Pushed Forward - Skill or Equipment?

[DevonDiver]

How is the BCD fitting at the surface?

Were you slumped in it?

BP&W have crotch straps that keep you higher in the rig. Jacket BCDs, including back-inflate, invariably don't.

 

[herman]

How is the BCD fitting at the surface?

Were you slumped in it?

BP&W have crotch straps that keep you higher in the rig. Jacket BCDs, including back-inflate, invariably don't.

Not true, every Zeagle I have owned (3 different models) had crotch straps available..

 

[DevonDiver]

Not true,...

Should have said usually, not invariably.

Google to see how many back inflate BCDs are on the market besides just Zeagle.

Anyway... point stills stands for the OP. If he's not using a properly adjusted crotch-strap, that would be a potential cause of his problem.

 

[AdivingBel]

I dived a Stiletto for years. It's a fine back inflate BC. My wife dives it now. There's a knack to back inflates at the surface. You'll figure it out...so I would say it's a skill thing. The Stiletto is setup for a crotch strap (actually saddle strap, split crotch strap) if you want it. Depending on how your body is shaped the cummerbund may suffice on the surface, but I preferred how snug and formed the rig felt while diving when using the crotch strap. My wife just uses the cummerbund. I stole the saddle strap and rigged my Express Tech to use it. YMMV.

 

[mi000ke]

I dive a Zeagle Express Tech (also back inflate), and I ended up adopting all the suggestions made here a couple of years ago by trial and error: tank a bit higher but not hitting your head, using crotch strap, using lowest weight possible, not over-inflating, and dialing in your trim (I carry 1/3 of my weight on my shoulder straps), and I no longer have issues at the surface - although it wasn't that big of an issue to begin with. So definitely try these suggestions.

That said, I and most of the folks I dive with try to minimize the amount of time spent on the surface. On boat dives, I do a negative entry and at the end of the dive I will hover a few feet below the surface (with an empty BCD) until the ladder is clear, and just exit the water directly. I am way more comfortable under the water than on top of it. And I keep breathing off my reg until I'm out of the water - just in case.

 

[AdivingBel]

Yep...not much good happens at the surface...nothin' quite like puking while hanging on a tag line...

I actually try to keep my tank low on my ET...everybody is a bit different

 

[Neilwood]

I use a BP&W and actually very seldom sit vertically on the surface.

The only time I actually end up vertical on the surface tends to be just before and after a dive - the rest of the time I tend to lie back.

 

[outofofficebrb]

Based on your description of yourself, we are very close in size. I'm 5'11", 180. You are carrying almost twice the lead. In a full 2.5mil, I use 8# and am overweighted by at least 3# (on purpose). This is with the typical AL80 rental tank. 2# in each trim, 2# in each pocket. Been diving an AL i3 Dimension, also a back inflate. I think it's similar to the Zeagle except for the inflator system, but I've never used a Zeagle.
When I started, was having the same issue, and carrying almost as much (12#). Seemed like I had to fight a little at the surface. What I found was with less weight and counterintuitively, less air in the bc, it was a lot easier to relax and just float at the surface.
As others have suggested, play with tank positioning as well. As I dropped weight, had to play with the tank as well to adjust trim. Time in the water probably helps more than anything.
Now I am adjusting everything again-bought an AL Outlaw and a different pony....

I am 135 pounds and when wearing a full 5mm suit and 5mm boots, I use about 9 pounds, also with a back inflate (Scubapro Ladyhawk). Perhaps reducing the weight and as others suggested, less weight means less air in the wing at the surface to compensate for the weight will hopefully yield a better experience at the surface.

 

[tdallen]

Interesting feedback, thanks. My tank was mounted fairly low and I didn’t try playing with its position. I wasn’t using a crotch strap and while I didn’t feel like the BC was riding up (cummerbund felt secure) while on the surface I suppose that’s possible.

 

[tdallen]

Regarding weighting, I’ve typically used 12lbs with rental BCs, trending towards gettting away with 10lbs. With the Stiletto and 14lbs I was just under the surface at the start of the dive and had to duck dive to get going. But I had some air in the bladder at the safety stop. So I felt like I was getting mixed messages about weight, sometimes right and sometimes overweighted. Does the Stiletto have a lot of inheritant buoyancy?

Overall I’d rather be diving with less than the 14lbs I was carrying.