Weighting for very shallow dives

[beanojones]

Why does surge affect how much weight one wears?

 

[aprivetera]

I understand your point, Beano. I am trying to think back to when I began and go from there. For me, a few extra pounds in surge gave me a feeling of (buoyancy) control.

Now, after some years, I have learned that surge is not anything you can control, but rather just recognize and manage. The correct answer is nothing. But I was going more towards letting the fellow diver learn that for himself.

 

[drrich2]

The degree to which air volume changes due to pressure is most intense in the shallow depth ranges. For example, the air in your BCD drops to half its volume when you drop down to 33 feet. But you have to drop down another 66 feet for it to be halved again. So, if you have air pockets (e.g.: neoprene wet suit, dry suit, air in BCD), the volume fluctuations will be greater with depth shifts in the shallows as opposed to deeper down. Also, if you are 60 feet deep & drift up 10, you don't break the surface.

On the issue of how surge might impact weighting choice, well, if your weighting is so marginal it's requiring a deliberate effort to keep lung volume low to remain underwater, then having to deal with surge is going to make you do more multi-talking. It's easy to overload a diver.

So, it's not that your buoyancy changes directly due to surge, but rather than if you're overweighted, you're less likely to bob to the surface while distracted by dealing with surge.

Think of the stereotype of the OW class where the students have been overweighted to make them easier to deal with.

Richard.

 

[BRT]

If I were going to do shallow dives less than 30 feet I'd add a couple pounds. But it may be more critical on a deep dive because if you really need to hold a 15' stop and can't it is bad.

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

I add weight when I will be doing drift diving, I need it to insure the SMB stays vertical. Depth does not play an issue.

If I am doing shallow dives, I use a the thinnest possible wetsuit. Thin neoprene (2 or 3mm) does not have nearly the buoyancy change that 5-7mm has. Its often warm enough on shallow dives since it is not compressed much and the water tends to be warmer.

 

[spoolin01]

...Now, after some years, I have learned that surge is not anything you can control, but rather just recognize and manage. The correct answer is nothing...

If you periodically want to be negative for immobility - photography perhaps while kneeling on the bottom, or going into overhang environments - surge is better managed with extra weight. I regularly add weight when diving for that purpose, and it's helpful. For mid-water buoyancy control, extra weight obviously is even worse at shallow depths.

 

[eelnoraa]

Guys, what are you talking about????why would the depth of the dive has anything to do with the amount of weight??? Even if the max depth is 100ft, you will need to be able to fully control. In fact, the deeper the dive, the more important it is to be able to maintain control in shallow stop. The goal is still be able to maintain stop at empty tank.