Can't get horizontal in the water??

[TSandM]

TT-Vert, I'm sure you've already read this somewhere, but body posture has a huge impact on trim. If you are allowing your knees to drop (flexing at the hips), it will tend to rotate you feet-down. Flat from the shoulders to the knees is the platform to start with -- and head up, looking forward. (But not "rearing up" which is easy to do when you think about head-up; it's just a motion of the neck). Then find out how you rotate. If you STILL tend to go feet-down, then you have to figure out the physics. The weight on the front end of you needs to be increased -- tank moving up, tank neck weights, arms out in front of you -- or the weight below the COG needs to be decreased. You can do this by using light fins, or by bending your knees to bring your fins closer to your center of gravity. Using an aluminum tank that becomes butt-light as it empties will help, and that may also allow you a bit more weight to move around.

 

[J-FRAME]

I have short arms also. I have played w/ my arms out and that does seem to make the most signifigant difference in my attitude in the water but I still slowly sink if I do not fin. I don't have any I can borrow unfortunately maybe I'll just buy something.

Dave

Ok folks. I,m in Maui and have signed up at Maui Dreams for a peak performance buoyancy class on next Thursday AM . Two dives and training cool I,m excited. Will report back as to what I learn. Thanks for all the help.

 

[J-FRAME]

Ok folks. I,m in Maui and have signed up at Maui Dreams for a peak performance buoyancy class on next Thursday AM . Two dives and training cool I,m excited. Will report back as to what I learn. Thanks for all the help.

Well no information for the board this trip. My doctor in Anchorage would not do the medical without seeing me. Going home on Sat Jan 28 th so this will all happen next year 2013 and I will have my annual physical just before I come. Thanks for all the replys.

 

[TT_Vert]

I'll have to pay more attention to my upper leg position. I dive w/ an AL80 now and I notice that moving my arms forward as I said helped. With that said, an additional 4# on the upper tank strap didn't seem to help my issue at all so perhaps it's just a matter of my leg positioning. I'll have to play around some more and see. It feels so awkward to me to position my body like that, I was able to do it on the bottom of the pool w/o a problem so I have no idea what my deal is with that position while not on the bottom of the pool..


Dave

TT-Vert, I'm sure you've already read this somewhere, but body posture has a huge impact on trim. If you are allowing your knees to drop (flexing at the hips), it will tend to rotate you feet-down. Flat from the shoulders to the knees is the platform to start with -- and head up, looking forward. (But not "rearing up" which is easy to do when you think about head-up; it's just a motion of the neck). Then find out how you rotate. If you STILL tend to go feet-down, then you have to figure out the physics. The weight on the front end of you needs to be increased -- tank moving up, tank neck weights, arms out in front of you -- or the weight below the COG needs to be decreased. You can do this by using light fins, or by bending your knees to bring your fins closer to your center of gravity. Using an aluminum tank that becomes butt-light as it empties will help, and that may also allow you a bit more weight to move around.