Ready4Launch
Contributor
Went out to the Channel Islands again yesterday, and since I've still not accumulated my own gear, I rented from the same shop that I've been certified through. This time I went out on a different boat than the shop's affiliated charter, which I've gone out on the previous time. On that boat, they've always provided steel tanks, but since I had to take a tank with me on the boat yesterday, I had to rent an aluminum tank.
Now, the guy at the dive shop realized this difference, and advised me to take more weight with me than what I had been using previously. My certification dives and trip out to the islands prior to yesterday were all with 22lbs with steel tanks. The shop provided me with 26lbs, and by the time I was on the boat and preparing my gear, I only then realized that the weight configuration provided didn't allow me to place 24lbs onto my setup like I was going to try. So, I went with 22lbs, and I was always diving aware that I should have been more positively buoyant than previously.
Now, I did find that getting to the bottom was slightly more difficult than before, but not terribly. I had to push myself down a little bit during the first dive. Went head first and kicked from the surface on the second, and the third I don't remember as well.
During our safety stops, again being cautious as I came up in depth, I came up slowly. I don't remember it being or feeling that much different from a steel tank. So, now I'm left a little bit confused as to whether i'm really weighted right or not. In either case, I'm not struggling with trim or feeling like I'm labored to move through the water.
Thoughts? Suggestions?
Now, the guy at the dive shop realized this difference, and advised me to take more weight with me than what I had been using previously. My certification dives and trip out to the islands prior to yesterday were all with 22lbs with steel tanks. The shop provided me with 26lbs, and by the time I was on the boat and preparing my gear, I only then realized that the weight configuration provided didn't allow me to place 24lbs onto my setup like I was going to try. So, I went with 22lbs, and I was always diving aware that I should have been more positively buoyant than previously.
Now, I did find that getting to the bottom was slightly more difficult than before, but not terribly. I had to push myself down a little bit during the first dive. Went head first and kicked from the surface on the second, and the third I don't remember as well.
During our safety stops, again being cautious as I came up in depth, I came up slowly. I don't remember it being or feeling that much different from a steel tank. So, now I'm left a little bit confused as to whether i'm really weighted right or not. In either case, I'm not struggling with trim or feeling like I'm labored to move through the water.
Thoughts? Suggestions?