Extending bottom time by changing tank size

[Lloyd T.]

Hello All,

I've been looking around the Forums for an answer to this, but I haven't been successful so far. Please forgive me if this has been brought up before and I have just overlooked it.

I am trying to figure out a way to extend my bottom time, and I'm not quite sure what I should be looking at. My wife is my dive partner, and somehow she doesn't seem to use any air when we're diving. She usually has to end her dives because she's about to break the NDL, not because she's out of air. Me, on the other hand, I seem to just blow through all mine in a hurry. I've never came anywhere near the NDL.

We're both using AL80s from the local dive shop, and I'm trying to find a way I can keep up with her. I've talked with the local dive shop and they recommended that I move up to a bigger tank and to possibly move her down to a smaller tank. Is that a good idea?

I'm also wondering if she doesn't move down, and a bigger tank for me won't help that much, if it isn't time to possibly think about using doubles. I have absolutely no idea where to start looking at information about that, and I don't even know if that is a good idea or not.

Any and all information and/or input would be really appreciated!

Lloyd

 

[Steve_C]

Your wife is your buddy. If you had an air loss her air is to get you both home. As long as she is comfortable with the AL80 have her keep it. Returning to the boat with some air left is not a bad thing. Learning to relax in the water, not be in a hurry, and getting weigted correctly, greatly reduces your air consumption.

As you dive more and get better with trim etc your SAC will improve but I have met some women who are just better at air consumption than I will ever be.

Personally I dive an HP 100. Easy to get fills in my area. That gives over 20 cubic ft of air. You will also be able to take some weight off.

I found the large aluminums not as much fun to dive with.

 

[dmoore19]

I have a sister in law that sips air. Her husband smokes and is an awful air hog. She is petite and and aluminum 63 fits her size. So, when they go on trips she will ask for the AL 63 while her husband keeps the AL 80, she still surfaces with more pressure than he does but it seems to match them up better as far as time goes.

I have asked for and gotten an AL100 on a couple of trips. I like the idea of the bigger tank and it seems they are available in a lot of places I have been. It seems like my brother in law would be better off with the AL100 and his wife with the AL 63.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

My GF has a SAC rate of .26. Yeah, really she does. My average is about .4 - .45 for easy dives we would do together. She prefers a 63 or even a 50 and can get over an hour out of one easily on a 30 ft dive. Al80 she is good for two hours no problem.

I usually dive a pumped up LP 95 for singles. Otherwise I am in doubles or now will be sidemounting a pair of LP75.5's, LP 85's, or LP 95's depending on the dive. If I end up diving locally with an AL80 for some reason I'll sling a 30 or 40 to keep up with her.

 

[rhwestfall]

Your wife is your buddy. If you had an air loss her air is to get you both home.

VERY IMPORTANT POINT!!!! Do not downsize your wife's tank. Larger tanks are an option for you if available (you are doubtfully ready for doubles, but an instructor would be better to make that determination).

Things that impact air consumption:

1. slow down
2. avoid arm swimming
3. slow down
4. are you weighted properly?
5. slow down
6. are you trimmed out horizontally?
7. slow down
8. are you in shape?
9 slow down

Keep in mind, there are things you just cant change. My 5'-2" wife in using significantly less air than my 6'-7" self.......

The more you dive, the more you should relax, and air consumption can also become better.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Also as you get more comfortable and get your weighting dialed in your SAC should go down as well.

 

[tursiops]

I'm with Jim and others on this one. My wife and I have almost 3000 dives between us, and we are real relaxed while diving, and our weights are carefully dialed in and trimmed out. Salt water and fresh. But she is a woman, and smaller. So if I use an AL80, and she uses an AL63, we still don't quite finish together....she nearly always has a bit more left than I do. So, get over it, if it were a contest, your wife will win it.

Your job is not to match her air consumption, but to work on yours. Weighting, trim, stream-lining (especially getting horizontal rather than vertical in the water), slow-motion moves, relaxation....all will help. And practice.

Doubles is (are?) a terrible solution to unrefined air consumption. It is like solving an overeating problem by buying bigger pants.

 

[Lloyd T.]

Thank you everyone for your input on this. I'm going to see if I can find bigger tanks for me somewhere, and she said she wants to stick with her AL80, so we won't be downsizing her tank. It sounds like I need to slow down, relax, and make sure I'm weighted and trimmed properly, so over the next few dives I'll be working on those things. After I work on those, and if I still need some help/advice on what to do, I'll make sure I come back here and ask for it.

Thanks again for all the input and responses.

 

[rhwestfall]

I will throw in too that proper fitting gear makes a difference. Make sure your choices are not based on looks.....

 

[Vegan Shark]

As long as you don't have an issue carrying a bigger tank around, I say the more air the merrier. I wasn't content with the bottom times I wasn't getting on an AL80; often I would see something cool on a dive, only to realize that I didn't have enough air left to check it out. So I bought myself a steel 130, and it has made diving a lot more enjoyable.

I'm not sure if you're cold water diving or not, but a heavy steel tank will also mean shedding significant weight from your weight belt. So in the end it's not all that much heavier than an AL80.