tank (which is rare anymore) I use a 36# wing which is more than adequate. I've used that setup from Monterey to the PNW and it has always been more than enough. It's amazing how you pontificate about things you really do not understand. Someone needs to call NAUI quick about this clown before he hurts someone.

I also use a 36lb wing with single tanks. I have even seen people use a single 104 on a 27lb wing with no problems. I use a 45lb wing for my double 72's. I can easily swim my double 72's up from depth with no air in my wing. I guess i am in the wrong by karls standards.

I would still like to know what shop karl works for so me and my buddies can avoid that place. I would feel terrible supporting a shop that would hire someone like him to teach for them

 

[Soggy]

Karl_in_Calif once bubbled...
Experienced divers everywhere wear "less" weight.

Its the beginners that have the excess weighting issues.

And while they are beginners, until their learning curve works for them, the popularly marketed 35 lb B/Cs are inadequate for any diving north of Point Concepcion.

And even a 35 lb B/C for an experienced diver north of Point Concepcion is barely adequate, with 45 lbs being a much more reasonable minimum.

What does this have to do with East vs West? You are great at not answering questions.

 

[Karl_in_Calif]

ERP once bubbled...

35lbs of lift is more than adequate, for diving on either coast, and probably excessive with lighter exposure protection.

Not if you have to haul your buddy off the bottom while you are both diving in your wetsuits after his/her B/C fails.

 

[cornfed]

Karl_in_Calif once bubbled...

I've seen divers with anywhere from 20 lbs to 45 lbs of lead with their wetsuits.

So people on the west coast are over weighted...

The 7mm farmer john wetsuits are bad enough. But then, above and beyond that, some divers wear full 7mm wetsuits with shortie 7mm wetsuits on top of that!

And they're wearing too much weight because they're being silly about their exposure protection...

A 35 lb capacity B/C is definitely meant for the East Coast Least Coast of Florida. Believe it, or not.

And gear makers have realized this and are taking advantage of the goofy behaviour out there...

Karl, how much colder is it out there then in where on the east coast? Somewhere like New England where Soggy dives.

 

[cornfed]

Karl_in_Calif once bubbled...
Not if you have to haul your buddy off the bottom while you are both diving in your wetsuits after his/her B/C fails.

Let me get this straight... You're a recreational diver. You're diving wet. You're BC fails. Under what conditions won't you be able to drop your weight belt and swim up.

Karl, care to explain what I'm missing?

 

[cnidae]

Karl_in_Calif once bubbled...


Experienced divers everywhere wear "less" weight.

Its the beginners that have the excess weighting issues.

And while they are beginners, until their learning curve works for them, the popularly marketed 35 lb B/Cs are inadequate for any diving north of Point Concepcion.

And even a 35 lb B/C for an experienced diver north of Point Concepcion is barely adequate, with 45 lbs being a much more reasonable minimum.

Karl_in_Calif, your info is just straight out wrong. I dive a 27lb bladder that really has about 25lbs lift in a drysuit. 35 lbs would be way over kill for me. 35 lbs for a wetsuit diver would be ideal not marginal.

 

[Karl_in_Calif]

cnidae once bubbled...
I dive a 27lb bladder that really has about 25lbs lift in a drysuit. 35 lbs would be way over kill for me. 35 lbs for a wetsuit diver would be ideal not marginal.

For a little guy like you, maybe.

Plus, you are the best diver I have ever met. And a far cry from a beginner. So I will stick to my guns on the 45 lb issue for beginners in wetsuits on the West Coast Best Coast north of Point Concepcion.

And even in your case, your blonde diving buddy, the new one, how much weight does she wear with her wetsuit? Add her weight to your weight, and ask yourself, could you lift her off the bottom, if her B/C failed?

Then I would just have to swim over and help you out, again. Like when I carried her tanks back to the car, because you wouldnt.

 

[cornfed]

Karl_in_Calif once bubbled...


For a little guy like you, maybe.

Plus, you are the best diver I have ever met. And a far cry from a beginner. So I will stick to my guns on the 45 lb issue for beginners in wetsuits on the West Coast Best Coast north of Point Concepcion.

Karl, are you going to answer my question?

Would you please elaborate on why this amount of lift is required for newbie?

 

[ERP]

Karl_in_Calif once bubbled...


For a little guy like you, maybe.

Plus, you are the best diver I have ever met. And a far cry from a beginner. So I will stick to my guns on the 45 lb issue for beginners in wetsuits on the West Coast Best Coast north of Point Concepcion.

And this is it...... Karls one and only tactic, when confrronted with real life examples or reasonable logic. Evade the question with a complete non sequitur.

He'd be amusing if some of his advice wasn't borderline dangerous.