Think I'm over weighted

[bertschb]

Bottom line is once you're relaxed in the water and your equipment works you need as much lead as you need. If you need more, use more. It isn't a point of pride; it's a point of physics, and that's all. No magic to it. CERTAINLY no shame to it.

I agree but it's weird that some folks need literally no weight

I was down to about 10 lbs with an AL 80( 5 if i had my pony), and 0 with a steel 120

and others need 40 pounds. That's a huge swing.

BTW, I have no trouble getting down (other than getting squeezed) and I'm VERY relaxed. I'm literally just hanging in the water - not moving at all other than moving a little up and down from breathing. I'm working on my weight (only two dives with ALL new equipment) in a lake with visibility of 300 feet and no current. Very easy to relax.

 

[HockeyPuck]

We had 1 person in our class that had to wear 42 lbs. Which becomes really surprising when you consider that she's about 5'9", 120. (In the pool, with no drysuit or anything, she was wearing about 12-15 lbs of weight to stay down)

 

[scubafool]

6'1"
145 lbs
2.5 mm shorty underneath a 3 mm full
jacket BC
AL 100 or Al 80
17 lbs of lead
I know that I am overweighted because I always have to have plenty of air in my BC to stay neutral. Problem being, if I start to drop weight I tend to imitate a superball as I breath in & out. No kidding, if I remained still I would consistently change depth by 12' or more as I inhale & exhale if I were weighted as I understand I should be.

 

[doole]

145 pounds isn't much for 6'1", there stretch. :whoa:

Your lung volume with repect to your mass is probably huge. This is a novel problem, though.

You ->

 

[scubafool]

Honest, I'm not lying. In fact, after playing with electrically-powered implements, I'm probably 6'2". 2 1/2 years of holding my breath while trying to get stuck in every spring cave here in FL that wasn't TOO deep probably expanded my lungs somewhat, but this is ridiculous. Heck, maybe I should start smoking again (Camel non-filters or Pall Malls this time) to cut down on my lung capacity.

 

[IndigoBlue]

scubasean once bubbled...


I use nearly the same weight in a 7mm wetsuit (26lbs) as I do in a drysuit (28lbs).

Same for me. Except that I rarely wear a wetsuit for diving anymore. You get spoiled really fast in a drysuit.

Drysuits allow you to:

1. vary your insulation depending on the water temp

2. use argon for toasty warm diving

3. dive more safely with steel tanks

4. stay warm and dry between dives during your surface interval

5. get dressed for diving more easily

6. dive more dives without shivering

7. stay horizontal more easily by manipulating the bubble in your suit

The only major drawback is that the suit costs more up front in the short term.

 

[doole]

Sounds like somebody's still on their drysuit honeymoon...

Do you find Argon effective? The locals are telling me that it doesn't really make a measurable difference unless you're doing trimix.

You're the first one I've heard say that it makes getting dressed easier; after 4 years of using a VERY high end drysuit, I'd still have to disagree. I can slip into my 7 mil steamer in 2 or 3 minutes max.

Don't know about the bubble remark, either; I try to keep my suit as empty as possible without taking on a higher voice. That way I can ignore it more and just enjoy the dive. In some suits, that bubble can get into places that it's not easy to get out of again. Too scary for doole.

BTW Scubafool: never thought you were lying...

 

[scubafool]

doole, the smilies fit! LOL! Don't worry, never thought you were calling me a liar. I've tried to take shallower breaths, but then air consumption goes WAY up, & and I can't seem to keep the same amount of air in my lungs ( meaning one minute I'm keeping my lungs almost full & the next my lungs are mostly empty) & that wreaks havoc on bouyancy.
I've read through one or fifty threads on bouyancy & weighting, & I've never seen this addressed. I"m hoping that someone has seen this before & has a better solution than more lead. Anyone?

 

[doole]

I doubt it - You need to breathe normally.

Air is very positive.

You need a lot of lead.

Just like me. Sucks, but there it is.

 

[scubafool]

I agree. Air is good. Breathing air is better. I was just hoping someone knew of a method of controlling breathing that would help this problem. Yea, it does suck, but unless & until a better way comes up, I guess I'm stuck. What's the best method (other than a drysuit $$$) of alternative bouyancy?
"The Amazing Underwater Human Superball!"