designer bc

[STOGEY]

One of my first dives this year was at Old Garden Beach at CAape Ann in Mass. Anyways I was on my 2nd dive when all the sudden I started to ascend very quickly. I thought that maybe I had put a little too much air in my bc or maybe a small surge or up current had just happened.

Anyways after letting out some air in my bc everything went back to normal. After the dive I got out of the water, taking off my bc and tank I noticed that one of my intergrated weight systems on my bc was missing. I have a oceanic pro bc. The bc comes with two pockets that you can place one 10 clip on type weight systems to each side of the bc. Since I weigh about 200 I use a soft weight belt with 10 lbs to fill out my 30 lbs. of weight.

Well now I know why I started to ascend very quicly, it was becuase that one of the weight systems had slipped out of the bc's pocket. Being cheap I tried a bunch of solutions in correcting the weight discrepency. I even added extra weight to my soft weight belt. The soft weight belts are nice, but if they hav more than 15 lbs of weight on them, they have a tendency to slip quite a bit. I bet that on one dive I spent 200-400 lbs of air just trying to keep my weight belt up, that was not fun.

Through experimentation I've noticed that on this particular bc that both weight pockets even though the weights are snapped into a female type snapper they do have a tendency to slip and become unclipped. Maybe there is a flaw in this bc that the manufacturers haven't figured out yet, becuase I make sure that those weights are securely fastened in before I put on the bc.

So what I've done is that I've took out the pouches that hold the soft weights into the bc. And I put two 5 lb soft wights in each pocket. This gives me 20lbs, plus the 10 lbs in my belt I now have the 30 that I need.

Knowing that if I do have to get rid of some weights in a hurry, I can either drop the belt or quickly take out 10 lbs from the pockets. I started to rise pretty quicly when the weight pocket fell out, so I have no worry about making an ascent if I had to, just by losing a few lbs.

Now that I have that all figured out I'm slowly trying to loosen the amount of weight that I need, becuase I found out how easy it is to control bouyancy with less weight that I usually take with me. I have to do is figure out how to get down with out fighting and using up too much air.

 

[xSandman3]

Make sure that your buddy knows how to release your weights also...never know when he or she may hafta save your hiney.

 

[Deep Hull]

One of my first dives this year was at Old Garden Beach at CAape Ann in Mass. Anyways I was on my 2nd dive when all the sudden I started to ascend very quickly. I thought that maybe I had put a little too much air in my bc or maybe a small surge or up current had just happened.

Anyways after letting out some air in my bc everything went back to normal. After the dive I got out of the water, taking off my bc and tank I noticed that one of my intergrated weight systems on my bc was missing. I have a oceanic pro bc. The bc comes with two pockets that you can place one 10 clip on type weight systems to each side of the bc. Since I weigh about 200 I use a soft weight belt with 10 lbs to fill out my 30 lbs. of weight.

Well now I know why I started to ascend very quicly, it was becuase that one of the weight systems had slipped out of the bc's pocket. Being cheap I tried a bunch of solutions in correcting the weight discrepency. I even added extra weight to my soft weight belt. The soft weight belts are nice, but if they hav more than 15 lbs of weight on them, they have a tendency to slip quite a bit. I bet that on one dive I spent 200-400 lbs of air just trying to keep my weight belt up, that was not fun.

Through experimentation I've noticed that on this particular bc that both weight pockets even though the weights are snapped into a female type snapper they do have a tendency to slip and become unclipped. Maybe there is a flaw in this bc that the manufacturers haven't figured out yet, becuase I make sure that those weights are securely fastened in before I put on the bc.

So what I've done is that I've took out the pouches that hold the soft weights into the bc. And I put two 5 lb soft wights in each pocket. This gives me 20lbs, plus the 10 lbs in my belt I now have the 30 that I need.

Knowing that if I do have to get rid of some weights in a hurry, I can either drop the belt or quickly take out 10 lbs from the pockets. I started to rise pretty quicly when the weight pocket fell out, so I have no worry about making an ascent if I had to, just by losing a few lbs.

Now that I have that all figured out I'm slowly trying to loosen the amount of weight that I need, becuase I found out how easy it is to control bouyancy with less weight that I usually take with me. I have to do is figure out how to get down with out fighting and using up too much air.

Wow, I am still pretty new at this game but 30lbs of weight seem a bit much for a 200lb person. I weight in at 240 and only use 20lbs of weight to get down.

But I agree 100% with sandman, make sure your buddy knows how to ditch your weight in the event of a problem. Also, try this thread for some great tips on performing your descent without wasting air http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=67590

 

[Damselfish]

Wow, I am still pretty new at this game but 30lbs of weight seem a bit much for a 200lb person. I weight in at 240 and only use 20lbs of weight to get down.

Everyone is different. Anyway, you are diving in warmer water so good chance you are wearing less exposure protection.

 

[Deep Hull]

Everyone is different. Anyway, you are diving in warmer water so good chance you are wearing less exposure protection.

Good call.

 

[STOGEY]

I've done that before,that is go head first sometimes when I need an extra tank and I bring my buddies aluminum tank with me. Sometimes 35 lbs does the trick and somtimes I may need more, so instead of going back to get extra weight, I go head first. I have never had any problems equalizing my ears, and actually it is kinda fun doing something that isn't taught in the book.

Going by the book is just like everything else from the military to whatever. The book only teaches the basics, and the basics usually applies to the average person, but not all people are average and sometimes you do have to do things not by the book.

 

[spectrum]

Wow, I am still pretty new at this game but 30lbs of weight seem a bit much for a 200lb person. I weight in at 240 and only use 20lbs of weight to get down.

But I agree 100% with sandman, make sure your buddy knows how to ditch your weight in the event of a problem. Also, try this thread for some great tips on performing your descent without wasting air http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=67590

That sounds just about right for a New England Ocean diver who is diving wet with an Aluminum-80

For diving up the road from Stogey in Maine I'm using a total of 28 with PST-E7-80s and I think I can drop 2 more anytime. The AL-80 would require about 7 more pounds of weight. I'm also 200 lb with a 7mm Arctic full suit and a 7mm Arctic hooded step-in sleeveless shorty, both Bare.

In the ocean I wear a 16 pound belt, 3+3 integrated/ditchable and 3+3 in the nonditchable trim pockets.

Having 20 ditchable on the belt is probably safe enough for all but the deepest wet dives. If you need to dump more than that from the deep you talking polaris time so it's big trouble either way.

Pete

 

[STOGEY]

I don't plan on going below 80 feet anytime too soon. And when I was in Playa I use al 80s and got away with 15 lbs, even then I was pressing the limit as far as the minimum weight that I needed.

 

[cummings66]

I don't plan on going below 80 feet anytime too soon. And when I was in Playa I use al 80s and got away with 15 lbs, even then I was pressing the limit as far as the minimum weight that I needed.

I feel lucky that in cold water I can use 16 lbs of weight and in warm water I use 8 lbs of weight. I feel lucky because my knee's don't have to carry that extra weight, and it sure seems like it adds up on the surface. That's using an AL80 and 7mm suit and a 3mm suit.

I weigh 175 - 180 lbs right now for what it's worth. One of my dive buddies who's a similar build to me wears about the same amount of weight you do, it's strange how that works. You wear what you need and thats that.

 

[shooter226]

The amount of weight is different for each person.

I think the problem you are having is with your BC. This is one reason that I dive with a Zeagle Ranger. No clips, no pockets, no BS. It uses hard weight, soft weight, rocks, or any thing else. And if you need to ditch the weight you don't have to buy a special pocket to go dive again.

Have Oceanic fix the problem!

Mark