Buoyancy, weight and Trim.

[Todd Whitworth]

Hey all,

Wanted to update you on an experiment I did on yesterdays dive. I didn't put any weight in my trim pockets, had 14lbs on my waist, and 10lbs in each integrated pocket. Had no issue descending, still a little challenge with buoyancy but I played a lot with my lungs and started to get the hang of that a little. Just need to keep getting in the water.
Thanks, everyone for all of the tips.
Cheers,

Todd

Hey Folks,

I'm looking for some feedback. I dive in British Columbia Canada most of the time, and it's cold here so I have a lot of exposure protection. I wear a full 7mm wetsuit, with a 7mm shortie overtop. Keeps me nice and warm.
Typically I wear about 40lbs of led. 14 pounds on my weight belt. 3 pounds x 2 in my two trim pockets. 10 pounds x 2 in my BCD's integrated weight pockets.
Sometimes I can go down without the trim weight but most of the time that's not the case. I don't always have an easy time staying neutral, and I think I use my BCD too much to try and control buoyancy. Still working on the breath. Any advice tips or tricks? Your answers are most appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Todd

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[BoltSnap]

Hey Folks,

I'm looking for some feedback. I dive in British Columbia Canada most of the time, and it's cold here so I have a lot of exposure protection. I wear a full 7mm wetsuit, with a 7mm shortie overtop. Keeps me nice and warm.
Typically I wear about 40lbs of led. 14 pounds on my weight belt. 3 pounds x 2 in my two trim pockets. 10 pounds x 2 in my BCD's integrated weight pockets.
Sometimes I can go down without the trim weight but most of the time that's not the case. I don't always have an easy time staying neutral, and I think I use my BCD too much to try and control buoyancy. Still working on the breath. Any advice tips or tricks? Your answers are most appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Todd

Get a drysuit!!

 

[NAUI Wowie]

I have a super 80 aluminum tank. We picked that up for me because of the size, I'm short, my tank is short, it works out well.

=)

Todd hello, I just wanted add that the Steel 100 tank is about 2 inches shorter than an aluminum 80. So if you want a short tank go with the steel 100. A steel 117 is about 3 inches shorter than an aluminum 80.

Also steel 100s are about negative half a pound when fully empty. maybe negative 1.5 pounds at 500psi? And Aluminum 80s are positively boyant about 4.5 pounds when empty so maybe about positive 3.5 pounds at 500 psi?

Steel tanks for many divers are the way to go to help your boyancy or trim (depending on dimensions of user) and especially if you are looking for short tanks.

these specs vary a small bit by manufacturer but the standard does apply that aluminum 80s are a couple inches longer and btw about 5 pounds lighter than a steel 100 when empty.

EDIT- OOPS! I just saw you had a SUPER 80 which is shorter than standard. My mistake not reading your post correctly. Well if you want to carry less lead elsewhere the steel tanks help with
that

EDIT2 Do you have a Luxfor S80? those are approx 23 inches long. The Catalina S80 is about 26 inches long same as a normal 80 aluminum.

 

[BlueTrin]

I think one of the best help you can get for a new diver is to have someone in a shallow area ‘rotate’ you in flat position.

I wasn’t aware that I wasn’t flat until a divemaster held me by the tank and literally moved me and held me in a flat position. Once you know how flat ‘feels’ you can start moving the weight around do you can stay flat without much effort. To stay flat in open water it helps if you look far ahead from time to time rather than down.

Also another I was doing wrong is that I was taking, I think, too full and too long breaths, so it was pushing me up and down.

I think frog kicking is more stable than flutter kick if you want to try it. I found it easier to learn scissor kicks first then transition to frog kicks.

 

[Todd Whitworth]

I'm headed down to warmer waters next fall, so I don't think I'll be needing a dry suit for a while.

Get a drysuit!!

 

[Todd Whitworth]

I'll take a look, I think it's a Luxfor but need to confirm.

 

[Todd Whitworth]

Going to start working on frog kicks when I dive on Sunday. I just got a new dive buddy who I hope to go out with regularly. Practice practice practice.