Adjusting my trim

[battles2a5]

You cannot hope to achieve the same results unless you also have a BPW.

Plain and simple, I am afraid.

This was your first post in this thread nereas. You said it can't be done. That is "rubbish", as I stated. He will not need to load up his BC with all sorts of trim pockets. I suspect a few well-placed pounds will likely do the trick. It's the trial and error that requires time and patience.

I dive a BP/W and I don't use trim pockets. If you read my first post, I said that the BP/W is a more effective tool for good trim. But I'm not going to discourage someone from trying to trim out their rig just because they don't dive the same way that I do. The OP wants to improve his diving and I am happy to offer ideas to help him get there. You, on the other hand, have continued to spout your nonsense that is in no way helpful.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

You can load up your BCD with all sorts of tim pockets, front and back, top and bottom, sure. It will feel uncomfortable, and it will look really dork-ish. Go for it, fine.

A BPW is immensely more practical however, as far as trim is concerned. The BCDs are designed for beginners and intermediates, who are best served with a "vertical" trim.

:no

You don't actually believe the C R A P you type do you?? Your just stirring the pot, right?? Unless maybe you think everyone who doesn't think like you is wrong??

 

[battles2a5]

:no

You don't actually believe the C R A P you type do you?? Your just stirring the pot, right?? Unless maybe you think everyone who doesn't think like you is wrong??

Welcome to the world of nereas

 

[mruseless]

I've got the same issues as Deefstes. I've been playing with different weights in trim pockets vs. ditchable. All the info here is great and should be helpful. I have noticed that I can scoot my tank upward about 3 inches before I start bumping it with my head, and that seems to help immensely. I also want to try 7mm booties.

Eric

 

[don Francisco]

You cannot hope to achieve the same results unless you also have a BPW.

Plain and simple, I am afraid.

A BPW is immensely more practical however, as far as trim is concerned. The BCDs are designed for beginners and intermediates, who are best served with a "vertical" trim.

With apologies to those for whom this shoe doesn't fit, I'm getting pretty tired of the BP/w fans who tout their configuration as the ONLY proper way to dive. Their cultlike belief that the BP/W is the solution to any problem strains credulity.

Trim problems? get a BP/W
Back pain? get a BP/W
Girl friend left you? get a BP/W
Your life like a C&W song? get a BP/W.

Getting back to the original post. While the BP/W has lots of advantages for a variety of applications, there is no inherent advantage in BP/W configuration, vis a vis trim. The reason that BP/W seems to help trim is that the weight of the backplate automatically moves the center of gravity north as a compensating amount of weight is taken off the belt. Shifting weight is also easily done by the other methods described in this thread.

As to the description of BC's as for beginners. That's not even good enough to wash hogs with. Different types of equipment are best suited to different diving situations. It's not a question of beginner vs advanced but one of fitness for the purpose. For those doing tropical diving with lightweight wetsuits & carrying little ballast the BP/W might even be counterproductive in a number of ways.

The only nice thing about the "BP/W is the only way to go" crowd it that because of their advice, lots of fairly new divers are selling perfectly fine, nearly new, top end BCs
that they traded for BP/Ws. This is a bonanza for those needing equipment for tropical diving. dF

 

[battles2a5]

With apologies to those for whom this shoe doesn't fit, I'm getting pretty tired of the BP/w fans who tout their configuration as the ONLY proper way to dive. Their cultlike belief that the BP/W is the solution to any problem strains credulity.

Trim problems? get a BP/W
Back pain? get a BP/W
Girl friend left you? get a BP/W
Your life like a C&W song? get a BP/W.

Getting back to the original post. While the BP/W has lots of advantages for a variety of applications, there is no inherent advantage in BP/W configuration, vis a vis trim. The reason that BP/W seems to help trim is that the weight of the backplate automatically moves the center of gravity north as a compensating amount of weight is taken off the belt. Shifting weight is also easily done by the other methods described in this thread.

As to the description of BC's as for beginners. That's not even good enough to wash hogs with. Different types of equipment are best suited to different diving situations. It's not a question of beginner vs advanced but one of fitness for the purpose. For those doing tropical diving with lightweight wetsuits & carrying little ballast the BP/W might even be counterproductive in a number of ways.

The only nice thing about the "BP/W is the only way to go" crowd it that because of their advice, lots of fairly new divers are selling perfectly fine, nearly new, top end BCs
that they traded for BP/Ws. This is a bonanza for those needing equipment for tropical diving. dF

Jeez, what's with the temper? I bet a BP/W would help you out with that

 

[BKP]

Deefstes, you're question isn't necessarily a noob question.

Spectrum, and TS&M's responses are still relevant after 200 dives, when you decide to change your rig to something different, or switch tank capacities, or materials, and have to go through the motions of adjusting trim again. (You'll just be more practiced at the routine).

Good luck, experiment, and dive safe...

 

[don Francisco]

Deefstes- one thing that hasn't been mentioned is the effect of the air in your BC. Unlike most things that stay in place, the air bubble in your BC bladder moves as you move. When you're head up the bubble is near your shoulders moving your center of bouyance upwards. Swim upside down, or with your head lower than your hips & the bubble is near your hips lowering the center of bouyancy, and helping you stay that way.

For experienced divers carrying little extra ballast the movement of a fairly bubble goes unnoticed. But for a new diver carrying excess weight & therefore more air in his BC the movement of this larger bubble 15-20" up and down your body is significant. This is analgous to the problem of dry suit divers who have to learn to manage the movement of the bubble toward their feet when they turn upside town.

Assuming you've made the other adjustments, try this; When you reach depth and have inflated the BC for neutral bouyancy, swim head down for a moment & wait for the air to move south. Then try to establish your desired trim. Remember that if this works, it won't be stable, so if you go heads up for a second the bubble will move & you'll have to move it back by repeating the maneuver.

 

[don Francisco]

Jeez, what's with the temper? I bet a BP/W would help you out with that

Consider me a disgruntled BP/W owner. When my dog ran off, I got talked into spending lots of dough on BP/w equipment. He still hasn't come back & now I'm ANGRY.

 

[jwilmot]

I would second the use of ankle weights. My husband has the same problem with his feet. It is not just when he dives. If you watch him swim his feet sink then to so it is not a matter of booties or fins.

I tried for well over 20 divers to get him leveled out. He was an air hog and I wanted to reduce his air usage so we could increase bottom time. What finally did the trick was ankle weights round the tank valve. The nice thing about the ankle weights is we did not have to alter his BCD and if for some reason he has to use a different BCD he can still use the ankle weights and and not have to worry about whether or not there are pockets at the tank strap.

His air usage went down by at least 25% once we got his trim dealt with.