Trim and ballast

[MichaelMc]

As an experiment, you might take two 1 lb. hard weights, tie a bolt snap to each and clip them to your front D rings like flashlights, replacing 2 lb. from your tank strap. Also, holding them in your hands, you might be able to see how far behind you you can hold them before you start turtling. Your arm positioning will be odd, but it would be an interesting check. Weights on front straps are a bit of a pain in giving straps unwanted heaviness, but effective, and easy to move around.

Or weights to the front of your weight belt, soft weight pockets on the harness strap at your front shoulder area. Or Revan's neck weights. For new divers, possibly still fumbling with setting up their gear, neck weights just do not seem the thing to be explaining to a dive boat staff, or dive buddy, as logical as they may be.

 

[dmaziuk]

I'll respectfully disagree. The neck weight solves so many problems that it should be in every diver's tool kit, even new divers. For recreational diving, I absolutely think it is the best way to move weight toward the diver's head. It is simple, streamlined, ditchable and does not make your rig heavier or more difficult to handle out of the water.

And it's luggage weight.

I tuck my weights as tight to the plate as possible but it still forces me to roll once I start.

Do you have 2, one on either side of the tank? I had that with just one pouch.

 

[Bob DBF]

I tuck my weights as tight to the plate as possible but it still forces me to roll once I start.

I forgot where you were, since I wear a lot of thermal protection I have a substantial weight belt and wear the weights on my sides and towards the belt buckle which counteract the tank and weights on the plate. I try not to think about warm water diving, it just makes me sad.

The amended answer would be mounting the weights on your harness below you when you are horizontal, this should help stop the roll. Think of it as adjusting the keel weight on a sailboat.



Bob

 

[REVAN]

And it's luggage weight.

I've actually worn my neck weight on the plane. It's technically just a heavy necklace. That way it doesn't count toward my luggage weight. I remove it and place it in the tray to be scanned along with my belt and shoes, etc.... (FYI - I'd only try this with soft weights)

I've taken my neck weight in my carry-on bag as well. That works also, but it is actually easier and more comfortable to just wear it. It will also sometimes spontaneously strike up diving conversations with strangers asking about it.

 

[Aloha Joe]

I mounted two 3lb weights on the waist strap of my harness. I was a little surprised how much that helped with ‘turtling’, or, how much worse it becomes when mounting weights on cam bands, even with them tucked as far in as I could get them. With only 3lbs on each side the straps weren’t too unmanageable. I also like that I could access my weights if I needed to ditch them for some reason.

I was just a touch tail heavy, but I should be able to move something or lose 2lbs lead to fix that.

 

[Aloha Joe]

I was able to get down to 2lbs! I tried at weight check with 0 and 500psi and couldn’t descend. But losing 4lbs feels like it makes a difference.

Also moving the weight from my waist strap to holding over my chest made a difference - I didn’t realize how much energy I was using to stay horizontal, but once I moved it I could immediately relax.

So I need it at chest height - it would be nice to have it in front but maybe it’s not really worth it.

 

[MichaelMc]

Also moving the weight from my waist strap to holding over my chest made a difference - I didn’t realize how much energy I was using to stay horizontal, but once I moved it I could immediately relax.

So I need it at chest height - it would be nice to have it in front but maybe it’s not really worth it.

Excellent! This 'I could immediately relax' is why I mess about so much with my recreational predive center of mass.

You're running out of movable lead. It's good that backplates for warm water came in something besides solid steel plate .

A bolt snap on each 1lb. and hooked to your chest strap D ring like a flash light is not a horrible solution. You could get four 1/2 lb. ingots -- Lead Mini Ingot Pure 99.9% ~ 1 Pound, you just have to ask in the order comments. Maybe put two 1/2 lbs in snug pockets far forward on your plate's belt, the other two taped to the outer surface of the plate higher up. The Freedom plate is fairly optimized, but gorilla taping something between it and the wing might not interfere. Baring that, you could tape the high 1/2 lbs. into your shoulder straps where needed and out of the way, maybe below the D rings where the strap is not load bearing. The straps would put the weight to your front. 1/2 lb on each strap will mostly go unnoticed in terms of dealing with the straps. Or two 1/2 lbs. on the plate and two 1/2 lbs. on the chest straps. I move lead around my plate and chest straps all the time, the 1 lb. chest weights on bolt snaps which also fit in my top of plate, integrated, and weight belt pockets.

Also, a pound or two above being absolutely dialed for neutral buoyancy is not a terrible thing, particularly if it is ditchable. It serves as a hedge against excited breathing at that safety stop, or completely draining the tank while buddy breathing.

 

[tomfcrist]

So I need it at chest height - it would be nice to have it in front but maybe it’s not really worth it.

So...top cam band.

 

[CT-Rich]

I haven’t read every entry, but here is my 2psi. Put the 6 lbs on ditchable pouches on your harness. I think just lowering the center of gravity will help. Currently all your weight is on your back, which I think will make you less stable and more likely to pitch and roll. From what I read, you are top heavy.
Second, ditchable weight is you redundant boyuancy, I think that is a plus.

 

[JamesBon92007]

I've actually worn my neck weight on the plane. It's technically just a heavy necklace. That way it doesn't count toward my luggage weight. I remove it and place it in the tray to be scanned along with my belt and shoes, etc.... (FYI - I'd only try this with soft weights)

I've taken my neck weight in my carry-on bag as well. That works also, but it is actually easier and more comfortable to just wear it. It will also sometimes spontaneously strike up diving conversations with strangers asking about it.

Can we safely assume that you remove it from your neck when going through airport security?