Heavy legs and bouyant head suggestions (opposite of earlier post)

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DiverRtNY

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Messages
53
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Location
McKinney, Texas
# of dives
100 - 199
I tend to have my legs being heavier and my head is more bouyant. I have tried moving tank as high as possible w/o concussing myself on my 1st stage and my back can't take the the arching! When in salt water with Al80s and no wet suit I require 5 1/2 lbs: 4 lbs in my tank weight pockets (2lbs each side) and a 1 1/2 ankle weight snapped around my stage1. Cold water w/ AL80s, hood gloves and 4/5 mm wetsuit I use 9 lbs: 4lbs in tank pockets, 1 lb in each weight integrated bcd pockets and 3 lbs of ankle weights to my stage 1. I feel great with this set up and my trim is always right on and i'm always horizontal (descending, ascending, safety stops, etc...)and have great bouyancy and great control ( at least i feel that way with only being hardly wet behind my ears with my diving experience). I know the weight requirements are very low ( LDO calls me a "sinker") but it's all i need.
I hear people saying that ankle weights is a crutch that can be nullified with proper weight distribution and gear setup. What can I do in my case to eleviate the need to put ankle weights around my regulator? Although it works great, I don't like the idea of strapping weights to my stage 1! Thanks for any insite.
Dave
 
I have the same issue but in a drysuit....quite light fins. I'd be interested to hear from anyone about this.




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and another thing... I dont' know the actual specs of my fins but they are considered "lightweight" and I wear 7mm boots with them.
 
Here in the tropics of Micronesia/Truk Lagoon, with a 0.5mil skinsuit and double AL80's & a 1kg Aluminum Backplate with no added extra lead, my legs tend to sink into the silt and my upper torso/head comes up: I've now counteracted that by switching from the very heavy rubber ScubaPro Jet Fins to the neutrally buoyant plastic composite Jet Sport Fins.

Conversely in cold SoCal Homewaters with a drysuit, I'm head heavy --to correct this I use a 2kg tail weight attached to a 3kg Stainless Steel Backplate with another 2kg V-weight between doubled AL80's, and the heavier rubber (2kg or more) Jet Fins. . .
 
What's your BCD?

I had the same problem, and fixed it by switching from a a jacket style BCD to a backplate/wing. With a steel backplate, a lot of weight is above your waistline, and the wing itself tends to keep you horizontal.

Apart from that, light fins obviously. (actually test yours if / how fast they sink)
 
Aeris Oceans 5 rear inflate. I'll check into my fins and finding more + bouyant (or more neutrally bouyant) fins. Any fix i'm willing to try.
 
For me, Mares Wave worked out fine. Although they are kind of floppy, so I'm buying Aeris Accel now (those are light and quite short, so the lever is favourable). Both are cheap.

Maybe you can borrow a bp/wing from somebody and try if that works for you? (I'll lend you mine if you come to Austria ;-) )
 
where is your tank riding in relation to the harness? If you can't reach the valve, slide the tank up until you can comfortably manipulate the valve. this will pull quite a bit of weight up to your shoulder area which will help. Body position is also key, lay on the floor, bend knees so feet are vertical and arch your back so your shoulders and knees come off the floor. This is proper body positioning. Just by arching our back many of us are able to go from horizontal to head down and back to vertical head up. No other motion at all. BP/W would help quite a bit, but still isn't an excuse for improper body positioning. The DRiS Trianta wing is quite nice and at just over $300 a great deal right now. If it matters to you, the Dive Rite kits are also good deals and they are actually made in your general neck of the woods over in Albany. Just something to keep in mind if made in USA or made in NY matters to you and you are in gear buying mode. The Dive Rite XT fins are also top notch.
 
... lay on the floor, bend knees so feet are vertical and arch your back so your shoulders and knees come off the floor. This is proper body positioning. ...

Defined by who??? It always cracks me up to hear that there is one and only one way to do something properly. When I was certifying I was told that the one and only way to fin was to keep my knees rigid, with absolutely no bend and move my legs only at my hips. Was told if I couldn't do that I might as well forget about diving. Yeah, right.

The best way to do something is how it works best for you. Everybody's milage varies. I wonder who teaches the fish "proper body positioning"? Ever watch a trumpet fish? Once I trimmed my weight to my body & equipment I found that I could hover in any position that a trumpet can (even verticle, head down). I doubt that I ever have "the only proper body positioning" but I'm comfortable and it works for me.
 
How are the front shoulder adjustment straps adjusted when you are wearing your BC? They should only be about 1/2 way through in a 7mm wetsuit. If they are completely pulled through it moves the air cell higher on your back. You could try loosening the shoulder straps and move the cummerbund lower on your waist. the tank will get moved a little higher as well.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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