Weighting problems!!!or semi dry suit? help

[aboalreem]

I was doing my DM training with students in 55 degree in chicago.... have a zeagle integrated weight system...I am a 240 lbs. I put 8 pounds around the back of the BCD, and 8 and 8 on each side of the front pockets.
I was wearing a semi dry suit.....It took me a while to sink....but around 15 feet I felt that I was over weighted which I did on purpuse so I can stay with students..
But I struggled to stay harozonal...I was almost vertical....what should I have done differently,,,?

 

[plwtwo]

I would say you had to much weight in the rear pockets. I personally don't like using the rear pockets for that reason. But I'd suggest no more than 2-4 lbs in the rear total. Semi-dry weighting is difficult..I use a Semi often and it takes a lot to sink but then once you're down you fell a little heavy, like you said. Which with students is not a bad thing anyway...

 

[amascuba]

as plwtwo said. The suit compresses as you go down so getting your weighting down can be difficult in thicker wetsuits, semi-dry suits, and even noeprene drysuits. I would say that you are weighted to heavy. Under normal circumstances you should be wearing enough weight so that you can hold a 15 foot depth with little to no air in your wing and 500psi in your tank. I understand that with teaching classes it's different for a variety of reasons.

As for not being able to stay horizontal in the water I would have to agree with plwtwo and say that you had to much weight in your rear pockets. You might get into the pool or quary sometime and experiment with different weight distributions with your semi-dry suit so that you can create a balanced rig. It takes a little work to do, but once you get it down your diving will be night and day.

 

[skinnydogdives]

i dive with both semi dry and dry suits and as has been said they are difficult to get right experimenting is the key i have found that if you can keep the weights forward it works

 

[landlocked]

I dive a semidry suit and use a Zeagle Scout with a weight belt and rear trim pockets for my BC. I have found that about two thirds of the weight needs to be on your back just below the shoulder blades. (The two thirds rule seems to work with the 7 mil semidry as well as my 3 mil shorty.) If you think about it, the reason for the vertical inclination is because the weight on your hips is pulling your waist down while the air in the BC, compensating for the compresion in the suit, is pushing your shoulders up. The answer then is more weight where the air is and less on your hips. Another great idea is to use steel tanks. That puts weight exactly where you need it. It does take some experimenting and keeping a good dive log to get it exactly right.

(I think the real issue here has little to do with the semi dry suit and a lot more to do with whether you are diving a back inflate or jacket BC.)


good luck

 

[aboalreem]

the two third of the wights you mean on the sides pockets right? since there are only one pocket on each side and two on rear..
When i put the weights on the front pockets (side pockets),,it feels pulling the hips down!!

 

[aboalreem]

I felts when I am horizonal,,,,I need to pull the weights around my hip up, then I felt more comfortable...but I can not keep the wights above my hips while diving, since the BCD weight pocks are below hips!!!any advice?!!!!