My Nighthawk does the same thing when I don't have the trim weights in it. I normally keep one pound in each pocket and that takes care of that.
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lamont:If you've got a weight belt you can also move the weights around towards your back rather than in front near your stomach.
I don't think Lamont, or anyone else, was suggesting that the weight go 'under the tank'. Rather, the recommendation is to move the weight from from a position forward of the diver's vertical centerline (seen from the side - i.e. a coronal plane) to a position aft of that line. I encourage divers, who are using a 'soft' back-inflate BCD to do this, particularly where they are using AL cylinders, if they feel a 'face forward' tendency in the water.That is the direct opposite of what I try to do and what I teach. Putting lead behind your back and under the tank is uncomfortable on the boat, pushes the tank away from your body, reduces your stability in the water, and makes the belt prone to spin around resulting in the buckle being inaccessible because it is under the tank. I try to keep the lead on my hips or forward of my hips in general.
I don't think the OP indicated that he was using a BP/W. Rather, he saiddumpsterdiver:If the OP is going to spend much time on the surface, the BP/W may not be the best choice.
I will agree with several other posters - one reasonable potential solution is a re-distribution of weight, another is a move to a steel cylinder. Moving three pounds from the weight belt or pockets, to the bottom of the cylinder by placing two ankle weights, clipped together, around the cylinder is one possibility. Moving some of the weight to cylinder cam band pockets - placed as close as possible to the back of the BCD is another.Fishstalker:I use a back inflator BCD.
I'd also like to know if he's using a crotch strap. My Express Tech used to want to ride up and act like it wanted to tip me forward. I added weight pouches to the cam bands (that I never use with steel tanks) and added a crotch strap after one weekend without one. I'd have to say that combined they are the shizzle. With much of the credit going to the strap. I don't know why mfg's don't put one on every back inflate.
Remember that the weight in the trim pockets is not readily ditchable. (Also, 12 pounds here in the tropics seems like a lot to me, but I assume you have done a proper buoyancy check.)Thanks to all for comments and apologies for being unresponsive (been travelling the last week or so). To answer questions....YES, I am a 6ft male, YES, I DO have 'heavy legs', NO , I don't use a crotch strap. I particularly like the suggestion to increase weight in the trim weight pockets (I use 12lb, 4 in the trim and 8 in the integrated pockets.....I'll try the other way around). I also like the 'steel tank' sugestion, but, like so many, I use what I am given. Safe diving folks !