Descending Vertically Vs Horizontally

[Jim Lapenta]

I am somewhat disturbed by your indication that weighting and trim were not very important in your pool dives. Proper weighting is stressed and addressed in all of the classes I assist with. It creates a much easier time for the student and instructor. Also although you said you were recently certified you did not indicate how much open water experience you have and in what conditions. I started experimenting with sky-dive ascents at dive number 28 in the devil's eye entrance in Ginnie Springs in my first ow dive in a drysuit to a depth of 22 feet. what a great feeling! clear, cool water,no rocks to impale myself on should my descent go a little too fast, and a nice soft landing area with no one coming down on top of me. I continued to practice the whole time we were down there and at manatee springs and in the devil's den. I also do it now alot when assiting with training dives with new divers as long as I'm out on the edge of the group. If I need to assist some one down the line it's feet first. Also why would you use the dump valve to bleed air on a normal descent unless you're not carrynig enough weight or a boat is coming at your head? You should be adding small bursts with your inflator once you start to descend in order to effect a nice easy controlled descent. That way you don't end up picking up speed and ending up knee deep in silt with zero vis and icepicks in your ears and sinuses. Believe me I'm not picking on you but the seeming lack of instruction concerns me. It's these things that cause problems which can lead to accidents that make diving seem unsafe and give competent instructors and their assistants a bad rap. I woul encourage you to at the least find some experienced divers in your area to dive with and let them know about your experience. Most will be more than willing to help and in fact be more willing to dive with you if you are honest with them. I would hesitate to dive with someone who has not at least gotten control of his descents. I also urge you to take a course in peak performance buoyancy or whatever your system of education calls it. It will not only make diving more fun but alot safer.

 

[Firefyter]

I was confused by dumping air during a descent, you shouldn't have any air to dump.

This may be the case if you are diving with a neutral tank, but if you're diving with a common AL80, you have to be weighted for the end of the dive when your tank is the lightest. This means that you have be negative at the beginning of the dive by several pounds. I never dump all my air, just enough to start my descent, and use breathing control to do the rest. By doing it this way, I still have some air in my BC and don't have to add but a short burst at depth to get neutral. I descend horizontally, and this works perfectly for me, but of course YMMV.

 

[ScubaTwo]

This may be the case if you are diving with a neutral tank, but if you're diving with a common AL80, you have to be weighted for the end of the dive when your tank is the lightest. This means that you have be negative at the beginning of the dive by several pounds. I never dump all my air, just enough to start my descent, and use breathing control to do the rest. By doing it this way, I still have some air in my BC and don't have to add but a short burst at depth to get neutral. I descend horizontally, and this works perfectly for me, but of course YMMV.

I have to empty ALL the air from my bcd on descending. When I get to my desired depth I inhale once deeply to stop (remember Im going super slow) . I dont touch my inflator hose again till its time to go up. I dont know if this is right or not. I have horrible problems getting down (sometimes have to fin down) but with a near empty tank I can do a safety stop without moving so I know im not under weighted. I think I have problems letting all the air out of my lungs mabe. What do you think?

 

[Jim Lapenta]

In order to be sure you are properly weighted you should have enough weight that with whatever exposure suit you are wearing with a full tank in water too deep to stand in, Take in a full breath. empty the air from your bc and with the reg still in your mouth,hold your breath and you should float at eye level.at this time exhale and you should start to descend. if not ADD WEIGHT!You should not have to let ALL the air out of your lungs, just exhale normally! It may only take 2 or 3 lbs or if you're in a seven mil and you started with 10 add another 12 or so.When you are able to start descending simply by exhaling add another 5 lbs if using an aluminum 80 to account for the lighter tank at the end of the dive. I use the pst steel 80's which are 1&1/2 lbs neg empty so I usually don't add any more. Then CONTROL your descent by adding short bursts of air as you descend. Upon ascent start up and as you ascend burp air out in short bursts. I am getting really curious as to where the instruction comes from in some of these cases. I am a relatively new diver but I see it all the time with new divers in my area. Equipment not fastened or secured properly,regs being put on backwards,people not properly weighted, and ow training dives being conducted in record time with people being told to put whatever they want down in their logs because it's their log!I am greatful for the time , patience and meticulous attention to detail that my instructor( now also my friend and mentor to me and my fiance)exercised with me. I hope this is not some new trend to turn out divers for the sake of turning them out for whatever reason be it money, quotas, or simply laziness on the part of the instructors.I will keep these posts in mind as I advance to the pro ranks as an example of what not to do as an instructor.If so

I have to empty ALL the air from my bcd on descending. When I get to my desired depth I inhale once deeply to stop (remember Im going super slow) . I dont touch my inflator hose again till its time to go up. I dont know if this is right or not. I have horrible problems getting down (sometimes have to fin down) but with a near empty tank I can do a safety stop without moving so I know im not under weighted. I think I have problems letting all the air out of my lungs mabe. What do you think?

 

[Xanthro]

This may be the case if you are diving with a neutral tank, but if you're diving with a common AL80, you have to be weighted for the end of the dive when your tank is the lightest. This means that you have be negative at the beginning of the dive by several pounds. I never dump all my air, just enough to start my descent, and use breathing control to do the rest. By doing it this way, I still have some air in my BC and don't have to add but a short burst at depth to get neutral. I descend horizontally, and this works perfectly for me, but of course YMMV.

