"Don't worry, we'll get your weight down"

[craborn]

Everyone is different when weighting. There are to many factors to say someone should wear &*&*^* pounds. I teach my students to weigh themselves with a tank about 500 psi then go to the bottom of the pool or 15 foot whereever and take off their mask and do a few skills there without the mask. The reason I do this is if the are weighted properly and relaxed when the get in the ocean and are excited on their safety stop bouyancy will change. Doing the skills without a mask builds anxiety like being on the safety stop does.

 

[ShepFL33710]

Tparrent,

Thanks for posting this question. I am a new diver (10 dives) and was going to post the same question. Heck I am using 26 lbs ( I am 5'9" 255lbs) and have the same problem. Everyone's feedback is helpful. I think I may buy steel tanks as I think the aluminum buoyancy issue is a big part of the problem.

Thanks to all,
John

 

[tparrent]

As an ending, I can tell you that I shed pounds every day of my vacation in St. Vincent. I am writing up the whole trip and will post later.

I reached a good balance between bouyancy and bottom time with a steel 80 and 10 pounds. The other divers were wearing steel 72s but were all very experienced. The guide suggested I up the tank so we would all surface together and I could take some weight out of my vest. He also suggested dropping a pound or two each day and he was right.

Let me tell you, diving four days in a row sure made me comfortable! I really figured out the whole bouyancy thing. At the end I could move 15 feet vertically up or down with just breath control. AWESOME.

I am hooked! Cayman's in three weeks!