Ankle Weights?

[ScubyDoo]

I just took my peak performancy buoyancy class, which went very well...learned a lot. I tended to be fin-light (feet higher than head) when trying to swim horizontally. My tank location was high, but couldnt easily be adjusted down at the time. I am hoping that lowering my tank will even me out, but if it doesnt I will either have to get some ankle weights or new fins which are negatively buoyant.

Does anyone share this problem...wear ankle weights. If so, Id like to hear any comments you may have.

Thanks!

 

[devjr]

I had never heard of this problem until about 5 years ago. A friend of mine would make a puzzling remark that he wished he could stay level as easily as I. He eventually went to ankle weights and is happy with them. I still don't know what the specific problem is. He says it is the same with steel or aluminum tanks.

I don't use any special tricks to trim my attitude when swimming or to hover horizontally, or in any position. So, without experience, I couldn't offer any solution less drastic. One day, he noticed that my freediving fins had one pound weights built in to the sole and thought this was the secret. However, I don't use these when SCUBA diving. Anyway, that's what gave him the idea.

 

[Iguana Don]

She had the same problem. Remedy, I put 12lbs on each of her ankles and guess what.................no more problems!!!!!!!!


ID

 

[stingray3]

12lbs each leg!!!

 

[Iguana Don]

You gotta read tween the lines!

 

[landlocked]

I have a freind that uses ankle weights with his 7 mil 2 piece neoprene. (It seems that all of that neoprene wants to float.) He uses 2 lbs on each leg. It seems to work well for him.

ID Thanks for the laugh. I wonder... is slaming ex wives something we should report to the regulators? Wait, you are a regulator. Um..... never mind.

 

[Uncle Pug]

Originally posted by ScubyDoo
I tended to be fin-light (feet higher than head) when trying to swim horizontally. My tank location was high, but couldnt easily be adjusted do wn at the time.

Scuby,
I intentionally keep my feet higher than my head by bending my knees. Lay prone on the floor with your legs bent 90 degrees and your feet pointing back. That is my preferred position... flutter kicks this way are not so likely to stir up the bottom and frog kicks won't stir up anything at all.

However this might put you onto your head unless you get that tank down further... but the idea is to be horizontal... most folks think they are horizontal even when they still have a realitively high angle of attack. When you stop all finning do you tip forward, backward, sink, rise? This will give you a clue as to your trim & weighting independent of movement.

 

[ScubyDoo]

Originally posted by Uncle Pug

... most folks think they are horizontal even when they still have a realitively high angle of attack. When you stop all finning do you tip forward, backward, sink, rise? This will give you a clue as to your trim & weighting independent of movement.

UP,

Your absolutely right on your first point. I didnt realize I was fin high till we did the PVC hoop negotiations. I made it through all the hoops fine.....till my fins caught on them. Im not sure how my trim is when Im motionless, but I would think that if Im fin high while finning, I would be fin high motionless as well? I maintain good neutral buoyancy with my breathing so I dont really sink or rise.

Another thing to consider is that I was using a 63cf tank at the time. I always use that when Im in the pool. Wouldnt an 80cf tank properly positioned help to trim me out since the center of gravity is lower? What about my weight positioning? I currently wear them just foward of my hips. Would moving them farther back lower my feet?

 

[Scubadude17]

I use ankle weights all the time. I dont dive with out them, even if i just wear half my suit it seems the booties want to keep my feet floating so i wear the ankle weights.

 

[Uncle Pug]

Originally posted by ScubyDoo

Another thing to consider is that I was using a 63cf tank at the time. I always use that when Im in the pool. Wouldnt an 80cf tank properly positioned help to trim me out since the center of gravity is lower? What about my weight positioning? I currently wear them just foward of my hips. Would moving them farther back lower my feet?

Well if I were using a 63 I would be doing head plants all the time...
Shoot use the 80... it won't stand you on your head until it gets low in air...

You could move the weight belt lower but it probably isn't necessary... when you think about it your center of buoyancy is in the middle of your lungs... so that weight belt on your waist is already pushing your CG well behind your CB....

Anyway, the point about stopping the finning and seeing what happens is this ( I know that you are fine but let me get this off my chest):

If you sink that means you were gaining lift from a high angle of attack while moving forward... this caused you to over weight and thus is not only inefficient but burdensome.

If you rise that means you were swimming head down with a negative angle of attack and probably too light on the weights... this is not a correct (or safe) weighting.

Since you were just fine when you stopped finning that means that you probably have things close to right. Of course you could have been cheating by finning with your hands and holding your breath but I won't tell if you don't.