BPW Weighting: Overweight with no Lead

[crofrog]

Using the wetsuit would be my first choice as it makes the buoyancy a non-issue, and adds protection from jellies and bumps getting back on the boat in sporty conditions.

Worst case, though, I'd put you at -12 lb with a full tank. Compensate +6lb with a larger breath, gently finning for another 6 lb and you're there. I'd first try to put the damaged point of the wing low, though, and restore functionality

It seems like when they fail it’s at least half the time the inflator elbow coming off

 

[inquis]

It seems like when they fail it’s at least half the time the inflator elbow coming off

That's definitely the failure mode I hear about most, by a very wide margin.

 

[Almanac]

If only they made a device to compensate for the extra weight at the beginning of the dive…

If only there was a reason to not be carrying weight you don't need.

 

[Sascha314]

Are you sure it takes additional 8 to 9lbs for a 3mm wetsuit?

I add 4kg, if I switch from 5mm full wetsuit to 7mm half dry plus 5mm ice vest inxluding hood plus additional hood plus 5 to 8mm gloves (thinner on fingers) plus neopren socks.

Without any wet suit I am maybe a little overweighted without lead. For the 5mm I add 2kg.

Ok granted thats in fresh water, so it will be slightly more for salt water. For the full config its plus 4kg, but a 3mm is much less...

So all this is relative, does not matter whats your base need of lead, so independent of I use D12 steel with steel backplate or travel bcd with AL80.

And you could assume its ok to be minus 3kg, add 2kg of gas weight. You can compensate 5kg with finning.

 

[lexvil]

If only there was a reason to not be carrying weight you don't need.

The reason to not carry more than you need is yours to choose, the reality is you need what weight you need, you weight for the end of the dive and deal with the extra at the beginning.

 

[Almanac]

Are you sure it takes additional 8 to 9lbs for a 3mm wetsuit?

I add 4kg, if I switch from 5mm full wetsuit to 7mm half dry plus 5mm ice vest inxluding hood plus additional hood plus 5 to 8mm gloves (thinner on fingers) plus neopren socks.

Without any wet suit I am maybe a little overweighted without lead. For the 5mm I add 2kg.

Ok granted thats in fresh water, so it will be slightly more for salt water. For the full config its plus 4kg, but a 3mm is much less...

So all this is relative, does not matter whats your base need of lead, so independent of I use D12 steel with steel backplate or travel bcd with AL80.

And you could assume its ok to be minus 3kg, add 2kg of gas weight. You can compensate 5kg with finning.

I am not sure that my 3mm takes 8-9lbs. This was an estimate based on 5% of body weight. From what I am reading on here it should be more like 5-6lbs. I am going to wait till it is warmer to worry about how much weight I will actually drop without it.

I agree that compensating for and swimming up 5kg of extra weight is reasonable. I just want to be as close to properly weighted as possible at the end of my dive.

 

[Almanac]

The reason to not carry more than you need is yours to choose, the reality is you need what weight you need, you weight for the end of the dive and deal with the extra at the beginning.

I think I was unclear in my original post. My concern is not how much weight I will have at the beginning of the dive, but at the end. My positive numbers were meant to represent were I need to add weight to be neutral at the end of the dive. For example with a AL BPW, AL80, and a 3mm I will need to add 6lbs to have no air in my BC at 10-15ft. My negative numbers were meant to indicate that I would be carrying excess weight at the end of the dive. Hence my concern that using a AL BPW, Steel 100, and no wetsuit I would be ~8lbs negative (probably less after reading the comments here) at the end of the dive at my safety stop. This would be without weights at the beginning of the dive. I could use the BCD to compensate for the weight, but thought that was not a good practice to follow.

 

[lexvil]

I think I was unclear in my original post. My concern is not how much weight I will have at the beginning of the dive, but at the end. My positive numbers were meant to represent were I need to add weight to be neutral at the end of the dive. For example with a AL BPW, AL80, and a 3mm I will need to add 6lbs to have no air in my BC at 10-15ft. My negative numbers were meant to indicate that I would be carrying excess weight at the end of the dive. Hence my concern that using a AL BPW, Steel 100, and no wetsuit I would be ~8lbs negative (probably less after reading the comments here) at the end of the dive at my safety stop. This would be without weights at the beginning of the dive. I could use the BCD to compensate for the weight, but thought that was not a good practice to follow.

You have to dive more and make decisions based on what you need, all of this over thinking is less helpful than actually diving where you’ll learn the use finning and breathing techniques to assist you. Develop your own technique based on your body and your gear. Generally the common Al 80 is about +4 lb at 500 psi, newer HP 100’s are only ~ -1 lb (Faber) it actually sounds like you are not that far off but the reality comes in the water. Maybe you need a newer 3 mil or a vest, don’t give up on the 100’s.

 

[AsherN]

This would be without weights at the beginning of the dive. I could use the BCD to compensate for the weight, but thought that was not a good practice to follow.

Best practice is to be safe and enjoy. Ideally, you should have just enough lead to maintain the safety stop with no air in the BCD. But if your kit without lead is still negative at the end of the dive, then you put air in the BCD. The scuba police is not going to arrest you for it.

 

[johndiver999]

Best practice is to be safe and enjoy. Ideally, you should have just enough lead to maintain the safety stop with no air in the BCD. But if your kit without lead is still negative at the end of the dive, then you put air in the BCD. The scuba police is not going to arrest you for it.

The concern is what happens if/when the BC fails. Having 1-5 lbs of air in the BC at a stop is not an issue of concern.