You are overweighted if you have to descend in that manner.

I dive AL80s on most boat dives, being weighted for the end of the dive you still should not have any air in your BCD when you start your descent.

A properly weighted descend isn't as easy as simply releasing some air and sinking. You have to release all the air in your BCD, and your lungs. You need to exhale and when you think you have no air left, exhale some more, completely relax, and then you'll get down. You'll still be properly weighted at the end of the dive. While you gain some bouyancy from the tank, remember, you are doing your safety stop at 15 feet, not the surface. You need to be weighted for a depth of 15 feet with a bouyant tank.

As you descend, you should only ever have to add a short burst to control your speed, depending on the wetsuit, I sometimes don't add air till I'm at 50 feet. I can simply change descent speed by breath control.

It really does sound like you are just a couple of pounds overweighted.

 

[ScubaTwo]

In order to be sure you are properly weighted you should have enough weight that with whatever exposure suit you are wearing with a full tank in water too deep to stand in, Take in a full breath. empty the air from your bc and with the reg still in your mouth,hold your breath and you should float at eye level.at this time exhale and you should start to descend. if not ADD WEIGHT!You should not have to let ALL the air out of your lungs, just exhale normally! It may only take 2 or 3 lbs or if you're in a seven mil and you started with 10 add another 12 or so.When you are able to start descending simply by exhaling add another 5 lbs if using an aluminum 80 to account for the lighter tank at the end of the dive. I use the pst steel 80's which are 1&1/2 lbs neg empty so I usually don't add any more. Then CONTROL your descent by adding short bursts of air as you descend. Upon ascent start up and as you ascend burp air out in short bursts. I am getting really curious as to where the instruction comes from in some of these cases. I am a relatively new diver but I see it all the time with new divers in my area. Equipment not fastened or secured properly,regs being put on backwards,people not properly weighted, and ow training dives being conducted in record time with people being told to put whatever they want down in their logs because it's their log!I am greatful for the time , patience and meticulous attention to detail that my instructor( now also my friend and mentor to me and my fiance)exercised with me. I hope this is not some new trend to turn out divers for the sake of turning them out for whatever reason be it money, quotas, or simply laziness on the part of the instructors.I will keep these posts in mind as I advance to the pro ranks as an example of what not to do as an instructor.If so

wow. I dont think you read my post at all. But if I my ignorance can help you advance to pro status and be a better diver, well then your welcome

 

[Xanthro]

I have to empty ALL the air from my bcd on descending. When I get to my desired depth I inhale once deeply to stop (remember Im going super slow) . I dont touch my inflator hose again till its time to go up. I dont know if this is right or not. I have horrible problems getting down (sometimes have to fin down) but with a near empty tank I can do a safety stop without moving so I know im not under weighted. I think I have problems letting all the air out of my lungs mabe. What do you think?

If you are using a wetsuit, you should need to add a little air to your BCD to remain neutral as your wetsuit compresses and you lose bouyancy.

Everyone has trouble getting enough air out of their lungs. It's not a natural thing to completely exhale and relax.

Descents are not easy, and they are why most people are over weighted, they can't get down without that extra couple of pounds.

While I'll sometimes fin down as well, it's not the best habit to have. Often, it just a case of being relaxed during the descent and making sure you are not kicking at all if you are in a vertical position.

 

[Xanthro]

... if you're in a seven mil and you started with 10 add another 12 or so.When you are able to start descending simply by exhaling add another 5 lbs if using an aluminum 80 to account for the lighter tank at the end of the dive...

That's 27lbs for a 7mil. That's usually going to be too much weight. I dive 21lbs in a full 7 with a 3/5 hooded vest and that's still likely on the high side.

 

[ScubaTwo]

If you are using a wetsuit, you should need to add a little air to your BCD to remain neutral as your wetsuit compresses and you lose bouyancy.

Everyone has trouble getting enough air out of their lungs. It's not a natural thing to completely exhale and relax.

Descents are not easy, and they are why most people are over weighted, they can't get down without that extra couple of pounds.

While I'll sometimes fin down as well, it's not the best habit to have. Often, it just a case of being relaxed during the descent and making sure you are not kicking at all if you are in a vertical position.

I think your right on about being relaxed. I need to work on that. I get so excited about diving its hard to just chill out sometimes. About having to add air with the wet suit. I dont. I dont know why but I just always seem to level out were I want too. I thought I was under weighted so we practiced hovering at 15 ft our last dive and no probs. I also think I move my fins while desending without thinking about it. This weekend I will not move a muscle and let you know if it works better. Ty for your help

 

[jcm996]

I think horizontal is the main way in my circle of divers. This last weekend we could have gotten closer and held hand to make an under water formation like skydivers do.

I do have a problem burping my drysuit it seems, no matter how small of a ball I roll into. With no air in my BC I can not decend feet first. But if I fin down 2-3 kicks about 10 feet and go horizontal I can control my decend with breathing almost, I seem to need to add just a puff or 2 of air. Any suggestions or is this semi normal?