Top Heavy?

[Gidds]

I did a scuba review a week or so ago and I'm pretty sure I was overweighted. The instructor had me put on 19 pounds. I usually wear 16 pounds when snorkelling while wearing the same wetsuit. Anyway I thought I was overweighted because I kept nose-diving into the bottom of the pool when I stopped swimming. After messing around with my BC a little I could get neutral by adding a teeny bit of air. Another thing was that my feet and lower legs kept floating and I don't recall ever having this problem before. The more I thought about it I wondered if it was the BC, which was a SeaQuest with integrated weights (I can get the exact model if you insist). The weights were up fairly high on my body as compared to when I wear my weight belt. This could be due to the BC model or because I have a short torso, I'm not exactly sure :06: Anyway I was wondering if anybody else has had a similar experience and/or if maybe I should stick to my weight belt instead of an integrated BC?

 

[Firebrand]

I did a scuba review a week or so ago and I'm pretty sure I was overweighted. The instructor had me put on 19 pounds. I usually wear 16 pounds when snorkelling while wearing the same wetsuit. Anyway I thought I was overweighted because I kept nose-diving into the bottom of the pool when I stopped swimming. After messing around with my BC a little I could get neutral by adding a teeny bit of air. Another thing was that my feet and lower legs kept floating and I don't recall ever having this problem before. The more I thought about it I wondered if it was the BC, which was a SeaQuest with integrated weights (I can get the exact model if you insist). The weights were up fairly high on my body as compared to when I wear my weight belt. This could be due to the BC model or because I have a short torso, I'm not exactly sure :06: Anyway I was wondering if anybody else has had a similar experience and/or if maybe I should stick to my weight belt instead of an integrated BC?

How were your weights situated in the BC? Were they all in the quick release pockets, or did you have some in the non-releasable pockets by the tank?

 

[canuckdiver]

make sure that you have your tank mounted in the straps as low as it will go, to shift the center of gravity as far down as possible.
In my experience (limited as it is) weight integrated BCs tend to mount the weight a little too high for good trim, and you may have to try using ankle weights until you can get your trim nailed down.

 

[Gidds]

I was using both sets of weight pockets, dumpable and otherwise. I had the 5 pounders in the non-dumpable and 4's in front. I never had the feet issue before, never needed ankle weights before. My tank was actually sitting decently for once, I used to have trouble getting it where I wanted it.

 

[Firebrand]

Hmmm, did you change diving locations, say from freshwater to saltwater?

 

[canuckdiver]

one thing I have done, that worked for me when I was having trim problems, was to wrap a set of ankle weights around the bottom of the tank just above the boot.

Basically, it just sounds like your center of buoyancy is a little too far towards your feet. We need to shift it a little higher, either by eliminating a bit of weight up high, or adding a touch a little lower, or a combination of both.

You said that the instructor had you adding an extra 3 lbs that you had not used before? Where on your body did you add the weight?

3lbs when going from freediving gear to scuba isn't too bad, you may need a bit to overcome the bouyancy of an aluminum tank, and the bouyancy of the foam padding in the bc.

 

[Gidds]

In reference to my feet they have never floated in fresh or saltwater before. I was diving in the pool when they were floating.
The weight was actually up on my chest now that I think about it. Maybe stick with my belt?

 

[Firebrand]

I'm guessing that the extra three pounds further up on your torso is what caused the imbalance. I too have found that when I'm overweighted, my feet tend to rise as well, because of the whole center of gravity shift). If you revert back to your normal required weight, check to see if you can attain a horizontal position without your feet rising. If not, I would try shifting a couple of pounds around the base of the tank, or even try ankle weights.

 

[ChrisA]

You can't really get your weighting right in a pool. It's fresh vs. salt water. You will need more weight in the ocean than in a pool. It is beter to be overweight then under weighted Also the required weight changes depending on what type of tank you are using

Reason is that you need to be able to hold a saftey stop with a near empty tank

THe only way to get your weight dean-on correct is to go out into the ocean with a nearly empty tank on and see (with no air in the BC) if you can slowly sink by exhaling and float at eyelevel while holding a deep breath.

Once you have the total weight desided then you can deside how to distribute it
Either move all of it up or down or move just some of it. Moving some of it my by easier.
I've seen diver trad two pound of weight from thier belts to a two pound ankle weight and then attach the ankle weight to either the tank valve or the tank boot or in the worst case thier ankles.

wieghts on the anklescause you to use more energywhen you kick so they are kind of a last resort

Just f go out and dive. make one small change at a time. It will take tie to do the fine
tunning
19 pounds vs. 16 pounds is only three pound difference which is very close if the instructor just estimated by looking at you he likely estimated correctly then added a couple pounds because it is better to error on that side I think it is normal for it to take a dzen or so dives to sort it out.

I did a scuba review a week or so ago and I'm pretty sure I was overweighted. The instructor had me put on 19 pounds. I usually wear 16 pounds when snorkelling while wearing the same wetsuit. Anyway I thought I was overweighted because I kept nose-diving into the bottom of the pool when I stopped swimming. After messing around with my BC a little I could get neutral by adding a teeny bit of air. Another thing was that my feet and lower legs kept floating and I don't recall ever having this problem before. The more I thought about it I wondered if it was the BC, which was a SeaQuest with integrated weights (I can get the exact model if you insist). The weights were up fairly high on my body as compared to when I wear my weight belt. This could be due to the BC model or because I have a short torso, I'm not exactly sure :06: Anyway I was wondering if anybody else has had a similar experience and/or if maybe I should stick to my weight belt instead of an integrated BC?

 

[D_B]

The weight on a weight int. BC is higher up on you than the weight belt was , so this will change your trim to more nose down/feet up
Rear weight pockets .. are they higher up on BC than the ditchable ones ? ... If so, the more weight you put in them , the more your trim will be nose down/feet up

You may have to use your weight belt

DB