Weighting for Stages/Deco Bottles

[PfcAJ]

60lbs negative is crazy talk

 

[Michael Guerrero]

I should say the rig will be ~ -60lbs:

LP121s filled to 3600psi: -25
Backplate, bands, manifold, regs, misc crap, etc,: -21
2xAL80s and 1xAl40: -10
Lead to keep me neutral at last stop assuming empty tanks and drysuit with thick undergarments: -2

58lbs.

Do you have $14K you can lend me for the rebreather ?

 

[PfcAJ]

If the cave is deep use trimix bro. You're going to have a miserable time diving nitrox with that config. I've done enough dives like that to know that it sucks.

 

[Michael Guerrero]

You sound like my cave instructor .

 

[Nasser]

Does anyone add weight to compensate for potentially empty stages or deco bottles, or do you just figure you'll unclip them and let them float if you breathe them down?

Does this change if you're in a cave?

Not quite sure if my answer will help but I generally just weight myself with my back gas first... then add the stages (usually a pair of Al 10 ltr). I am of course a little overweighted at the beginning of the dive and at depth but during the ascent phase as the deco cylinders get breathed down and a little floaty, I still have sufficient weight to not blow any deco stops - even in the event I need to cut the stages loose (which is unlikely) I am still able to hold a deco with very little air in the wing. Usually I fell pretty balanced and trimmed out with this approach.

I should note that this is for OW dives - I am not a cave diver.

 

[eelnoraa]

I should say the rig will be ~ -60lbs:

LP121s filled to 3600psi: -25
Backplate, bands, manifold, regs, misc crap, etc,: -21
2xAL80s and 1xAl40: -10
Lead to keep me neutral at last stop assuming empty tanks and drysuit with thick undergarments: -2

58lbs.

Do you have $14K you can lend me for the rebreather ?

Your rig is -60lb is very different than you + your rig is -60lb.

With your numbers, LP121 is -2lb empty (-4 total). The 2nd category, the -21lb, and your -2lb lead, total of -27lb that doesn't change throughout the dive. So -(58 - 27) = -31lb is about what you are negative at the beginning of the dive. If this is not the case, you are overweighted.

 

[Michael Guerrero]

Right, right. Like I said above, I should have said my rig is -60lbs, not me + rig since my drysuit and the buoyancy of the tanks due to displacement are counteracting the load.

How about that $14K you mentioned earlier ?

 

[victorzamora]

So, you're adding lead to sink you but you're overweighted?

 

[ajduplessis]

Learn to side mount! No weights required and your cylinders will be in trim either full or empty. I spend the time to learn good setup. I dive BM doubles and sidemount my stages/deco cylinders. With a good setup your cylinders should look like these (just add BM doubles).

I added a butt plate to provide attachement points further back and I also make use of a "ring bungees" as hard attachement points under my armpits.

 

[Michael Guerrero]

Just to clarify, I'm not adding weight to sink, but am considering the scenario where the tanks are almost empty and I need to hold a shallow stop. SM or BM makes no difference. And as far as being overweight, I'm cutting down on the cheeseburgers so give me a break.