Ballast weights (weight integrated BC's)

[spectrum]

By any chance is your AL80 a Luxfur?

The reason I ask is that a Catalina is more tail heavy (thick bottom) and may need more high body bias. The Luxfur is well balanced an may help explain your lack of need for high body ballast.

As for general rules of trim to waist there are too many variables in build, suit, cylinder etc.

Pete

 

[spectrum]

I think you'll find the 19 is closer to 4 pounds negative if you check it out all dressed to go.

I pull 2 from my trim and 2 from my waist on the pony side and it works great. Remember that once you do this handing the pony off may get you in trouble. When using it in a non solo situation I do not drop any weight.

Pete

 

[b1gcountry]

What if it gets wrapped up in mono, and you have to ditch it solo? What if you actually have to breathe it after your Burst Disc fails? I'm not trying to be a pain, just points to consider.

Tom

 

[spectrum]

Then you need to manage it by hanging on or getting it on your lap like any integrated weight system. The alternative is to dive over weighted which is not too appealing and brings it's own hazards.

That is why integrate only for trim purposes. The rest is on a belt or harness.

If the burst disc on your pony fails after you got into a situation when you needed it then it was not your day to dive. During a dive is not when the disc sees the greatest stress so this is not likely.

Pete

 

[b1gcountry]

Actually, I meant the burst disc on your main cylinder... Or some other catastrophic loss of all your backgas. Meaning all your gas is now gone, leaving you on the light side of neutral if you decide to include the weight of the stage in your weighting needs. My question is what do you think this does to your buoyancy as you start breathing down the stage?

With a small 19cf pony bottle, it probably won't be much of an issue, but when you expand it to a larger stage, or multiple stages, it suddenly becomes very significant.

Tom