THE "PERFECT ( being horizontal ) TRIM" HOAX

[Centrals]

The topic is at least 20yrs old if not more!

 

[Blackcrusader]

I don't understand why you find that you have to strive to remain horizontal?
The funny thing is that such conditions, in my experience, are very rare, but they exist for sure. Here people speak about these conditions as if they are the norm. The second funny thing is that, apparently, there exists scuba police that forces people to have a specific trim. I never met a diver who tried to convince others to dive horizontally, never. But I have limited experience, maybe this is why...

Conditions such as fast drift dives or currents that move down or up or have the washing machine effect are not uncommon in Asia.
In fact there are many dives where the who point of the dive is doing a drift dive in 4 knots that takes you in lots of directions.
There are plenty of videos where people also use reef hooks for some dives. At one small island I dive at all you need to do is look at the tide charts and dive when the tides are coming in or out. You can get some ripping currents. Then again the same place is ideal diving when there is also little of no tides.

 

[Blackcrusader]

Exactly! Being horizontal is required for total control.
Up and down is buoyancy. Sure, you can kick up or down. Under normal conditions, why would you?

Being in total control has nothing to do with being horizontal. Here I am in perfect trim for the diving I am doing. In total control.

 

[Blackcrusader]

Whatever works, works. here's my video while trim...

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Nice video especially of all those other divers not horizontal, diving in a position that seems to suit them.
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I was on a dive and taught this lion fish how to trim. It was doing really well but forgot about that rule about not touching things.

 

[Centrals]

I don't see fish swimming with their body turned broadside to their direction of movement through the water....

But they do swim upside down under overhang!

 

[Blackcrusader]

But they do swim upside down under overhang!

One of the best times to go diving in Moalboal at the Sardine run is in the late afternoon when a feeding frenzy is on.
You see the sardines in all sorts of positions being chased by giant trevally, jack fish, thresher sharks and other critters.
I've had several large fish crash into me as they chase the sardines. Being in the bait ball can be fun.

 

[MichaelMc]

But they do swim upside down under overhang!

Nothing in what I said was against fish or people swimming upside down under an overhang.

Is anyone arguing for a strong butt heavy weight distribution for general purpose diving?

Setting aside being blown like a tumbleweed through a washing machine of currents. Where being a self righting weeble wobble could help in keeping your orientation, if not your ability to kick in a direction other than up. Weeble - Wikipedia

 

[Centrals]

Nothing in what I said was against fish or people swimming upside down under an overhang.

Is anyone arguing for a strong butt heavy weight distribution for general purpose diving?

Setting aside being blown like a tumbleweed through a washing machine of currents. Where being a self righting weeble wobble could help in keeping your orientation, if not your ability to kick in a direction other than up. Weeble - Wikipedia

Do not get me wrong. Your was a good post.
I just added something that some divers might not aware of. I was quite surprised when I first saw it many yrs ago. Because I know if gold fish swimming like this the outcome is grim.

I was too lazy to start a new post.

 

[Celt]

Wrecks have been mentioned a number of times as reasons you need to maintain a horizontal trim and frog kick. But the image of a diver gracefully frog kicking down the passageway of a wreck has nothing to do with the reality of 99% of wrecks. Unless they’ve been cleaned and placed as dive destinations. All WW1 and most WW2 wrecks are collapsed piles of metal and fishing gear. Especially ones that have been commercially salvaged. There may be sections of the bow or stern where you could swim in for a look around. That’s my experience of wrecks at any rate.

 

[Centrals]

Sun vista has several decks of long corridor to glide through. All the doors were opened from the stern on each deck. And we went in at the deck with the outside swimming pool. Good reference.
The most worrying aspect for us was the hanging carpet. Because if it came down we would be in serious serious trouble!!
That was long long time ago and no idea about the latest condition of this huge wreck.