Buoyancy and thick wetsuits

[DiveNav]

Simulator is giving me 29lb for your configuration when properly relaxed ...

Sinking the initial first ft is sometime the most difficult part ..... the wetsuit is still trapping air and it is more buoyant than normal ..... the gasp effect makes you inflate your lungs and so increase the buoyancy.

Also, when people insist to sink feet first ... they tend to kick to stay vertical ... but then the fin's thrust prevent them sinking.

My recommendation .... don't rush to sink, deflate your BC and breath just a bit ... and do NOT kick. If your body tends to tilt head down .. let it go for few feet (make sure to equalize soon and often) .... don't fight it ... and do NOT hyperventilate.
Once your are down 5 feet ... you are golden ... and you can trim for horizontal.

Regards,

I_AM

Actually ... 29lb was for a standard one-piece 7mm.
For a farmer john style I estimated 32-33 lb

Both numbers are meant to give you neutral buoyancy at 15ft with 500PSI AL80.

Regards,

I_AM

 

[bisugo767]

I_AM, Thanks!

Phil (bisugo767)

Actually ... 29lb was for a standard one-piece 7mm.
For a farmer john style I estimated 32-33 lb

Both numbers are meant to give you neutral buoyancy at 15ft with 500PSI AL80.

Regards,

I_AM

 

[DiveNav]

I_AM, Thanks!

Phil (bisugo767)

You are welcome.

By the way ... you can play with the simulator yourself .... it is available online (free till the end of 2008) at www.ediving.us.

Regards,

AM

 

[bisugo767]

AM

I tried registering myself at eDiving but I got an error message saying that I was not a beta tester. How can I have access?

PA (bisugo767)

You are welcome.

By the way ... you can play with the simulator yourself .... it is available online (free till the end of 2008) at www.ediving.us.

Regards,

AM

 

[DiveNav]

AM

I tried registering myself at eDiving but I got an error message saying that I was not a beta tester. How can I have access?

PA (bisugo767)

Sign up to become a beta tester?

Virtual Diving - Explore your Ocean

Regards,

I_AM

 

[jpungi]

I find this thread to be very interesting. I also dive with a Farmer John 7mm wet suit. I owned a sea-quest spectrum BC. While on the surface, I always have trouble getting under 10-15 feet even when I am relaxed and I exhale. Once I reach that depth, I have great bouyancy control. This week I tried out my new BCD which is also a Sea-quest Pro-QD. Unlike my old BC, this has weigh integration. I went on a dive with a group over the weekend and had my worst dive in 12 years. I had to aboart so I woudln't hold the group back. The instructor wanted to start the dive in 10 feet of water and swim out to 40 feet underwater. (I knew I was in trouble!) How come everybody else has no problems staying under at 10 feet and I do? The guide kept adding weight to my pockets. I was able to finally sink but I was hitting the bottom. Add a shot of air, and I shot to the top. This means I was over-weighted big time. I realize I have to learn boyancy all over again with my new BC, but I have always suspected the problem of not being able to decend with the proper amount of weight, may be my wetsuit. It is a Mares 7mm Farmer John two peice style and I bought it about 10 years ago. I have always wondered if this specific suit has been the problem from the beginning. I have a suspicion it is more boyant than another brand of 2 piece wetsuit. Is this possible? I am 187lbs, 5" 10".

 

[woulddive4food]

I dive with 16 lbs - 18 lbs (a little more in salt water) and 7 mm vest and 7 mm john and 7 mm hood. I am 5'7", weighting 145 lbs. My experience has shown I cannot really go under 16 lbs of leads without having problems getting throught the first 10 feet, even with my lungs and BC empty. It seems you are diving with way too much leads.
Try really emptying your lungs to get through the first feet would be my advice. Once you are deeper, you don't really need as much leads anyway.

 

[Nemrod]

Get you a new suit and insist that it be made from genuine Rubatex G231 N. This is real nitrogen blown neoprene, USA made, and it is heavier and does not compress as much.

Rubatex G231 N is still being made to the best of my knowledge, I just bought a new suit from Wetwear and it is made from Rubatex G231 N.

Rubatex.com - Rubatex International, LLC

Welcome to Wetwear - Custom Wet Suits of Rubatex Neoprene for Scuba Diving and All Water Activities

N

 

[hudson]

$545 for a zippered 7mm Rubatex isn't bad at all..

 

[White Knight]

It sounds like you have received some good advice and even I have learned some things by reading your thread comments. That said, my words of wisdom: Purchase a dry suit, it sounds like a lot of neoprene to me with your wetsuit--even though dry suits usually require more weight, in your case, it might just lower the weight. Use a low profile mask; the bigger ones hold a lot of air. Use a steel tank, that drops 5lbs off of your belt. Ensure that you are dumping all the air out of your BC. I have seen buddies fail to do this. For kicks, bag up all of your neoprene and fill a barrel of water or equivalent. Then see how much led it takes to sink it? I think you'll find your huckleberry.