Please help me with my buoyancy :)

[im_a_piranha]

Wow, I definitely made the right choice of signing up for scubaboard. So much help!

I have a jacket/vest style BCD now (sherwood avid). I have also switched my wetsuit to a full 7mm, will wear a 7/3/1 hood for my dive tomorrow and this is the first time I will be trying all of my equipment. I believe I have 5mm boots and gloves. I'll be using an aluminum tank as well. I was talking to a course director and he said I should aim for 20 lbs but it will take time until I get it right especially that I have a new wetsuit and so I will have to break it in first. I wear a fullsuit lycra underneath my wetsuit (which seems to have no effect on my buoyancy, from what I was told anyway).

I am definitely ready to get as much diving done as I really do enjoy it and would like to perfect my buoyancy someday. If anyone lives in Orange County, let me know!

LimeyX, thanks for the invite! I'll have to see if I can make it to Redondo on time. 405 traffic is horrible coming from Irvine

Thanks everyone!

PS: I will do a buoyancy test when I have 500PSI left in my tank tomorrow!

 

[spectrum]

Sounds like a plan.

If I may say so, a spendid choice on the Avid, you can dive that rig with the best of them. I like mine.

Don't forget those trim pockets up on the back-side. If you are foot heavy move some weight (3+3 for me) up there and it will help hold your lungs down. Moving that weight delivered a quantum leap in buoyancy control on my 7th dive thanks to an observant SB diver. 150 dives latter I'm using 4 pounds less with the same configuration.

Some care and attention to your configuration up front will pay you back in spades.

Pete

 

[TxHockeyGuy]

No, it is not so that you are just moving lead around (necessarily) -- it all depends on the dry weight of the tank.

Look at the empty dry weight of an AL 80 (31.7 pounds) and then a steel 85 (31.0 punds on your chart)

So you are essentially carrying the same weight on land, but since the steel tank will be neutral or negative in the water, you need less lead on the belt and thus carry less weight overall.

And yes, of course you still need extra lead to compensate for the air that you breathe during the dive, but the AL tanks you need to add 4 or so pounds of *extra* lead that you dont need with the steel.

The moving of weight around on the tank was a misstatement on my part, thanks for the correction.

 

[im_a_piranha]

I went diving in Casino Point yesterday, it was AWESOME! Besides the sea sickness and everything, I was able to descend with 22lbs no problem and my buoyancy was just awesome I will try for 20lbs next time I go. But before that, I will keep working on getting more lean!

My goal is to someday get myself to go down with 18 lbs