another weight question

[calidiver]

Ah yes. A discussion on weight. I'm looking for people to weigh in on my problem. I've managed to stump some experts on this one.

I'm a willowy woman (135, 5'9") who's been forced to wear about 26-27 lbs to break in her new (thick neoprene) drysuit. What is the deal? I've tried to swim down headfirst, I've had people push me underwater, but nothing else but that much weight will make me sink. Even given the neoprene and likely possibility of trapped air (I feel like a vacuum packed sardine, and lugging around that weight on the beach is not fun.), people say it's amazing I have to wear that much.

Salty, cold water adds to bouyancy (I dive in Monterey) - but come on!
Any ideas would be welcome!

Tired of feeling like a fish out of water,
calidiver

 

[Uncle Pug]

Hey, I've got some ideas!

You could do a couple of really deep dives and get some of the nitrogen bubbles squashed out of your suit.

~or~

You could buy a shell drysuit and dive steel tanks with a SS backplate and a 12# belt.

~or~

You could go with a SS back plate, steel tanks and weighted STA and a 6# belt.

 

[calidiver]

Hmm. I probably would have gotten a shell suit if I knew it would eliminate the problem. I got neoprene because I thought it would be warmer (and it was much less expensive).

I may try out the back plate idea. What's an STA?? I'm relatively new to diving and new on these boards, so I'm not up on all the acronyms.

Thanks!!
calidiver

 

[BadFish]

STA = Single Tank Adapter


I am 6'1" 225 and i wear 20 lbs on my BC 6lb SS BP (stainless Steal BackPlate) and a 4lb keel weight, and i am still over weighted.
I wear a two peice 7mm wetsuit.

 

[Rick Murchison]

My O'Neill drysuit (7mm neoprene) requires 23 pounds to sink it, so your weight doesn't sound out of line at all.
That said, the only weight I usually have to wear with it is a single 6 lb block on the left to counterbalance my canister light on the right - and double 85's (LP OMS steel).
I recommend you get yourself your own HP steel tank and you'll be able to dump most of the weight.
Rick

 

[Uncle Pug]

Originally posted by calidiver
Hmm. I probably would have gotten a shell suit if I knew it would eliminate the problem. I got neoprene because I thought it would be warmer (and it was much less expensive).

I may try out the back plate idea. What's an STA?? I'm relatively new to diving and new on these boards, so I'm not up on all the acronyms.

Thanks!!
calidiver

Next suit you can get a shell...

A SS backplate can weigh 6~9 depending on which one you get...
A Single Tank Adapter can weigh 3~6 depending on whether it is lead filled or not...
A steel tank will allow you to take off 4~6 from your weight belt depending on what size tank you use...

So you could have anywhere from 13 ~ 21 pounds weight savings in your rig (actual weight + weight saved by steel tank)

Since you need 27 pounds you could end up only needing a 6 ~14 pound weight belt.