Reasons to take a propulsion/trim/buoyancy class...
- Thread starter The Chairman
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OP
The Chairman
Chairman of the Board
There are a number of great instructors in your area... Peter Guy and NWGratefulDiver come to mind.
Capt. Bill11
New
While I agree that much more time and emphasis should be put in and on trim and buoyancy skills even in the most basic scuba class, I'm not sure if I would consider the video posted as the best example of that. What with all the touching of and pushing off of the bottom of the pool. Plus appearing to almost break the surface. It looks to me like if there had not been a bottom for them to brace/push off of they would have dropped at least several more feet or more while performing a supposed buoyancy/trim maneuver. Is the person in the video a buoyancy class student?
LowDrag
Contributor
Yeah, I think I am going to have to talk to one of them. I talked to the shop owner that the other instructor is from and I got a hard sell on Halcyon gear to the tune of $800 - $900. I have nothing against Halcyon but I don't like it when someone knocks my gears for theirs. Do you mind if I post a video clip on this thread from my dive following Thanksgiving Day? I put into practice some of the things you and others have discussed in this thread and would be interested in your thoughts.
OP
The Chairman
Chairman of the Board
OP
The Chairman
Chairman of the Board
Yes, she was a student... a student in only five feet of water. Five feet of water is the hardest place to perform buoyancy skills. Tasks become a lot easier at fifteen feet (bottom of the pool) and infinitely more so at 30 and below. I think she did great at five foot. If she can do it there, she can do it anywhere.
LowDrag
Contributor
NetDoc...what stage of your class is this diver in? Considering depth and all, I think he did pretty good but that could just because I'am still working on my P,T&B...LOL
Here is my video clip that I put together. Keep in mind that in order to keep in condensed I did edit out some of the not so great shot's. I still need to work on skulling but I did feel I did better this trip than the last one. Unfortunately I don't have any video of that trip in October.
[video=youtube;lM7Nmqf-5II]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lM7Nmqf-5II&feature=youtu.be[/video]
Gear configuration:
Dry suit: White's Fusion Bullet
BC: Deepoutdoors BP&W
Tank: AL80 (gonna change that out to steel 100 in the near future)
Fins: Hollis F1's
Light: DRIS 1000
I have been watching video's from UTD, GUE and DIR divers trying to get it into my brain how they look and how they function when in proper trim. I feel my buoyancy with this new wing is much better. I feel like my balance is better and I don't feel as though I struggled with keeping in trim and off the bottom as much. I still have a lot more practicing to do but I do feel better after about how things are progressing. Considering that I am doing this pretty much on my own without an onsite mentor to work with. Also, the area where we were diving is a training area so it is a good place to practice before trying to dive around a sensitive reef.
Thanks NetDoc for starting this thread.
OP
The Chairman
Chairman of the Board
It says that this video is private. I can't see it. 
LowDrag
Contributor
I will change that ASAP
OP
The Chairman
Chairman of the Board
Unless it's a skewed perspective, your feet are below your head through most of the dive. Your sculling happens when you stop moving and lose that upward momentum. As you start to descend, the sculling puts a stop to it. You can't stop sculling until you get your propulsion neutral, so you can keep yourself neutral. Move weight forward or put a couple of pounds of lead on your shoulder to see if that helps. I wear 4 pounds in my side mount rig. Also, fold your hands together and don't let go. That will effectively stop your sculling... unless, of course, you let go. hold on tight! Your kicking looks to be a medley of frog and modified flutter. Every now and then I see you trying to frog kick with the tops of your fins and not the bottom. Choose one and let time work it's magic. Before you try to helicopter turn, perfect the single fin turn. Just frog kick with the fin opposite of the way you want to turn.
Unlike Peak Performance Buoyancy, my class doesn't result in any certification. I never took a class like this, though I wish one were available. I had only two instructors ever help me with my trim or propulsion and they were my cave instructors. Most of what I learned was like reinventing the wheel. I just kept at it and experimented until I could stop, breathe my way up or down and turn without using hands.
Now, let's be frank. Is your trim cave ready? No. Is it adequate for that environment? Completely. Not everyone wants or needs snobbish amounts of trim. That's OK. It's a big ocean and there's room for all of us in it. More important is how you feel while you're diving. If you feel that you have control and are having fun then stop right there. There's simply no need to seek out the Holy Grail of perfect trim unless it is negatively affecting your diving or you just want to. However, if you are fearful about loss of neutral buoyancy or if you feel out of control during your dive, then do everyone a favor and get some help. It doesn't have to be an instructor either... just make a pact with your buddy to figure this trim thing out.
Your kicking looks to be a medley of frog and modified flutter. Every now and then I see you trying to frog kick with the tops of your fins and not the bottom. Choose one and let time work it's magic. Before you try to helicopter turn, perfect the single fin turn. Just frog kick with the fin opposite of the way you want to turn. Unlike Peak Performance Buoyancy, my class doesn't result in any certification. I never took a class like this, though I wish one were available. I had only two instructors ever help me with my trim or propulsion and they were my cave instructors. Most of what I learned was like reinventing the wheel. I just kept at it and experimented until I could stop, breathe my way up or down and turn without using hands.
Now, let's be frank. Is your trim cave ready? No. Is it adequate for that environment? Completely. Not everyone wants or needs snobbish amounts of trim. That's OK. It's a big ocean and there's room for all of us in it. More important is how you feel while you're diving. If you feel that you have control and are having fun then stop right there. There's simply no need to seek out the Holy Grail of perfect trim unless it is negatively affecting your diving or you just want to. However, if you are fearful about loss of neutral buoyancy or if you feel out of control during your dive, then do everyone a favor and get some help. It doesn't have to be an instructor either... just make a pact with your buddy to figure this trim thing out.
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