Cape Ann diving

[Soggy]

I just moved to Eastern Mass and am hoping to go out on a shore dive this Saturday at Cape Ann. I've got a few questions (don't we all!).

I have, so far, only done cold, freshwater diving. I normally use 34 lbs of weight with an AL80, drysuit, BC, blah, blah, blah. This weekend I will be using a steel 72 in salt water -- two variables. I'm looking for suggestions on what I'll need for weight...I know I'll be more bouyant as a result of the salt-water, but weighed down more because of the tank.

Anyone else going to be doing the dive meeting at Cape Ann Divers on 8/3 ?

 

[Soggy]

Someone? Anyone?

bump

 

[Spectre]

Originally posted by AaronBBrown
I normally use 34 lbs of weight with an AL80, drysuit, BC, blah, blah, blah. This weekend I will be using a steel 72 in salt water -- two variables.

The difference between fresh and salt water is about 3%, so you'd only need to add a pound for the bouyancy difference. Now AL80 vs. S72 really depends on the make of the cylinder... for example, a standard 72 is -2 full +3.5 empty [working pressure 2250] whereas a Faber [working pressure 2400] is -6.5 full, -0.1 empty. Compared to an AL80 [catalina] is -1.7 full, +4.1 empty.

So lets assume you go from a Catalina AL80 to a standard 2250psi S72, your talking an empty difference between 4.1 and 3.5, or a .6 lb difference. So you'd have to add .4 lbs...

To make a really long story short... you should be fine.

 

[Soggy]

Thanks for the help...I think I'll bring along a couple extra lbs for the first dive, just to play it safe and then do a bouyancy check at the end.

 

[Spectre]

Originally posted by AaronBBrown
I think I'll bring along a couple extra lbs for the first dive, just to play it safe and then do a bouyancy check at the end.

Sounds like a perfect plan...

 

[Soggy]

I went this weekend at Old Garden Beach...met a bunch of other local divers. We had a bunch of fun. Very chill diving - 20 fsw on some rocks. There were bunches of lobsters, crabs, starfish, flounder, etc. This, being my first dive in the area was very exciting, as I have never seen any of these creatures in their native environment!

Hopefully, I'll be going out again next week!

 

[rcohn]

Spectre once bubbled...


The difference between fresh and salt water is about 3%, so you'd only need to add a pound for the bouyancy difference.

This means roughly 3% of the total weight of equipment and diver so he will need to add around 5 or 6 lbs.

Ralph

 

[Soggy]

rcohn once bubbled...


This means roughly 3% of the total weight of equipment and diver so he will need to add around 5 or 6 lbs.

Ralph

I added 4 lbs and was way overweighted. On my next dive with steel tanks, I'm not going to add any weight. The steel compensated more than enough for the salt water.

 

[rcohn]

AaronBBrown,

I wasn't talking about the tank. You would need somewhere between 4 to 6 lb (~3% of total weight) if you use the same tank you dive in fresh water. Then if you change tanks you must adjust your weights accordingly.

To be that heavy you must be using a ScubaPro (Faber) steel 72 which is a tank Cape Ann Divers rents. This tank allows you to remove 9 to 10 lb from your belt compared to a Al80.

So (just guessing) if you go from fresh Al80 to salt SP72 you'd be around +5-10=-5 so around 4 to 5 lb should come off your belt.

Ralph

 

[Soggy]

rcohn once bubbled...
AaronBBrown,


To be that heavy you must be using a ScubaPro (Faber) steel 72 which is a tank Cape Ann Divers rents. This tank allows you to remove 9 to 10 lb from your belt compared to a Al80.

Ralph

I rented steel 72s from United Divers. I have no idea what brand they are. I'm glad I was a bit overweighted, though, as it was my first dive in the area, I tend to float, and the dive was very shallow, so bouyancy control was difficult...especially in a drysuit. We spent a fair amount of time in the 8-10 ft range. I got inverted to look at something, rose like 2 feet and tried to kick down only to find that my fins were no longer in the water. I was thinking, "gee...we are shallower than I thought!"

It'll be interesting to see my dive profile when I can download it. Does anyone know of a local dive shop that has a uwatec memomouse set up for customers to download with? National Aquatic in Syracuse, NY does, and it is great...I don't want to spend $250 to get a graph of my dive profile.