Reduntant cell or not!

[kramynot2000]

But I'm trying to figure out why you were adding an 8 pound belt if you were already quite negative. It doesn't seem to make sense to me.

With my doubles I'm fairly head heavy. Its not uncommon because of the extra weight of the manifold and happens many times with shorter tanks. So, many folks use a weightbelt to even it out to maintain horizontal trim. This topic also generates strong opinions so I'll leave it at that.

The belt also is needed because of the bouyancy shift when you breathe down both tanks. If you breathe down two 80's, you'll lose about 12lbs total of negative bouyancy so you need to account for that so you're not too bouyant at the end of the dive.

 

[jonnythan]

So you intentionally dive 10 pounds overweighted just because you're head heavy?

Are you serious?

And let me guess.. you fix the problem of being overweighted by diving a redundant cell.

 

[Albion]

So you intentionally dive 10 pounds overweighted just because you're head heavy?

Are you serious?

And let me guess.. you fix the problem of being overweighted by diving a redundant cell.

He didnt say that, the fact was the weight is on his belt and not somewhere else. An aluminium BP with 8lbs is about what im using at present on Twin Alum 80'3 (need to get a steel BP). It doesnt sound overweighted


kramynot2000 - were you shown how to use your DSMB for redundant booyancy? If you have a semi closed DSMB with a dump it can be used, dont try this at home without further explanation though.

 

[kramynot2000]

He didnt say that, the fact was the weight is on his belt and not somewhere else. An aluminium BP with 8lbs is about what im using at present on Twin Alum 80'3 (need to get a steel BP). It doesnt sound overweighted


kramynot2000 - were you shown how to use your DSMB for redundant booyancy? If you have a semi closed DSMB with a dump it can be used, dont try this at home without further explanation though.

Yeah, I don't think I'm overweighted. With nearly empty tanks I don't need much air at all, if any, to hold at 10'. I could perhaps drop a pound or two depending on my undergarments. All I'm saying is that the reason using a drysuit as redundancy when diving doubles doesn't work for me is because of loss of air out the neck seal. Maybe with new seals I won't have the problem, but no water is coming in so I'll hold off on replacing for now. Also I use latex seals instead of the fold down neoprene ones so that may be the difference as well, I don't know. I'm sure for many people it would probably work. And I didn't try a horizontal ascent during my test so I'll have to go back and try that to see if I can control the ascent enough to hold a stop.

Has anyone else actually simulated a wing failure on a dive with a full set of doubles to see if their drysuit would work? Jonnythan? I'm curious to see if your results were different.

I've been meaning to try a DSMB to see how controlable it is, especially when adjusting to neutral bouyancy on a stop. I carry around a semi-closed DSMB with a dump with 50lbs of lift, which definitely should do the trick. I haven't heard anyone describe how this should be done though. I'm guessing 1) you don't clip it off on you but just hold on to the bag, right? and 2) probably breathe off your necklace 2nd to keep the primary 2nd handy to add more air in case you dump too much, right? Am I close? I'll just go back out to the lake and see how this works out.