Another weighting question

[Daner]

As a cold water wetsuit diver, I have recently discovered that I will sometimes have a more difficult time desceding at the begining of a dive with a full tank than holding the safety stop at the end of the dive. I think the reason is that thick (and layered) exposure suits often hold multiple pockets of air that create positive bouyancy at the beginnging of a dive. Depending on the seals and such it could take some time for the air to work its way out typically during a dive. For me the release of the air pockets more than offsets the change in bouyance from the empty tank.

I know, I know, a properly fitted wetsuit shouldn't have air pockets but it is close to impossible to fit a 14mm wetsuit perfectly and still be able to get in and out and breathe.

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

For what iss worth, I have a cheap 3mm jump suite and and good 7mm FJ+Jacket. There is a 20lb difference bewteen them when I dunk them in a fresh water barrel.

 

[amajamar]

So if my total load is 265 lbs...

265 / 40 = 6.625

30 lbs ballast - 6.625 = 24 lbs +/-


correct?

 

[amajamar]

I know, I know, a properly fitted wetsuit shouldn't have air pockets but it is close to impossible to fit a 14mm wetsuit perfectly and still be able to get in and out and breathe.

A medium and a large over it???

 

[Daner]

A medium and a large over it???

I meant 2 pieces of 7mm layered. The 2 pieced suits are ment to be layered so you would where med -med or large - large. I think a large over a medium would cause more air to be traped. Now a medium over a large would squeeze all that rubber together but it might raise the pitch of your voice a little.

 

[amajamar]

Now a medium over a large would squeeze all that rubber together but it might raise the pitch of your voice a little.

I tend to wear a large suit.

Tried a medium on once.....


Once. :no

 

[Daner]

I tend to wear a large suit.

Tried a medium on once.....


Once. :no

Do you still have it on? Should I call for help!

 

[amajamar]

Do you still have it on? Should I call for help!

Too late!

Not much left to save....

 

[sambolino44]

You just gave me a great idea! I've been working on my weight, too. When I had a BC with pockets, I would carry one or two 2-pound weights in the pockets, and at the safety stop (I do almost all shore dives, so the 15 ft safety stop is at the bottom) I would put one down and see if I could stay down. This way I gradually reduced the amount of weight I used.

I now have a BP/W with no pockets. Last time I tried to check my weighting at the safety stop, it didn't work out very well. I just put the last 2-pounder near the buckle of my weight belt, and was going to open the belt and drop it to check my weighting. At one point I was completely vertical, feet up (drysuit), hanging on to my weight belt, and my buddy hanging on to me. No great disaster, actually pretty comical, but not a very practical way to fine tune my weighting.

So here's my idea, not that it's original or new. I have a way of attaching the 2-pounder with a short piece of webbing and a quick-release buckle. I'll just put one or two of those on my harness or my weight belt so when I go to check my weighting at the safety stop I don't have to remove the whole belt. I'll just unclip the small weights and see if I can stay down at 15'.

One other complication with this is how much air do you keep in the drysuit when you're doing these checks. I guess the answer must be the minimum amount it takes to prevent squeeze and stay warm. That's kind of vague. What I'm counting on is something I've learned over time: the more I dive, the easier it gets, and a lot of the things I'm worrying about now kind of go away on their own.

I don't know how people do this when the safety stop is way above the bottom; give the weights to your buddy I guess.

 

[spectrum]

One other complication with this is how much air do you keep in the drysuit when you're doing these checks. I guess the answer must be the minimum amount it takes to prevent squeeze and stay warm. That's kind of vague. What I'm counting on is something I've learned over time: the more I dive, the easier it gets, and a lot of the things I'm worrying about now kind of go away on their own.

I look at it terms of how compressed can you CONSISTENTLY have the suit when you hit the shallows for your stop. If it's still puffy one day at 15 feet you will be in trouble.

I have a 2 pounder with a clip that I use to test the lower limit, easy on and off. It also lets me move weight around to finesse trim. If I need more to play with I just take a 2 pounder and a plain bolt snap and double tie wrap them to make a temporary elcheapo clip-on weight.

Pete