Need help with weighting

[Ed66]

Well I went to the pool today to get my proper weight needs and something must be wrong here. First off let me say I am 5' 9" 150 lbs. 32-33 in waist, 36-37in chest. I was wearing my DUI TLS 350 dry suit with a Bare CT 200 jumpsuit under it along with a pair of swim trunks. I was also wearing a Trans Pac with rec wings a canister light (right side) ( neg 2 lbs in water) a 19cu ft. pony (3000 psi) left side. My tank is a PST E8-119 cu ft. (about 3400psi). I started out with 15lbs of weight and went all the way down to 6lbs and I was still to heavy. I would let all the air out of my BC and suit and I would start to go down even when I took a nice deep breath and held it I still would sink, I also noticed that the tank seemed to turtle me. I want to get me weight and buoyancy check down but I dont think 6lbs or less sounds right.
When I dove fresh I was using a 7mm 1pc. I was using 20lbs with an alum 80 for my check out dives (I think the inst overweighted me and I am told this is common.) When I dove salt I was using a 7mm 1pc with an alum 80 and my weight was 26lbs. I plan on taking my advance open water and the peak boyancy and underwater nav course . Thanks Ed

 

[RICHinNC]

Hey Ed...You sound like you are in my situation...neg bouyant.

Before you do the following....try to get a tank with no more than 500 to 700 psi.

What I did was similiar...went to the pool with all the items I would be diving with. First I started out with just a swim suit, t-shirt and no weights. Let all the air out of bcd and found I sunk....no big surprise.
Then I put on my 3mm shorty...did same....sunk....no weights needed.
Then put on 3/2 combo....sunk...no weights
Then put on my 3mm John boy and shorty for a full 6mm.....sunk...no weights.

Do a littlle math....and when I dive ocean either off the coast of NC or elsewhere, I usually run about 10 lbs of weights. I have had no problems with bouyancy and it seems to work great.

I would recommend one thing. Get a lot of one pound weights. That gives you a lot more flexibility in tuning your weight needs. I bought some shotgun shot and made a bunch of one pounders.
good luck
rich

 

[Paul Evans]

Been down a similar path, You can only buy weights (I stand to be corrected) in 1kg, 2.2lbs in the UK,

I've seen weights drilled to remove lead???, but the best idea has to be to make your own soft weights