Buoyancy help

[-JD-]

Still too cold for comfort in my used 7mil - 50f was tolerable last fall in the deep. Unfortunately, my dry-suit came in too late to get checked out last fall. Later in the season, I'll be looking for a buddy up at Dutch - bought my season pass last October.

Who are you doing AOW with? Wondering if you can jump in on one of their pool classes and play around to get things dialed in where it is super easy to observe and change things ...

Do you dive AL or steel? Reason that I ask is that with an HP100 steel, 7/5mil, and me (5'10" 185# and generally a sinker - anterior, abdominal flotation only), I'm running about 14-16 lbs total. Obviously, it depends on the tank, wetsuit, and your personal geometry/bioprene. I'm also foot heavy and run 3-4lbs on the upper cam band and 10-12 in waist pockets using neutral fins. I have shifted my tank up as far as practical to help get my CG up.

 

[Marivan377]

I’m 5’9 195. I’m doing my aow with blue horizon. Also my deep wreck nav and search and recovery. I dive Al80s usually. Looking over this conversation I feel the 24 was way to heavy for me to use. I’m gonna give 18-20 a shot and see where I fall. I’m gonna try to use all of your advice from ankle weights on tank to shifting things around.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

@Marivan377,

Not sure if this would help: How I weight students in open water courses | Facebook.

I'm against ankle weights due to the wasted energy in finning. If I understood your last comment is that you were head heavy. Would you describe your weight placement?

 

[Marivan377]

I was the opposite my last dive. Spent the whole dive vertical and flailing around to stay moving. Finning did nothing. I should of added air to the bc but didn’t know better. After watching myself on the buddies video I was basically treading water at depth the whole time.

 

[MrBigfins]

@Marivan377,

Not sure if this would help: How I weight students in open water courses | Facebook.

I'm against ankle weights due to the wasted energy in finning. If I understood your last comment is that you were head heavy. Would you describe your weight placement?

I referred to using an ankle weight on the neck of the tank Not on your ankles

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

I referred to using an ankle weight on the neck of the tank Not on your ankles

I misinterpreted the OP being head heavy.

In that case, @Marivan377, what fins are you using? Deep 6 Eddy fins are slightly buoyant in salt water. Do you have trim pockets on the upper tank strap?

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Most BC trim pockets are poorly placed. When the rig is on many of them end up with those pockets over the kidneys. Kidneys are not air spaces. Also if you need that much lead, it should not all be in the BC. Makes the BC hard to handle and presents a real hazard of a rapid ascent if you lose a pocket. Add a belt to your set up.
I'd also postpone the AOW until you get the buoyancy and gas usage issue sorted. Find an instructor to do a buoyancy workshop with you in a pool.
I have people coming Sunday to do this. They got poor instruction in their OW class. Buoyancy and trim are the foundation of all SCUBA skills and should be the first thing you work on in the OW class. Not an afterthought.

 

[Marivan377]

Mr big fins I knew what you meant.
Wetb4 I have atomic blade fins.
Here is a pic of where my trim pockets are located.

 

[GJC]

I would suggest you try to find a pool you can practice in. Maybe ask your old instructor if you can join a pool session to practice on your own. It's a lot easier to add, drop and re-arrage weight in this environment than on dives at a quarry or off a boat.

I suspect the placement of the weight pockects on your BCD may be causing air to be trapped in the upper part of the BCD making your upper body more buoyant. Placing weight on the cam band instead of the bladder itself may help.

 

[Marivan377]

I would suggest you try to find a pool you can practice in. Maybe ask your old instructor if you can join a pool session to practice on your own. It's a lot easier to add, drop and re-arrage weight in this environment than on dives at a quarry or off a boat.

I suspect the placement of the weight pockects on your BCD may be causing air to be trapped in the upper part of the BCD making your upper body more buoyant. Placing weight on the cam band instead of the bladder itself may help.

I like that theory you have. I was wondering about air being stuck at the top as part of the problem. Makes sense tho. The weight on bladder squeezing air up.