BarryTX
Contributor
I searched the forums but didn't see this specific question having been asked among the many posts on buoyancy. I just finished taking an OW certification course as a refresher, having been certified back in 1973 but not having dove for many years. During the course, in a pool with deflated BCD and no wetsuit, I found I needed 4 lbs of weight to be neutrally buoyant (using aluminum 80 single tank). Doing some quick buoyancy calculations I would expect to need to add 1 more lb weight (5 lbs total) if I'm rigged the same way on a seawater dive. I am 6' tall and weigh in at 202 lbs.
My question is this: how much additional weight did you need to add for your wet suit? I realize this is a broad question, with different sizes of folks, different thicknesses of wet suits, full vs. shorty, etc., but what I'd like to try to understand is a reasonable expectation for additional weight needed specifically for a neoprene wet suit when I hit the ocean. Any thoughts and help from your experience will be much appreciated.
My question is this: how much additional weight did you need to add for your wet suit? I realize this is a broad question, with different sizes of folks, different thicknesses of wet suits, full vs. shorty, etc., but what I'd like to try to understand is a reasonable expectation for additional weight needed specifically for a neoprene wet suit when I hit the ocean. Any thoughts and help from your experience will be much appreciated.