Getting Horizontal Trim

[befee]

Thanks for the input from everyone. I'll be more diligent with making sure I maintain posture.

I sourced an al bp from a friend that I can borrow. I might bring that along with my STA weight (as this combination adds 2 lbs to the total rig). I also looked back at my notes and on a few dives I noted that I felt a bit light on the last stop of some of the dives, so this might actually work out.

 

[TSandM]

Where does the STA weight ride? If it runs the length of the STA, it isn't going to help, because functionally, it's equivalent to the steel backplate. Whatever weight you add to the light plate needs to be added at the top.

 

[befee]

Where does the STA weight ride? If it runs the length of the STA, it isn't going to help, because functionally, it's equivalent to the steel backplate. Whatever weight you add to the light plate needs to be added at the top.

It rides in the channel of the STA. If I understand correctly, all that it will accomplish is essentially making my bp heavier (6lb vs 8lb) but what i really need is to add weight farther from the pivot point to utilize the leverage?.

 

[TSandM]

Exactly. Your center of gravity/center of lift are off kilter, with the center of gravity shifted downward because of the heavy fins and legs with very little neoprene on them. The lift is on your back. You need to move the center of gravity up toward your head, so that it coincides with the center of lift, and you will float in a horizontal position and be stable. You can do that by reducing the negative things below your wing, or by adding negative things to your head end to counterbalance -- but your COG is likely somewhere around your hips at this point, so you can see the lever arm available for weight added to your back or shoulders is pretty short, compared with the length of your legs. And since you don't require any weight beyond your backplate, you don't have a lot to work with.

When I started divermastering classes and doing a lot of work in the pool, I had to play around with this, because the Jets I used for open water just made me feet-heavy, and there was really nothing I could do with posture that fixed it. I ended up getting a set of light, plastic fins for class work, because I can balance properly with them. I don't have that problem with warm open water diving, because I dive dry and just put some air in my feet.

 

[cnar]

Get an aluminum backplate or a plastic one, that will allow you to shift weight on your cam. I dive in warm water with a 3mm and because my legs sink and I'm a little fluffy on top being able to shift weight is important. On my last dive I had 8lbs on the cam and 6 on my belt. My BC for better or worse is positively buoyant. Being able to position the weight is more important when you're chasing trim.

 

[rjack321]

An Ali plate plus 4lbs on the top cam band might work. But I suspect your posture is not so great. Most of us (myself included) get lazy butt and if its sticking up with thighs pointing down at an angle there's no gear in the world which will fix that. Also excessively extended legs will tend to drop, they need to be up like an L and close to your butt. You seem to have pictures or video of yourself, if you really want to fix this we need to see those, so post 'em up.

 

[befee]

Here is me attempting prone position


This is me kicking (I seem to be more horizontal here)


Definitely have my knees down but it might be attributed to me posing.

Note at the time I was using Atomic split fins which are neutral to buoyant. Oh and I had a stupid flag clipped off on me.

 

[dkktsunami]

Part of the problem, after looking at your pictures, is long, slender legs. Your legs are likely negative and then there is the added negativity (fins) out on the end of the lever arm. I am built the same way ......shift weight forward and look for more buoyant fins. It takes practice. Also avoid wet suits that are thicker in the core (3/2, 7/5) in favor of a full, one thickness suit. A dry suit makes life easy - you can allow a little air into your legs. From the pictures you appear to be real close to your objective.

 

[boulderjohn]

Oh and I had a stupid flag clipped off on me.

As a slight change in topic, I hope the way you wrote this indicates that you now know you should not clip any kind of surface float to yourself while diving. A boat snagging it (and they love to use them for slalom gates for some reason) would be quite unpleasant.

 

[rjack321]

View attachment 145546
Here is me attempting prone position

View attachment 145548
This is me kicking (I seem to be more horizontal here)

View attachment 145547
Definitely have my knees down but it might be attributed to me posing.

Note at the time I was using Atomic split fins which are neutral to buoyant. Oh and I had a stupid flag clipped off on me.

You are head heavy and dropping your knees to compensate. I know you think you are foot heavy, but you aren't. Switch to an ali plate and put the lead necessary on your waist (which is close to your CG). (Note that even if I'm 100% wrong, you will still need an ali plate in order to move weight around on your cam bands.)

The kicking issue is different, but if you can get your static trim fixed then you won't be doing crazy leg extensions as pseudo compensation.