Problems with descending. Trapped air? Nervous? Or underweighted?

[EireDiver606]

I have no idea how tall you are or your body composition. I'm 5'10", 170 lb, and wear a two-piece 7mm (probably compressed to the equivalent of 5mm) with a hood and gloves. With an AL80 I need about 18 lb (8kg) of lead to get under water. I think I dropped 2 lb / 1kg last time I dived but I also wasn't wearing a hood or gloves for that dive.

Your weighting seems about right to me based on my own numbers. Keep in mind it should be easy to sink with a full cylinder since your about 6 lb / 2.7 kg heavier at the beginning of the dive.

If you are indeed using a steel tank then it's not an AL80 (aluminum 80 cubic foot) and you're horribly overweighted.

Yep I'm almost the same as you, 5'9 70kg (160lbs?), wiry not stocky. Steel tank. Overweighted? New to diving. Saltwater. 7mm +5mm + gloves + 7mm boots+ 10mm hood, and I was slightly nervous as I've never used the equipment especially as there was 100+ people looking at me.

 

[undrwater]

Or nervous? Any advice is appreciated as this really REALLY p****d me off.

Read my post. STEEL TANK

You seem somewhat emotional now, and I can imagine it was worse there at the surface.

Nerves may have increased your breathing rate, keeping you from exhaling fully.

I've been there. So very frustrating. It's a good lesson that happens at the surface, as you have to stop, relax, and think in order to troubleshoot. Much better to learn that particular lesson at the surface than below.

 

[EireDiver606]

I did read your post, it says steel 12 and then AL80?, so it wasn't clear to me which you were using.

You're right, sorry.

 

[EireDiver606]

You seem somewhat emotional now, and I can imagine it was worse there at the surface.

Nerves may have increased your breathing rate, keeping you from exhaling fully.

I've been there. So very frustrating. It's a good lesson that happens at the surface, as you have to stop, relax, and think in order to troubleshoot. Much better to learn that particular lesson at the surface than below.

Thanks for the reply, yes I was emotional talking to my friend after.....

Even so, I did try to exhale as much as possible while I tried to vent frantically....

I thought trying to dive with the minimum amount of lead possible is better for your overall trim, I read that somewhere here(?).......

 

[Dizzi Lizzi]

I thought trying to dive with the minimum amount of lead possible is better for your overall trim, I read that somewhere here(?).......

Weighting seems to be such a competition. People have looked at me and put too much weight on me. People have looked and me and said I'm wearing too much weight, and those are at the surface, not watching me dive. I at first wanted to shed as much weight as possible because...It means I'm a better diver right?? BS. Diving more makes me a better diver. I know it's hard to do a weight check at the start of a dive, It seems like such a waste of time, but so necessary when changing any gear set up. I went to a steel tank, and of course my weighting was way off -I knew it was too much but did not speak up. The 2nd thing I did wrong was to continue the dive and just add air to my bc to compensate. No bueno. Caused a lot of fussing. No fun. Why didn't I stop and do a weight check? Because I didn't want to mess up my buddies dive. Not the best reason. That was the only day I've ever had a post dive headache. And I knew exactly why.

Even so, I did try to exhale as much as possible while I tried to vent frantically....

I know that if I am not relaxed, I tend to hold air in my lungs unconsciously. This might have happened to you also. It's also possible that while you were venting you were also kicking, I've noticed people doing that...as well as my self.

And 100 people watching you! I get it.

Good luck, I know you will get this, and
dive safe.

 

[Russoft]

Saltwater.

Oh, freshwater here. That'll make a difference.

 

[bowlofpetunias]

Is your "wing" a horse shoe or a donut? You may need to roll just a bit to get the air near the vent.

I don't like excess weight. Long hot walks to the entry discourage carrying extra. I find it helps to open my wetsuit or pull the neck out a little to let the water enter the suit. Gets the cold wash of water over and gets rid of trapped air too. If it is hot I will dump water in the suit before the entry.

People watching well consider this.. Some of them are curious but have no idea what is right or wrong. Some are envious you are about to do something they would love to be doing. Some are judgmental.. you make their day. Judgemental people will always find fault so aren't worth your bother. If they don't know you their opinion doesn't matter. Relax scuba isn't a competitive sport

.

 

[EireDiver606]

Is your "wing" a horse shoe or a donut? You may need to roll just a bit to get the air near the vent.

I don't like excess weight. Long hot walks to the entry discourage carrying extra. I find it helps to open my wetsuit or pull the neck out a little to let the water enter the suit. Gets the cold wash of water over and gets rid of trapped air too. If it is hot I will dump water in the suit before the entry.

People watching well consider this.. Some of them are curious but have no idea what is right or wrong. Some are envious you are about to do something they would love to be doing. Some are judgmental.. you make their day. Judgemental people will always find fault so aren't worth your bother. If they don't know you their opinion doesn't matter. Relax scuba isn't a competitive sport

.

Donut wing. Yes they didn't know if I was doing well or not........ True points.

 

[dmaziuk]

Yep I'm almost the same as you, 5'9 70kg (160lbs?), wiry not stocky. Steel tank. Overweighted? New to diving. Saltwater. 7mm +5mm + gloves + 7mm boots+ 10mm hood, and I was slightly nervous as I've never used the equipment especially as there was 100+ people looking at me.

How well does your suit fit? In my case I ended up in an XL because I couldn't push my forearms through the sleeves of an L, and my butt is M/S by their charts. I had a big air bubble around the midsection, lots of room for trapped air there.

 

[EireDiver606]

How well does your suit fit? In my case I ended up in an XL because I couldn't push my forearms through the sleeves of an L, and my butt is M/S by their charts. I had a big air bubble around the midsection, lots of room for trapped air there.

Suit fits well, bit of room left in the mid section but i wouldn't even notice it. I doubt this would be the issue