I'm in the process of getting my OW cert. I had all the confined water work over this past weekend in a local pool.
I am 6' 1", 230 #. I was wearing a 3/2 full suit with the typical rec-style BCD (whatever the shop issued me for the class).
On Sat, I ended up with 8 # of weight in my BC. I could descend. My problem with it was that it was trying to flip me on to my face. The instructors told me I need a "back inflate" BC so that we could put some trim weights in pockets on the back. But, they didn't have any in my size there with them at the pool, so they said they would bring one for me to use on Sun. In the meantime, I just dealt with it.
On Sun, I had a new BC that they had added a couple of trim weight pockets to, by hanging them on the tank band. I started with 4 x 2 # weights - 2 in the 2 front pockets and 2 in the 2 trim weight pockets on the back. There was still a bit of tendency to flip me on my face, when on the surface. Eventually, an instructor added 2 more pounds of weight.
Later on Sat, I was talking to an instructor about my rig trying to flip me on my face and he asked me how much weight I was using. He seemed shocked when I told him 8 # and said that was awesome. Again, on Sun, a different instructor (the one who added my 2#) asked me how much weight I was carrying and I told him now 10 #. He said when I go to the Caribbean and I'm in salt water, I should start with 14 # and that that is awesome that I am using so little weight.
So my question is, why is it "awesome" that I'm 8 or 10 # of weight in fresh water or 14 # in salt water? It seems like whatever it takes for me to achieve the right buoyancy is what it takes. But, the way they talked about it, it was as if there is some skill associated with needing less weight and I was showing excellent "skill" for being a newb. Which is what I don't understand. How is there skill in being a certain overall density?
And while I'm asking questions, why did they tell me I need a "back inflate"? I assume that's referring to a BCD that just has the air bladder on the back, versus a jacket style that also has part of the air bladder wrapping around the diver's sides, towards the front of the body?
It seemed that I needed to add some trim weights on my back. So, why would being a back inflate be a prerequisite for doing that? It seems like any style of BCD could have trim weight pockets on the back. And any that didn't have those could have them added on the tank band.
Thanks in advance for clarifying any of this.
I am 6' 1", 230 #. I was wearing a 3/2 full suit with the typical rec-style BCD (whatever the shop issued me for the class).
On Sat, I ended up with 8 # of weight in my BC. I could descend. My problem with it was that it was trying to flip me on to my face. The instructors told me I need a "back inflate" BC so that we could put some trim weights in pockets on the back. But, they didn't have any in my size there with them at the pool, so they said they would bring one for me to use on Sun. In the meantime, I just dealt with it.
On Sun, I had a new BC that they had added a couple of trim weight pockets to, by hanging them on the tank band. I started with 4 x 2 # weights - 2 in the 2 front pockets and 2 in the 2 trim weight pockets on the back. There was still a bit of tendency to flip me on my face, when on the surface. Eventually, an instructor added 2 more pounds of weight.
Later on Sat, I was talking to an instructor about my rig trying to flip me on my face and he asked me how much weight I was using. He seemed shocked when I told him 8 # and said that was awesome. Again, on Sun, a different instructor (the one who added my 2#) asked me how much weight I was carrying and I told him now 10 #. He said when I go to the Caribbean and I'm in salt water, I should start with 14 # and that that is awesome that I am using so little weight.
So my question is, why is it "awesome" that I'm 8 or 10 # of weight in fresh water or 14 # in salt water? It seems like whatever it takes for me to achieve the right buoyancy is what it takes. But, the way they talked about it, it was as if there is some skill associated with needing less weight and I was showing excellent "skill" for being a newb. Which is what I don't understand. How is there skill in being a certain overall density?
And while I'm asking questions, why did they tell me I need a "back inflate"? I assume that's referring to a BCD that just has the air bladder on the back, versus a jacket style that also has part of the air bladder wrapping around the diver's sides, towards the front of the body?
It seemed that I needed to add some trim weights on my back. So, why would being a back inflate be a prerequisite for doing that? It seems like any style of BCD could have trim weight pockets on the back. And any that didn't have those could have them added on the tank band.
Thanks in advance for clarifying any of this.