New Kid's Questions #5 - How much lead to add

caseywilson · Jun 22, 2011

Before I ask my question, I want to make an editorial comment that you, all of you, have been great. Thanks for the help...........

Now, presuming I do a good bouyancy check in a pool and get good weight numbers, how much more weight might I need to add before I jump into the brine?

Casey

scubamarketing · Jun 22, 2011

Depends on so many factors. In my experience, either using a 7mm 2 piece wetsuit or many drysuits, a good general starting point is 10% of your bodyweight plus 15lbs for salt, 10lbs for fresh. Again, very general and just a starting point (plus I sometimes overweighted divers on the first dive to help them get down). But depends on salinity, exposure protection, your own body composition, comfort in the water, etc.

TSandM · Jun 22, 2011

Assuming you will be diving salt water with exactly the same equipment and exposure protection that you were using in the pool, you add 2.5% of the total weight of you and your gear. This is usually in the range of five pounds or so.

qwerty988 · Jun 22, 2011

I average 215 lbs body weight. I am a warm water wuss, so if I wear a suit, it's a 5/3 full. My cert dives carried 12 lbs of lead. I dropped 2 and have been diving with 10 since. If I wear my suit, I don't add much air to the bc. If I dive in my shorts, I add a little more to the bc. Not sure that will work for everybody, but it works for me.

Bubbletrubble · Jun 22, 2011

TSandM:
Assuming you will be diving salt water with exactly the same equipment and exposure protection that you were using in the pool, you add 2.5% of the total weight of you and your gear. This is usually in the range of five pounds or so.

+1 to what TSandM wrote. Add 2.5% of the total weight of you + your gear (including lead weight, tank, BCD, etc.).

I generally tell people to add about 6 lbs. of lead.

jcrews5508 · Jun 22, 2011

I would make sure you do your weight check in the pool in whatever exposure suit you plan to wear on your dive. It is much easier to determine the right weight in a pool than it is on a dive. After that all you have to do is factor in a few extra pounds if your diving in salt.

GrumpyOldGuy · Jun 22, 2011

Lets see, 5 replies. 2 with the correct answers (2.5%) and 3 who are challenged in reading English and replied with something other than an answer to your question.......

koozemani · Jun 22, 2011

GrumpyOldGuy:
Lets see, 5 replies. 2 with the correct answers (2.5%) and 3 who are challenged in reading English and replied with something other than an answer to your question.......

Thankfully there isn't a test to join the board. It wouldnt be half as much fun otherwise.

Frosty · Jun 23, 2011

gosh I thought the rule of thumb was 2kg as long as you are kitted up identically --shows what I know

dkktsunami · Jun 23, 2011

Assuming all equipment and thermal protection remains the same and that you are a more or less " normal" sized diver you should add six pounds of weight for salt water, a little more ( a pound) for a large diver, a little less for a petite diver. Six pounds is a good starting point.

New Kid's Questions #5 - How much lead to add

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