Ways to reduce weight requirements

[kf7lze]

I just completed my 20th dive today. I'm on the verge of buying some of the big pieces of gear and after today I think I've really decided having less weight to deal with is a high priority. I ended up losing my weight belt when the clasp was dislodged when I somersaulted to get out of being inverted in my dry suit, and that ended up with me on the surface fairly shortly later.

I'm diving in the Puget Sound. It's cold water, I've been diving in a 7mm neoprene dry suit and an AL 80 and have been using 40 lbs of weight split up about half between BCD, belt and some ankle weight. (This is after fine-tuning with an instructor.)

Is it even feasible I could shed 20 lbs of weight from my requirements and just have the BCD weight pockets? I assume a shell suit would have better buoyancy characteristics because it's not neoprene, is that accurate? Would switching to a BP/wing setup along with a shell let me shed even more weight?

The only things left for me to buy are a suit, something for buoyancy control, and lead at this point. I want to optimize.

 

[KD8NPB]

Switch to an HP100 or HP120
Heavy fins (Jets, rockets, or batwings)
Trim pockets on the cam strap

 

[Linedog]

I dive Puget Sound also, I dive a neoprene drysuit, steel 130 and carry 34 pounds. +1 on ditching the aluminum tank.

 

[YooHoo]

Yes, switch to BP/W. This way you'll be able to get rid of at least 10 pounds, if you'll get SS backplate.

 

[decompression]

Mm....I dive same waters.....some tried and true methods of reducing/distributing weight are;
loose the ankle weights (go to a heavier if required, SP jets or Hollis F1)
a steel tank, 80 or 100 will be neutral/neg opposed to +4 of a Al 80
a backplate (-6 lbs), single tank adapter (-2), sta weight (-6), stainless cam buckles (-1)
trim weights and or weights on cam ststraps
get your instructor or by yourself perform a proper weight check and distribute the weight around to get a proper horizontal position in the water.
If restricted financially, many of these things can be done over time but several can be done without a big money commitment (weight check, relocation of weights etc). Remember, that the weight you require is almost 100% dependant on your exposure suit, 40lbs is certainly at the heavy end of the scale (I use 32 lbs). Do the weight check and get the weights distributed for proper trim. Good luck.

 

[Bob DBF]

Is it even feasible I could shed 20 lbs of weight from my requirements and just have the BCD weight pockets? I assume a shell suit would have better buoyancy characteristics because it's not neoprene, is that accurate? Would switching to a BP/wing setup along with a shell let me shed even more weight?

I an assuming you know that you are not shedding weight but rearanging it. A 5# BP and ?# stay reduces the lead, but does not change the weight to make you neutral. If you were using a jacket, the inherent buoyancy of the empty jacket will be lost but it's only a few pounds, switching to a drysuit will probably negate that and then some. The AL tank will let you loose 4 or so if you switch to steel

With a BP/W and steel tanks, I like to carry 10# or less on my weight belt, adjusted for tank, gear and conditions, and the rest attached where it does the most good.



Bob
-----------------------------------
I may be old, but I’m not dead yet.

 

[fnfalman]

I an assuming you know that you are not shedding weight but rearanging it. A 5# BP and ?# stay reduces the lead, but does not change the weight to make you neutral. If you were using a jacket, the inherent buoyancy of the empty jacket will be lost but it's only a few pounds, switching to a drysuit will probably negate that and then some. The AL tank will let you loose 4 or so if you switch to steel

Those two items alone would probably help shed close to 10-lbs of lead off his belt.

---------- Post added January 21st, 2013 at 07:56 AM ----------

Switching to a steel BPW would shed considerable weight:

1. It's good for 6-lbs worth of ballast (plus or minus a pound depending on the size of the plate).
2. You don't have to wear ballast to sink a jacket BC (anywhere between 2-4 lbs depending on how new it is).

Switching to a steel tank:

1. Aluminum tanks are usually around +4lbs empty, so if you were to go to a steel tank then you'd automatically lose 4-lbs of ballast right there.
2. Depends on the makes and models of the steel tank, you could take more weight off your belt because the tanks themselves could be quite negatively buoyant (Faber M-series tanks are around -6lbs when empty).

Switch to a different drysuit will help too. The Whites Fusion drysuit that I used with their MkII thermal liner (temperate water) has the same buoyancy as my 7mm 1-piece wetsuit. No weight changes for me.

 

[Hatul]

In your situation with such a buoyant suit, switch to a HP steel tank and stainless steel back plate/wing. That should allow you to remove at least 12 lbs of lead with much better trim.

 

[Some X Dry]

I dive a 7mm neo dry suit. No undergarments. Just t-shirt, swim trunks, and socks. SS BP/W, SS STA, use a Stl HP120 or Stl HP100. Have 10lbs (5L 5R) ditchable in Zeagle pull pockets on waist and 6lbs (3L 3R) in pockets on my top cam band. 4lbs (2L 2R) ankles. (Salt Water) Not keen on heavy fins.

When I dove Jacket BC and AL tank it was all lead and could never get the trim perfect.

As others have said. Never really lost weight. Just found the best placement.

 

[SSpiffy]

Also a Puget Sound diver and I usually dive wet with a 7mm FJ. I was using ~24# using a SS BP and Faber HP100; 12 in the backplate pockets and 12 in the DUI harness. Last dive I changed from Jet fins to Turtles and was a couple of pounds light (didn't expect it, so didn't weight-check before dive and ended up hunting for rocks to grab at the end of the dive.) When using a shell suit I have to add ~8# to account for the air inside. As others have said, BPW and redistributing weight. If you can find one and you're not a small person, get yourself a Beauchat (sp?) HP120. I think it's something like -25# full; of course, it weighs something like 60# full on the surface.:shocked2: