18 lbs Vs. 26 lbs??????

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Not sure about that. I was very, very sure to evacuate the wing completely.

I guess I'm just not as dense as the average person. HaHaHa

Thx again. SeaFlea
 
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SeaFlea:
Not sure about that. I was very, very sure to evacuate the wing completely.

I guess I'm just not as dense as the average person. HaHaHa

Thx again. SeaFlea
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Try this:

Jump into the water in just your trunks.

Pick up a 10 lbs lead weight.

See if you can just hang there motionless.

If so you are ~+10 lbs positive. If you have to work to stay at the surface you aren't.

Tobin
 
Another test is, in just swim trunks; stop treading and slowly exhale. I am a bit overweight (so the Dr. says) and I begin to sink in FW with less than half my lung volume exhaled. I can lay on the bottom for a short while with the residual air. In SW, I must exhale all of my lung volume and can not lay on the bottom.

In SW, with a travel plate (no weight to it), an AL80 and no neoprene, I can get by with 6 lb but am more comfortable with 8.
 
I got a tank with about 500 psi left, a AL80, got 12ft of water, evacuated the wing, then exhaled my lungs. i added just enough weight so that i would begin to sink when my lungs were empty. that amount of weight was 4 lbs.

actually i was keeping the weight symetrical and had to increase in 2 lb increments. two 1lb weights were not enough, went to two 2lb weights. so perhaps 3 would have been the mark.

end result, 4 lbs made it possible to do my 10 min safety stop without fighting to remain at depth.

as far as a AL bp, I like the SS because its great just having 4 lbs around my waist during the dive. I really like the BP/W config better than my SeaQuest Balance. Its just more stable.

SeaFlea
 
SeaFlea:
Well, I can say that 13 lbs is what I need to maintain 15-20ft during my safety stop.
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With no exposure suit? This could be a first. Are you, errr... (looking for tactful word)...generous of girth?

You really should not need much if any more ballast than a steel plate in just a swimsuit, unless your swimsuit is made out of styrofoam.
 
yes, you could same i'm abit too thick. i think its my overall body construction. i'm similar to a "fireplug" in design. i think i'm inherently more buoyant than the average person.

note: i'm working towards reducing my dimensions, so maybe i will be able to reduce my diving ballast in the future.

good dives, SeaFlea
 
SeaFlea:
I got a tank with about 500 psi left, a AL80, got 12ft of water, evacuated the wing, then exhaled my lungs. i added just enough weight so that i would begin to sink when my lungs were empty. that amount of weight was 4 lbs.
Click to expand...

I must have missed this post. An AL80 with 500 PSI is around 4 lbs positive, so your lead is basically offsetting that. Is this in addition to a steel plate with a steel STA?

Anyhow, it sounds better than 13 lbs of lead. If you want to try 3 lbs, you can put it centered on a cam band with one of the XS scuba camband pockets.
 
yes i was using a ss bp and a sta. together they weigh 9 lbs.

9 lbs on my back and 4 lbs on my waist.

good dives, SeaFlea
 
Just out of curiosity, have you tried getting in a pool with no tank/reg, just yourself wearing the backplate and STA? That would be interesting to see what happens.
 
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