Weight without a wetsuit

I'll be diving in warm water salt water for the first time and have no idea how much weight to use. With a Steel LP80 and 7mm wetsuit/booties/hood in fresh water, I use 16 lbs. What would be a good starting point in warm salt water without a wetsuit? Approximately how much weight should I add if I get cold on the first dive and rent a 3mm suit?

Thanks for any helpful advice.

KHedahl:

I'll be diving in warm water salt water for the first time and have no idea how much weight to use. With a Steel LP80 and 7mm wetsuit/booties/hood in fresh water, I use 16 lbs. What would be a good starting point in warm salt water without a wetsuit? Approximately how much weight should I add if I get cold on the first dive and rent a 3mm suit?

Thanks for any helpful advice.

Click to expand...

Sorry, nobody can tell you. You'll need to do your own buoyancy check when you get there.

Also, I'd definitly bring a wetsuit. There isn't any open ocean on this planet that's warm enough to make me happy after a couple of dives. You can rent if you want, but I'm not happy with the "ick" factor.

flots

You need to start with what type and size tank you will be using. This is a constant struggle to figure out for new divers until you start diving different combinations in different types of water. There are charts that give you plenty of information on tank size, type and buoyancy.

Normally you could start by subtracting 5 or 6 pounds with your current configuration moving from fresh to salt water. If you remove the buoyancy of the 7mm wetsuit and keep the steel lp80 you might be a little over weight, depending on the rest of your kit.

Faber lp80 full -7.55 empty -1.7
PST lp80 full -7 empty -1


As mentioned above, do a buoyancy check to be absolutely sure and safe.

If you are using a steel tank you may not need any weights at all. Most people have to add 3-5 lbs when going from no suit to something like a 3mm shortie. HOWEVER, it is always advisable to do a buoyancy check before diving*. Therefore it is also a good idea to have extra weights with you.

*A "by the book" buoyancy check is done with the tank mostly empty (500psi). If you can do it this way, great. However, it can be impractical. Most people just start their dive Slightly negative instead.

Safe diving!

Insta-Gator:

Normally you could start by subtracting 5 or 6 pounds with your current configuration moving from fresh to salt water. If you remove the buoyancy of the 7mm wetsuit and keep the steel lp80 you might be a little over weight, depending on the rest of your kit.

Faber lp80 full -7.55 empty -1.7
PST lp80 full -7 empty -1


As mentioned above, do a buoyancy check to be absolutely sure and safe.

Click to expand...

Insta...we have not read the same book or have not had the same diving experience...you add weight from fresh to salt and substract from salt to fresh. In my case, it is about six pounds.

To the OP, in a 3mm full length and AL 80cft, I require 8 lbs in fresh and 14 in salt
Using a 7mm full length and AL 80cft, I use 16.5 lbs in fresh water and require 22.5 - 23 lbs in salt water.

I shed between four to five pounds going from AL to Steel and add about same amount going from steel to AL.

May want to consider eventually getting a 3mm for a couple of reasons. First, doing multiple dives in a day, spending the surface interval in windy conditions and being subjected to sea spray on your way in and out to the dive sites will eventually take its toll on you. Lots of folks I have dove with down South at exotic places (water temp ranging from 79 - 84F) got cold after a while. Saw folks even diving 5mm wetsuit or adding a neoprene chicken vest under their 3mm. Second reason...to protect you from the environment (coral, jelly fish, sponges, etc). Hope this helps.

Khedal,

It will be less and could be as little as zero. An answer any more specific is smoke and mirrors, there are just too many unique variables. Most warm destinations have you start with an orientation dive where you can do your weight check. More on that here. A precision final check is described earlier on the page.

Pete

with an aluminum tank:

7 lbs with no suit
10 lbs with a full suit

that is where to start

Some more numbers:

I use 12-14 lb more when wearing my 7mm (one piece)+hood than when wearing shorts and a rash guard. (Same booties, tank, and rest of the gear; salt water for both. I'm not skinny, and my wetsuit is pretty new -- only about 20 dives in it.)

I use 4 lb more when using an AL80 vs a steel 72.

All good advice. Of course a buoyancy check gets you as exact as possible. But if you can't do that 'til you get there---- First check if weights can be rented, and for how much. If you bring your own on a plane best place may be in checked bags. Also, as pointed out, bring extra. My only experience: Panama salt water--body (skin) suit and AL80 tanks: 12 lbs. So if you were me and were using steel tanks that would make it about 6 pounds. **Keep in mind that near empty steel tanks are negatively buoyant. If diving with weights and no real wetsuit and a steel tank, you could have problems getting positively buoyant if your BC failed to hold air. I've heard some people doing this use a BC with two bladders. So figure out what you'd do if this presented a problem. Hope that helps a bit.