To weight or not to weight

[ScubaGirlJg]

Hey thanks for posting this! I don't think in all my time on Scubaboard I have read such a great soapbox preaching! Its great to hear from a fellow newbie. I am actually on my way to my first ocean dive after being certified and I was actually thinking about the change I need to make to my weights. I went diving in springs and wore 12 lbs being someone who weighs 126lbs at least that is what my instructor thought best. I also believe since I haven't mastered buoyancy completely I have had extra weight added.

I am definitely going to try going down horizontal this next time because when we go down feet first it is so hard to see where one is going. Thanks to my constant checking I saved myself from bumping my fellow divers in the head with my fins. I have tried to go down horizontally before and I find it so difficult. I am definitely going to try your piece of advice!!

Thanks for posting! =D

 

[BettyRubble]

Keep us posted on your first ocean dive!!!!!

 

[BettyRubble]

Having just read through the DAN 2006 reports of deaths, it is sickening how many involve divers who were overweighted. (yes, I am obsessed with A&Is)

In some cases, their buddy could not get them up even after fully inflating the BC!!!!!!!!!! Dear Lord that is outrageous. One guy had 50 lbs of weights!

So I am going to repeat, please please please, I want every newbie to shed the pounds as soon as possible.

It takes alot of tweaking when going between environments (fresh vs. salt; cold vs. warm etc).

So log everything in your log book: 1) what mil wetsuit you had, 2)what size and type of tank you dove with, 3) what your psi was going in and coming out, and 4) how much weight you had on you. Then notate whether you felt over weighted or under.

Then adjust. Shift your tank up or down a little, remove weights, etc and do a buoyancy check every dive until you know your weighting.

I'm still tweaking. Just did dives 50 & 51 and knew immediately I was overweighted. I was trying to account for an alum. 80 and an extra hooded vest wetsuit that I added to my 7 mil and I over shot the weight. But I look at my log book now and know that next time I need to shed about 3 pounds in that environment with that configuration.

And I still ask stupid questions and in fact recently asked a buddy "I drop weight in salt water right?" Fortunately, my dive buddies never give me that "OH MY GOSH WILL SHE EVER LEARN THIS STUFF" look . . they just teach me again. By the way, if you don't know the answer to my stupid question -- look it up. Cuz I was wrong!!!!!!!

Ok, I'm getting off the soap box.

Safe diving everyone!!!!

 

[ScubaGirlJg]

It is true what your saying. I went to Scuba Diving News :: CDNN - Cyber Diver News Network and saw so many reports of diver deaths lately. It is a bit intimidating as a newbie to see this. But I have read a lot of the reports and a lot have been because of people ignoring their computer alerts and others because of boat accidents and not seeing the diving flags that are posted out there.

I also think its amusing how you say your a newbie with 50 dives under your belt because that must make me an ultra newbie lolol.

Thanks for your posts they are always fun to read!

 

[BettyRubble]

I also think its amusing how you say your a newbie with 50 dives under your belt because that must make me an ultra newbie lolol.

Thanks for your posts they are always fun to read!

I guess at some point I'll not feel like a newbie but I most definitely still am right now! I've been fortunate to dive ALOT the last two months. Cert'd in June and have dove most weekends since. I realized very quickly that the best way to avoid dieing was to get alot of experience in different conditions. And to obsess over the A&I reports!! Figure if I can learn from other's mistakes then I'm all for that.

 

[it_mike]

>25 years worth of diving, 1000's of dives, and I was still a newbie about two weeks ago when I went out with my new doubles.

Back in the mid-`90s, after over a decade of diving, I was the newbie with a computer on my wrist.

There's always something more to learn...

 

[bleeb]

It is true what your saying. I went to Scuba Diving News :: CDNN - Cyber Diver News Network and saw so many reports of diver deaths lately. It is a bit intimidating as a newbie to see this. But I have read a lot of the reports and a lot have been because of people ignoring their computer alerts and others because of boat accidents and not seeing the diving flags that are posted out there.

Sources like the ScubaBoard Accidents & Incidents forum are pretty good to learn from, if you ignore the occasional flame war, but don't be too scared off by what you see just on CDNN. Lots of people call them the 'worse than National Enquirer' of diving.

 

[ScubaGirlJg]

Oh wow! I didn't know lolol So CDNN is the National Enquirer of diving...I will definitely keep that in mind lol. There are still many things I am learning about....I can't wait to go on my first ocean dive in 2 weeks!!! Its a battle of nerves and excitement! Can't wait to see what I will see on my first dive...Im heading over to West Palm Beach area, lantana beach I think.

Wow BettyRubble you were certified in June and already have 50 dives!!! That is awesome! I hope to be around the same mark in three months from now lolol.

Anyone know how cold the ocean gets in december around here in Florida? Colder then 70 degree springs?

Disclaimer: In no way am I trying to hijack this thread so please don't think this lolol I just got all these questions and was inspired by this thread! Thank you!

 

[BettyRubble]

SG - Since I'm the queen of thread hijacking, I sure as heck can't get upset with you for hijacking one of my threads!!!!

 

[thedebinator]

Thanks a ton Betty Rubble!! I too am a newbie, and I believe in Constant And Never Ending Improvement. I started at 16 lbs in the pool and after 7 whole dives am down to 14. I am learning to control my breathing to help with my buoancy. I have relaxed a ton since beginning (had a rough start in the pool) and am trying to find as much time and $$ as i can to get wet and improve my skills. I will be watching this thread to learn ever more.

Thanks again
Debbie