Steel 80s vs. Steel 95s for rentals?

[emttim]

Alright, so here's the scoop. Providing a teacher doesn't screw me over by assigning an exam right after spring break, and if he/she does I'm just going to push 'em down the stairs so I can still go, I'm planning to go dive the Channel Islands over a 2-day liveaboard (Diving Scuba Vacation, Channel Islands, California), I believe it's Anacapa island...anyway, I noticed that the charter offers rentals in either 72s or 80s as normal but also 95s. I'm thinking (well check that, /going/ to) of renting the steel 95 for the obvious extended bottom time and I'm wondering what kind of different buoyancy characteristics I'll be looking at? Will I need to change my weight setup at all? I currently have 20 pounds diving with a steel 80. I'm 5'5, will the 95 being longer be a PITA?

Actually, while we're on the subject...just out of curiosity, if I averaged about 22-25 minutes at 30' during my OW class, and about the same during the 3 dives I did at the same location after that, but then averaged 22-25 minutes at 50' and 60' on a boat dive I did last Thursday, is that a sign that my air consumption is getting down to a more reasonable level (since it should have been used up twice as fast at those depths), or just a sign that the surge didn't blow hard on the boat dive so it was less strenuous?

[RoatanMan]

is that a sign that my air consumption is getting down to a more reasonable level (since it should have been used up twice as fast at those depths), or just a sign that the surge didn't blow hard on the boat dive so it was less strenuous?

It's a sign that you're brand new at this. We all were.

Skip the larger tanks and buy the time of an instructor in a buoyancy class. Tell them that you're a major tank sucker and need some advice.

They will look over your rig, watch the way you dive, examine your buoyancy, your body position, extremity positioning & control... and most likely they will halve your air consumption all but in the first dive.

Money better spent, but try to do it before you go on that liveaboard~ where time is money.

[Darnold9999]

Totally agree re training, however larger tanks = longer bottom times no matter what your air consumption is. Depending on how much extra they are charging you might want to choose the LP 95's. Wouldn't pay much however. You will only get about 15% - 20 % more bottom time. Perhaps a bit more if they overfill them. You need to decide if that is worth paying for.

Tank size is the same length but bigger around compared to the standard AL80 as I recall.

[emttim]

Hmm, ok. Well I checked, and the cost to rent a steel 95 is the same as a steel 80 for the 2 days, $18.

Are you referring to a Peak Performance Buoyancy class? I really don't have the money to pay for private lessons with an instructor to work on buoyancy...best way I can think of to work on that is to just keep diving. I'm a college student; as it is I don't have enough money for diving itself.

[Fotoz4FX]

Hi Tim,
The Steel 95's are going to make a slight difference in your overall need for weight on your belt.
You did say that you currently carry 20# of weight in addition to Steel 80's but what you didn't say was if that 20# is a salt or fresh water weighting.

Either way, your 95's (100's) weigh about 33lbs when empty # Buoyancy Full = -10lbs and # Buoyancy Empty = -2.5lbs

The Steel 80's weigh about # 28.6 lbs empty, # BUOYANCY FULL: -8.05lbs and # BUOYANCY EMPTY: -1.74 lbs

So effectively you will have about a 2# difference in negative bouyancy between the 95 and the 80 when full but only about 1# difference when empty.

The safe bet is to go slightly heavy by removing only 1 pound from your weight belt on the first dive and should you find coming up the line on the end of your first dive that you are feeling a bit heavy then compensate based on your ending pressure whether or not you need to remove more.

It's easier to drop weight than it is to pull up the anchor while trying to hang onto the up line during a buoyant ascent... don't you agree?

[DA Aquamaster]

X or E series 100's weigh about 33 lbs but I am pretty sure LP 95's weigh a lot more than 33 lbs.

[Stu S.]

Providing a teacher doesn't screw me over by assigning an exam right after spring break, and if he/she does I'm just going to push 'em down the stairs so I can still go

This statement indicates a lack of maturity. Don't even think about diving until you grow up.

[RoatanMan]

Originally Posted by emttim
Providing a teacher doesn't.... and if he/she does I'm just going to push 'em down the stairs so I can still go

This statement indicates a lack of maturity. Don't even think about diving until you grow up.

Lighten up, Stu S, that was a joke. If you've ever been in College, you have had homicidal thoughts.

Hmm, ok. Well I checked, and the cost to rent a steel 95 is the same as a steel 80 for the 2 days, $18.

Are you referring to a Peak Performance Buoyancy class? I really don't have the money to pay for private lessons with an instructor to work on buoyancy...best way I can think of to work on that is to just keep diving. I'm a college student; as it is I don't have enough money for diving itself.

However, he apparently stinks at math.

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Wow - getting flak already are we for a sense of humor.

Go for the 95's. Your air consumptions is high - not unusual for a new diver. If you have the 95s you will worry less about always being the one to turn the dive. Being a boat dive and being young and strong, who cares about a few extra lbs topside.

If you get further instruction from a good teacher, it will speed up your learning for sure. Its is a safe and good recomendation. However, bouyancy can be self taught if you pay attention and work at it on the dive. It will not be automatic nor will you learn as fast as you can with a good instructor. Most of us old guys had no choice but to teach ourselves, its not brain surgery. But you do need to use common sense and be safe.

[Stu S.]

Rotan, I guess I don't have that sense of humor. Having two kids in college, the violence and killings on campuses this year have been heartbreaking.

Sometimes a joke can be told to the wrong audiance.