have a problem hovering while doing deco stop

i used to use 8lbs then dropped to 6 then to 4 on top of the ss backplate on my halcyon rig. noticed my air consumption was awful due to the repeated inflation of my bc. i know only use my backplate as weight and have noticed a tremendous increase in air economy which led to more realized dive times. i also felt so free without them cumbersome weights.

i hardly even inflate my bc relying on breathing techniques instead. i however noticed that during my 2 minute deco stop i have to stop myself from rising to the surface. i usually have to hold on to a line or rock. i have tried breathing techniques but to no avail.

you may not be getting all the air out of the BC

(it expands rapidly close to the surface, so you have to do it almost
constantly)

or

you're too light...

you should be able to hold a hover all the way up to the surface if properly
weighted... but it sounds like you just need a couple of pounds or so

i went through this when i was trying to get my optimum weight... was
very frustrating...

then i ended up adding 2 lbs, and it was much, much better

since, i switched to a steel backplate, so i am a little bit heavy now (without
the 2 lbs)

Spoon:

i used to use 8lbs then dropped to 6 then to 4 on top of the ss backplate on my halcyon rig. noticed my air consumption was awful due to the repeated inflation of my bc. i know only use my backplate as weight and have noticed a tremendous increase in air economy which led to more realized dive times. i also felt so free without them cumbersome weights.

i hardly even inflate my bc relying on breathing techniques instead. i however noticed that during my 2 minute deco stop i have to stop myself from rising to the surface. i usually have to hold on to a line or rock. i have tried breathing techniques but to no avail.

Click to expand...

How about a 2# V-weight (DIY)?

H2Andy:

you may not be getting all the air out of the BC

(it expands rapidly close to the surface, so you have to do it almost
constantly)

or

you're too light...

you should be able to hold a hover all the way up to the surface if properly
weighted... but it sounds like you just need a couple of pounds or so

i went through this when i was trying to get my optimum weight... was
very frustrating...

then i ended up adding 2 lbs, and it was much, much better

since, i switched to a steel backplate, so i am a little bit heavy now (without
the 2 lbs)

Click to expand...

i dont think im too light in fact? i think i am perfectly weighted and the backplate alone is more than sufficient imho. or maybe i may be kidding myself. my whole dive is perfect except for the deco stop.

given a choice to take more weight and have a perfect hover deco stop or no additional weight but holding on to something during deco, i would choose the no addtl weight anyday

Rick Inman:

How about a 2# V-weight (DIY)?

Click to expand...

im totally oblivious

Spoon:

i would choose the no addtl weight anyday

Click to expand...

That would be the wrong choice.

You are properly weighted if you can easily hold the 10' stop (without hanging on to anything) with only a few hundred psi in your tank.

As others have pointed out you are underweighted. The solution is simple.

( A V weight is for doubles and doesn't apply to you. A channel weight would be works with single tanks. A small weight belt with one pound on each side would be best.)

Spoon:

i dont think im too light in fact? i think i am perfectly weighted and the backplate alone is more than sufficient imho. or maybe i may be kidding myself. my whole dive is perfect except for the deco stop.

given a choice to take more weight and have a perfect hover deco stop or no additional weight but holding on to something during deco, i would choose the no addtl weight anyday

Click to expand...

I thought the whole concept of being 'perfectly' weighted involved requiring little to no air in the wing (big steel doubles needing more air) when at your final deco/safety stop. I wouldn't want to have to plan my dive around having something to hold on to during the last few minutes.

Sean

spoon, dude...

weight is not evil... it's a tool to get your bouyancy right

you're light at the end, PRECISELY when you need to have your bouyancy right...

Not having weight when you need it is dangerous. If you were in a mandatory situation for deco (let's say you had to perform an assist and overstayed beyond plan as an example), and if there were nothing to hold, you would have to work hard to avoid drifting to the surface, which could increase your risk of DCS. Worse, if you drifted up to the surface prematurely, you could take a hit. Isn't that worse than carrying an extra pound or two?

You want to be neutral, not positive or negative. You should be able to hold your stop with your tanks near empty (most people say at 500 psi), with your wing totally empty (Some people can't remove anymore weight and are still a bit negative, requiring some gas in the wing at this point; that's okay, too). That's what you are shooting for. Get as close to that as you can. To paraphrase Siddartha "Diving is like a guitar string. Wind it too tightly and it will break. Leave it too loose and it will not play music."

Just to make sure about your breathing pattern, you want to start to inhale as your body starts to drop from the last exhalation, and you want to exhale just as your body starts to rise. That way, you don't have such big swings from your breathing. Not timing it right could also be sending you to the surface when you don't want to go there at such shallow depths.

Spoon,

You can do what UP said, or just put the weight on the tank like you had done before. Breathing techniques help a little, but from what you described you may need more than 2 lbs...how much air roughly is in your tank when your doing your deco stop?