SparticleBrane
Contributor
Holy crap, 18lbs in a 3/2? 
That is ridiculous.
I would bet you don't need more than 6lbs.
That is ridiculous.I would bet you don't need more than 6lbs.
Ankle Weights
- Thread starter AceszHigh
- Start date
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Sas
Contributor
To stop floaty feet you can try the following:
-do a weight test and make sure you are not wearing too much weight
-move the tank to as low as possible (this should help to stop your feet floating)
-wear your weight on a belt (rather than in trim pockets and so on)
-use negative fins
-failing all that, wear ankle weights. Some people need them. Most dismiss them as a crutch but really, if it makes you more comfortable who cares what others think?
I personally always wear ankle weights when I am doing really shallow dives with my camera (i.e <6m or so) as without them my feet float (and I have jetfins + tank as low as possible + weight belt + SS BP). But try other things first of course.
-do a weight test and make sure you are not wearing too much weight
-move the tank to as low as possible (this should help to stop your feet floating)
-wear your weight on a belt (rather than in trim pockets and so on)
-use negative fins
-failing all that, wear ankle weights. Some people need them. Most dismiss them as a crutch but really, if it makes you more comfortable who cares what others think?
I personally always wear ankle weights when I am doing really shallow dives with my camera (i.e <6m or so) as without them my feet float (and I have jetfins + tank as low as possible + weight belt + SS BP). But try other things first of course.elan
Contributor
elan
Contributor
Are you actaully going feet-up and head-down, or does it feel that way? For me, when I am truely horizontal, it feels like I am doing a faceplant. I have even seen video how me swimming horizontal, but I swear it felt like my fins were well above my head.
Get in the water with someone else to look at you before you start messing with ankle weights.
LeadTurn_SD
Contributor
Damselfish
Contributor
The OP says 175 lbs, not 75lbs (maybe they fixed a typo later.)
OP
AceszHigh
Contributor
Yes it was originally posted as 75lbs, and I corrected it later when it was pointed out.
LeadTurn_SD
Contributor
Hi AceszHigh,
Please take this post in the spirit is intended (helpful/concerned). I apologize in advance if you've already thought all this stuff through:
The reason we got off on a tangent regarding your weighting is that often new divers are overweighted when they start out. Sometimes grossly overweighted. Instructors sometimes overweight students intentionally to decrease the chance of run-away ascents if the students goof on bouyancy control.
Students often contribute to their own overweighting by having "nervous" fins while trying to descend, unconscious breath holding when drying to descend, not knowing how to completely vent their BC's, etc. All of these are technique issues that, until solved, make it seem like more weight is required.
Overweighting can make bouyancy control and correct trim difficult.
But more important, overweighting can become a serious safety issue if your BC fails. If your "correct" weighting is 10 lbs, but you are wearing 18-20 lbs to overcome some of the issues mentioned above, you could be in real trouble at the beginning of a dive when your "rig" is at its maximum weight. You might have difficulty remaining at the surface without dropping weights.
If you are correctly weighted, you should be able to keep your head above water even with an empty BC.... it may be tiring but you can do it, because correctly weighted you are only negative by the weight of your gas at the start of the dive.
Please be sure that you really need 18-20 lbs with a 3/2mm. That is what I use with a 3XL 3mm wetsuit, 5mm hood, etc., and I'd bet one of my favorite appendages that I'm a lot more "floaty" with the "extra padding" I've accumulated in recent years than you are
Best wishes.
Please take this post in the spirit is intended (helpful/concerned). I apologize in advance if you've already thought all this stuff through:
The reason we got off on a tangent regarding your weighting is that often new divers are overweighted when they start out. Sometimes grossly overweighted. Instructors sometimes overweight students intentionally to decrease the chance of run-away ascents if the students goof on bouyancy control.
Students often contribute to their own overweighting by having "nervous" fins while trying to descend, unconscious breath holding when drying to descend, not knowing how to completely vent their BC's, etc. All of these are technique issues that, until solved, make it seem like more weight is required.
Overweighting can make bouyancy control and correct trim difficult.
But more important, overweighting can become a serious safety issue if your BC fails. If your "correct" weighting is 10 lbs, but you are wearing 18-20 lbs to overcome some of the issues mentioned above, you could be in real trouble at the beginning of a dive when your "rig" is at its maximum weight. You might have difficulty remaining at the surface without dropping weights.
If you are correctly weighted, you should be able to keep your head above water even with an empty BC.... it may be tiring but you can do it, because correctly weighted you are only negative by the weight of your gas at the start of the dive.
Please be sure that you really need 18-20 lbs with a 3/2mm. That is what I use with a 3XL 3mm wetsuit, 5mm hood, etc., and I'd bet one of my favorite appendages that I'm a lot more "floaty" with the "extra padding" I've accumulated in recent years than you are
Best wishes.
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