Ascent rate

[lexir]

How do I manage to get a slower ascent rate?

At my pool sessions, my ascent was too fast for the instructors liking, and had to work on it a few times. And during my OW dives, one of my ascents was a bit too fast. I have a pretty strong kick, so my first kick sends me flying up.
Any tips on how to slow down on future dives?

 

[Keith.M]

Start your ascent with your lungs and not your fins. You are at depth and neutrally buoyant. Take in a nice deep breath and you will start to rise. As you start to rise, the air in your BC will start to expand giving you more lift. You are not holding your breath. As you get more experience you will learn the efficiency of your lungs in controlling your buoyancy, and your ascent and even your descent at times.

 

[PeterNBiddle]

How do I manage to get a slower ascent rate? At my pool sessions, my ascent was too fast for the instructors liking, and had to work on it a few times. And during my OW dives, one of my ascents was a bit too fast. I have a pretty strong kick, so my first kick sends me flying up. Any tips on how to slow down on future dives?

Don't kick to start. You should be able to start rising simply by inhaling. As you start to rise exhale and let air out of your BCD.

How much weight are you using?

 

[Mr. Black]

Start your ascent with your lungs and not your fins. You are at depth and neutrally buoyant. Take in a nice deep breath and you will start to rise. As you start to rise, the air in your BC will start to expand giving you more lift. You are not holding your breath. As you get more experience you will learn the efficiency of your lungs in controlling your buoyancy, and your ascent and even your descent at times.

+1 the two posts above.

You need to be neutrally buoyant and then you will commence your ascent with just body control. From one of your earlier reports you did your OW course fairly overweighted. Let's investigate how much of that weight you actually need. Chances are you can shed a fair bit. I went through my early log book entries (yes, I keep a log book ) and apparently used to dive with 18 pounds on the belt, single AL80 tank and a 3mm wetsuit.

Looking at my logbook entries 30 dives later I was diving the same rig with 10 pounds of weight.

A proper weight and balance check should put you into a much better position to control your ascent and descent rate. PADI have a speciality called "peak performance buoyancy". Doing that (with good instruction) will change your diving a lot! I likened it to going from "driving a school bus" to "driving a Ferrari". Making that course a speciality is a crime IMHO - it should be part of the standard OW course. /rant

 

[lindenbruce]

Great points. Also try this. As you begin your ascent look for the smallest air bubble in your exhaust and focus on it trying to keep it in your sights like a fighter pilot would when chasing down an enemy plane. Remember, you are looking for the smallest air bubble and using it as an ascent guide. That should slow you way down. B.

 

[Agility]

additionally staying in a horizontal instead of vertical position will slow you down, just make sure to lift the inflator high enough to let air out.

 

[lexir]

Great points, everyone! I'll definitely keep them in mind!

PeterNBiddle: When we first started ascents in class, I was overweighted: 18 lbs!!!
Weight was gradually taken off as I got more comfortable (apparently my nervousness would prevent me from going down).
During my OW dives, I was at 8.

 

[Jon_R]

I use a smb and a finger spool. Stay negative send the smb to the surface and slowly spool in some line. Vent air to stay negative. It is very slow.... When I hit 12-15 feet stop bringing in line and hang for safety stop. One time to slow. Started up from 60 feet at 800 psi and got on boat at about 100. . I want to go faster than that.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[Akimbo]

Ascent rate control was much easier when the rate was 60'/minute. Just follow the cloud of small bubbles around you that are about the diameter of a pencil eraser. I haven’t been able to easily identify a 30'/minute bubble, probably a surface tension issue???

 

[Peter Guy]

OP -- what advice for slowing down did your instructor provide?