HELP! Pool 5/6 session. CANNOT get neutral. Feeling helpess.

[GXT23]

For your 1st sentence, I think you mean that your fins are negative, not your boots...? For the rest of it, it's not surprising that your boots are positively buoyant. I've never seen a negative boot. I think it's wonderful you want to dive well and I'm glad you'll be working with your instructor. It really just takes time. I'm happy someone can learn from my mistake of using the ankle weights. Far better to work on your body positioning and really learn the skill than take the short-cut I did. You'll get it, I promise and when you do, it's magical! Happy diving.

Thank you so much for the advice and words of encouragement! I will keep trying! Best wishes!

 

[GXT23]

@GXT23 I know I had the same situation as you when doing my pool dives. I had to use booties (the same 7mm thickness as you) with the fins in the pool and they were quite positively buoyant and this was exaggerated by the fact that that was the only neoprene I was wearing while in the pool. Without care I could easily find my feet rising. Shifting the tank slightly lower in the pool worked for me (I was using a steel tank which had decent balance but an AL tank might be head heavy which will exaggerate the problem).

Didn't have any issues once I went in to OW because I was now clad head to foot in 7mm neoprene meaning every part of me now had the same buoyancy. Getting good trim was no problem.

I will try shifting my tank down. I had actually shifted my tank up because I had a hard time reaching for my regulator over my shoulder. I appreciate your input! I have my last pool session tomorrow and I'll see if I can implement some of the suggestions from here. I'll update. Thank you so much!

 

[Neilwood]

I will try shifting my tank down. I had actually shifted my tank up because I had a hard time reaching for my regulator over my shoulder. I appreciate your input! I have my last pool session tomorrow and I'll see if I can implement some of the suggestions from here. I'll update. Thank you so much!

Hope it works for you - as I say, I get the feeling the problem will lessen or disappear in OW as you will be more evenly buoyant due to the wetsuit.

 

[GXT23]

I had my last pool session yesterday and it went much better!!!
I had a regular steel tank. I used a 5 pocket belt and had 8 lb of weight, with 4 lbs in each of the front most pockets, which ended up being a bit more to the front side of my hips. I shifted my belt as low as I could have it on my hips. I adjusted my bcd in the water so it would be as low as possible. I also made sure my tank was a hair lower than the top of my bcd.
I tried to do a weight check on my own and I am pretty sure I had a little too much because I sunk below eye level, but it was not a problem
The other change that I made which I think made a huge difference was that I used diving ear plugs. I had a hard time equalizing in the previous sessions, and though I could achieve it, it took my a lot longer to do than it did everyone else, and I was very focused on my ear ( only one was a problem), and I think this made me move in the water more jerkily because I had to keep trying to equalize.
My instructor took the time to explain in depth exactly how to go down, and when to breathe out, and when to release air and how to release air, and that was so helpful.
I was able to get horizontal and swim around and go up and down using my breath. I was not great, but it was a huge improvement over the last few times. I had no water in my bcd at the end, whereas usually I could dump probably 500ml.
Thank you to everyone for your help! It's so nice to know that there are so many wonderful people in the diving community who care!

 

[GXT23]

Hope it works for you - as I say, I get the feeling the problem will lessen or disappear in OW as you will be more evenly buoyant due to the wetsuit.

Thank you! I did move my tank down a bit and a few other things, and it went much better!

 

[ScubaDocER]

Congrats on your success and your increased confidence!! It's amazing what you can do when you believe in your abilities!! A few comments if I may :

1. Sounds like you did fine on your weight check. Even if you sink a little below eye level then that's ok. What you want to avoid is rapidly descending or not being able to descend. It's part art and part science.

2. Try placing the weights across your back instead of the front. It may make you feel more balanced.

3. I am so glad that you had a better conversation with your Instructor and that they were helpful! The relationship between an Instructor and a student can be critical to the students ability to learn and enjoy the training process.

Congrats again on the pool session now to your check out dives and kick a**

 

[Dizzi Lizzi]

GXT23, I'm still working on hover!! Fin pivots make me laugh as i add air and my feet float. WTH!! But i practice it each and every dive and its getting better and better. I would say keep in mind that OW class gives you the skills to be able to dive safely in the best of circumstances. I'm sure there are people (fish people) that can get the buoyancy down pat just from class, and I HATE them (jk). But there are plenty of us that will have to work and work and fine tune till we get there. Hang in there you are on the right path

 

[NYCNaiad]

Glad things are going well! Just remember, it takes practice and you're called a newbie for a reason. It's all new to you and takes time to learn. There are some things that may not come naturally for many, many months while you may get other things right away. With every dive, you'll get more experience and become more comfortable.

Happy diving!

 

[decompression]

After reading your original post, I thought this video might help.....

 

[Neilwood]

@GXT23 Glad things went better for you. It can be frustrating at times in the pool. I ended up getting told to take an extended lunch break by my instructor (I was 1-1) because I was getting really annoyed at not being able to hover properly. Came back an hour later and aced it. Sometimes a break is needed and sometimes it is just remembering to slow down and relax

As ScubadocER says - go do your check out dives and kick ass!