Can women do double tanks?

[MikeFerrara]

My wife is a little over 5 ft and 100 lbs and some change. She dives doubles almost exclusively and often adds a couple of stage and/or deco bottles.

 

[Viv]

I too fall into the 5ft. and 100+some category. No one has ever said to me that I couldn't dive doubles because I was a "girl" and I don't subscribe to that theory. However, I am concerned because I already have some trouble handling my gear when just wearing an Al80. I could tell you multiple stories about falling over backwards during beach entries and being unable to get up as well as not being able to get up boat ladders. I don't do a lot of weight training - I'm a yoga, aerobics, running sort of gal. Any workout suggestions?

 

[Rick Murchison]

Viv once bubbled...
I too fall into the 5ft. and 100+some category. No one has ever said to me that I couldn't dive doubles because I was a "girl" and I don't subscribe to that theory. However, I am concerned because I already have some trouble handling my gear when just wearing an Al80. I could tell you multiple stories about falling over backwards during beach entries and being unable to get up as well as not being able to get up boat ladders. I don't do a lot of weight training - I'm a yoga, aerobics, running sort of gal. Any workout suggestions?

If you're serious about not being able to get up with a single 80, then I'm serious that you should use the BBB option (see my previous post). Otherwise you'll eventually get hurt, maybe badly.
Rick

 

[Walter]

Rick is correct. Anyone, men and women, need to be careful not to lift things (doubles or anything else) that are too heavy for them. As mentioned earlier, use your legs and don't be afraid to ask for help. The other questions anyone should ask are: Do I really need doubles? Is it worth the extra weight? There are lots of single tanks available today that hold more air than my little doubles.

 

[Viv]

Gear handling has been more of a problem for me with diving than some of the underwater skills. I'm fine in the water - but getting there and getting out is another story. I guess I am going to have to take out an ad for a BBB since most of my dive buddies are other women or smaller males. I just hate feeling so helpless

 

[Wendy]

I have no problem with doubles, although getting back up onto a boat with a swim platform was a challenge, I still did it and without help from the DM that didn't offer me any help. And some of the entry points to the springs can be tricky, but still I do it.

And then when I get home, the only way I can get my tanks inside is to wear them, up a very long flight of stairs.

I have seen women divers of all heights, weights, sizes etc wearing doubles.

Why are you wanting to wear doubles?

 

[Rick Murchison]

Viv once bubbled...
Gear handling has been more of a problem for me... I just hate feeling so helpless

Please don't even let the word enter your vocabulary! There are plenty of BBB's who absolutely thrive on helping out with the heavy stuff - hell, I use 'em from time to time myself (I'm 54 and starting to get real careful with what I lift and how I lift it - my full doubles/BP/light canister come in right at 150 - once in that rig if I want to add so much as a pencil I holler for help!). In exchange I can offer help identifying fish, fixing busted gear, refinements in technique, being the best buddy in the water they've ever dreamed of...
Scuba's more fun as a team sport... be you - contribute your own way - let the brawny folks be brawny.
Rick

 

[wrecNcaver]

Viv once bubbled...
Gear handling has been more of a problem for me with diving than some of the underwater skills. I'm fine in the water - but getting there and getting out is another story. I guess I am going to have to take out an ad for a BBB since most of my dive buddies are other women or smaller males. I just hate feeling so helpless

No need to feel helpless, but don't be afraid to ask for help just cause you are a female. I have been diving doubles exclusively for the past 6 years, am a female(older female at that) and have a bad knee! I spend time each week in the gym with weight training to keep my legs and back in shape to move the tanks around on land. Once in the water they are no problem. I personally do not like 104's, too big, so dive steel 95's and steel 80's. I also add deco bottles when needed. I didn't have a BBB with my last dive buddy, but we did work together to move gear. Worked out great. But the best thing I did was get in the gym for weight training.

 

[metridium]

One tech-diving granny I know uses twin 63s on every rec dive...no idea what she uses for her tech dives, though.

 

[Viv]

Sometimes it is hard to get the right amount of help. Either everyone is standing there watching me struggle or they appear to assume that just because I can't lift a tank that I can't hook up my regulator or do anything else.

As to why I want to wear doubles: Eventhough I'm small I use a lot of air. I am interested in doing more NE wreck diving and I need the gas.