Started my AOW course today

[joel smith]

This is dive #15 did the peak performance buoyancy first , this was a great dive I went from using 12 lbs of lead to only 2 lbs feels great. Doing the deep dive tomorrow.

 

[NuclearOOPS]

Wow. Only two pounds. With my 7 mil I have to use 24lbs, and with a drysuit its 34 lbs. Would be nice to only need a few pounds. Unfortunetly I'm extremely buoyant without a wetsuit.

 

[joel smith]

I wear a 5 mm , I cant imagine wearing 24 lbs.

 

[odblnt]

Unfortunetly I'm extremely buoyant without a wetsuit.

I know that feeling. That's what 30 years and 40 pounds will do to a guy.

 

[SoccerJeni]

Wow!!! That's a huge drop in weight! Congratulations. I use about 22 pounds with a 5mil farmer john. I would bet I could drop some weight too after some more experience. I hope your class goes well!

 

[joel smith]

I dove with a 5 mm wet suite, 7 mm hood , 3 mm gloves , 5 mm boots, Worthington steel 100. Only need 2 lbs to dive with this setup. I have a very good instructer that teaches alot on buoyancy. Tomorrow night Iwill be doing my night dive I will be using the same equiptment except Iwill be using a al 80 , I am sure my weight will go up. Also I forgot to mention I weigh 220.

 

[joel smith]

WOW did my night dive last night , 68 degress water on bottom , used the same equiptment except I used a aluminum 80. This tank required me to add another 6 lbs. of weight so I needed 8 lbs total for this dive. It is totally another world at night. Tryed to do some nav skills didnt do so well. I really like steel tanks. Doing the deep dive next. O yea the dive lasted 59 minutes.

 

[TMHeimer]

With 7 mil farmer john 36 pounds with steel tank, 42 with aluminum (salt water). When I started AOW (dive #7) my instructor couldn't believe I needed that much, but saw that I did. Hasn't changed in over 200 dives and my buoyancy has always been good.

 

[Dack]

Wow, that's a lot. I'm about 12 lbs less at 7mil/salt water but I'm a 'sinker'. Fresh water with no wetsuit I'm overweighted at 0 pounds.

One thing I have noticed: I need more weight when its colder. Its more of a struggle to relax and get to a normal breath. And I see you're from Nova Scotia....

Ever tried your buoyancy in warm water? I wonder if you would need less.

I also wonder about the BC - all that foam padding and pockets. What brand are you using?

- Dack

 

[TMHeimer]

Dack, I'm using an old Genesis BC. For warm salt water I need 18 with shortie and AL 80. Need 13 with body suit and AL 80.

My buoyancy with just a bathing suit: I can float on my back OK in salt water. In fresh water my legs sink like stones, and I had a heck of a time with the required water "treading/floating". Makes no sense re my weighting on scuba, eh?