Trying to compensate for feet down trim when wearing no exposure protection and little weight

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Also, try adjusting your cylinder the other way. It is a buoyant aluminum tank, right? Then shift the buoyancy of the cylinder lower, not higher.

I researched this a bit after I read your post- and although aluminum tanks are positively buoyant towards the end of the dive, at the start of the dive they are negative. So your proposed fix will only work at some point roughly halfway through the dive.
 
But I'm only using 6 lbs of weight and there's no 1 lb weights available. I've moved the tank up as far as it can go without banging my head
If the tank is aluminum, you're doing it wrong. If the tank is steel, then you're at the end of your adjustment.
 
Same point as in Post #3 which you already acknowledged in Post #9. :wink:

I'm still confused. It would appear that if I mount the tank lower, since it's negatively buoyant at the start of the dive it would exacerbate the problem, and it would only provide some benefit towards the end of the dive when it's positively buoyant.
 
I'm still confused. It would appear that if I mount the tank lower, since it's negatively buoyant at the start of the dive it would exacerbate the problem, and it would only provide some benefit towards the end of the dive when it's positively buoyant.

They're referring to AL cylinders becoming butt light as they empty. IMHO, I believe that by moving the AL tank up on your back as you have, you are benefiting on both ends of the dive. The tank is higher, giving you ballast up high, but you're also partially benefiting from the bottom of the tank becoming more buoyant later in the dive.

Body positioning helps by stretching out, hands out in front, face forward, glutes tight, knees up, legs bent. You would have to experiment to see how much to bend your legs. Generally, the taller you are, the more you can bend your legs upward before becoming head heavy and tipping forward.

I love 1 lb weights at home, but without access, no big deal. If it takes you that long to start tipping feet down, you could start by only moving 2 lbs higher on your body. For example, you could move 2 lbs to your right shoulder trim pocket and leave the other 4 lbs where they are. A right to left balance differential of only 2 lbs is absolutely nothing. Try moving the 2 lbs upward and try hovering motionless without correcting again. If you're still foot heavy, move 4 lbs upward, and leave 2 lbs where they are. You'll find your comfy spot.
 
They're referring to AL cylinders becoming butt light as they empty. IMHO, I believe that by moving the AL tank up on your back as you have, you are benefiting on both ends of the dive.

The advice was to lower the tank not raise it.

For example, you could move 2 lbs to your right shoulder trim pocket and leave the other 4 lbs where they are. A right to left balance differential of only 2 lbs is absolutely nothing.

I am currently using 3 lbs in each hip pocket, I can't move 2 lbs up because no 1 lb weights are available. I have found that a 2 lb difference between left and right side causes me to roll.
 
The advice was to lower the tank not raise it.

I know that. I am disagreeing with them. Unless you're 7 feet tall, you will still benefit from the butt-light characteristic of the AL tank toward the latter part of the dive - while also benefiting from the raised tank moving your ballast higher.

I am currently using 3 lbs in each hip pocket, I can't move 2 lbs up because no 1 lb weights are available. I have found that a 2 lb difference between left and right side causes me to roll.

You stated in the OP that you have access to 2 lb weights, so you could place 2 lbs in a shoulder trim pocket and place 2 2-lb weights where you have your 6 lbs now. Otherwise, 2 2-lb weights above on each side and 1 2-lb weight below. All configurations are equal to 6 lbs.

You correct the 2 lb imbalance with body position. I am very petite and don't get rolled. What would you do if you had a stage bottle or multiple stage bottles on one side? Learning to manipulate body position will serve you well.
 
Get some less negative fins :rofl3:
 

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