First dive with BP/W. Weighting question

[Charred]

Hello scubaboard,

I am a relatively new diver purchasing my gear.

I just did a pool dive with my new DSS bp/w. I have the 17lbs torus wing. I observed a dramatic improvement in comfort vs the rental jackets. Most notably, I went from 16 lbs on my last dive (ocean) with a bulky scuba pro jacket to none extra in a pool. I am so pleased with this aspect. I have a few questions that I could use some advice on.

I was in a 15 foot pool. So realistically, you can sit at 12-13 feet. I think my weighting was ideal as I could descend on exhale and then at the bottom I needed a bit of gas in the wing. However, I felt like I was oversensitive to my breathing. I would rise quickly on a deep breath and descend on exhale. I felt too twitchy. Is this the result of being very close to neutrally buoyant at ~13feet (i.e. pressure/volume can change quickly).

Also, my trim was a bit off and my legs were heavy. I'm a runner/biker so this is normal. The first stage was just bumping my head so no help there. Near the end pool of the session, I put a 2lb weight on my upper cam band and this resolved my trim but I didn't have a lot of time to play with my buoyancy. I just kind of looped the weight into the band (fine for the pool, no way for OW). I'll pick up some weight pockets to resolve this. My worry is I'll be over weighted with the extra 2lbs.

HOWEVER, I'm really gearing for tropical vacations (3 planned this year). Can anyone help me estimate the extra weight I'll need in the ocean. I weigh around 210lbs. I think I'll need an extra 5. So in the end, I could add 4-6lbs on my cam bands to help with trim.

I am a little concerned adding that much weight to my cam bands so that now the rig weighs 5-6 for the plate plus 4-6 so ~11lbs plus regs against my 17 lb wing. I worry moving weight to a belt (or a pouch on the band allowing me to ditch the weight early) would hurt me trim.

Am I tackling my weight issues correctly?

-Mike

 

[Caveeagle]

Couple points/questions

-What suit are you wearing and will this be the same for tropical vacations?
-What tank are you using... " " (makes a big difference)
-If your wing has several sets of holes, try and move the wing lower to correct for heavy feet before adding trim weight
- I don't think a trim weight on the tank band is a bad idea if you actually need it to maintain horizontal trim. Just make sure you are not so negative that you can't swim up your rig without being able to ditch the weight
- Others may chime in, but I find I need about 4-6# more weight going to salt water.. But I try to go with 4# and am diving steel tanks and don't mind kicking down the first 10'. Just want to make sure your not ridiculously positive with a low/empty tank so that you blow your safety stop.

 

[cool_hardware52]

Mike, You have included no information about that you plan on using for an exposure suit for your warm water trips.

If I assume a 3mm suit and al 80 you should need about 8-9 lbs of total ballast. About 4-5 for your suit and 4 for an empty al 80. 11 lbs suggest that you are 3-4 personally buoyant. Not very likely, at 210.

Being closer to ideally ballasted will result in your breathing having a greater overall effect. That's a feature, not a bug.

Overall expect to tweek for a few dives, but in general I'd go slow adding ballast. Move your tank up, and your plate and wing down relative to your body and see if that doesn't remove the need to add ballast. Bend your knees and extend your arms too.

Good luck,

Tobin

 

[ScubaSteve858]

I am 6'3" 205lbs. and with my DSS steel plate and AL80 in the ocean I need no additional weight. This is with board shorts and a rash guard. You don't mention your exposure suit if any so assuming you aren't wearing one I would say you might just need the 2 lbs on the cam band for your trim issue. However I have had success adjusting my trim by simply moving tank up or down.

 

[stuartv]

Being 2# overweight is NO big deal at all.

If you need 2# weight on your upper cam band for trim, and no additional weight in fresh water, but, say 4 more pounds in salt water, then, if it was me, I would try putting trim pockets on the upper and lower cam bands and put 4# on the upper band and 2# on the lower band.

I have (had?) some XS Scuba trim weight pockets and they were bigger than I liked. I now have some of these and they are nice. And pretty reasonably priced ($10 each):

DGX Gears Trim Weight Pocket (each)

ps. I said "if you need the 2# for trim". The suggestion to try moving the wing down on your BP is a good one and may be all you need.

 

[Charred]

Mike, You have included no information about that you plan on using for an exposure suit for your warm water trips.

If I assume a 3mm suit and al 80 you should need about 8-9 lbs of total ballast. About 4-5 for your suit and 4 for an empty al 80. 11 lbs suggest that you are 3-4 personally buoyant. Not very likely, at 210.

Being closer to ideally ballasted will result in your breathing having a greater overall effect. That's a feature, not a bug.

Overall expect to tweek for a few dives, but in general I'd go slow adding ballast. Move your tank up, and your plate and wing down relative to your body and see if that doesn't remove the need to add ballast. Bend your knees and extend your arms too.

Good luck,

Tobin

Thank you for the replies.

I was wearing a 3mm in the pool and plan to wear the same on vacation.

Do you think 3-4 personally buoyant is too little or too much? I should have tested. I intended too and forgot

If I do add trim weights, do I need to split the 2lbs left and right (1+1) or can I put a 2lb right by the plate on 1 side? I'm unsure if where I am going will have 1lb weights.

I'll try to lower the plate a bit as well.

 

[Lorenzoid]

. . .
If I do add trim weights, do I need to split the 2lbs left and right (1+1) or can I put a 2lb right by the plate on 1 side? I'm unsure if where I am going will have 1lb weights. . . .

Being kind of a precision buoyancy fanatic (I wonder where I picked that up), I take my own two 1-lb. weights with me to tropical destinations (i.e., 3 mm suit, Al 80, SS plate). I put each one in an XS Scuba trim pouch on the upper camband. I snug each trim pouch up against the plate, so that they are as close to my back as possible. Sure, I could put one 2-lb weight in the middle, but I am concerned about a weight that far from my back producing a reverse keel effect. Part of the beauty of a BP is having its weight so close to your body.

 

[Dish]

@Charred , as a new diver, your interest in proper weighting is commendable.
You say that you are experiencing heavy legs. May I ask what finning technique you are currently using? Flutter or frog? I think Tobin was hinting at that with his post.

 

[stuartv]

I take my own two 1-lb. weights with me to tropical destinations

I do the same.

 

[Buliwyf]

I did the same thing.

Flutter kick, stop, legs heavy. Completely forgot that the "scuba pose" is knees bent, arms folded and forward when stopped. Frog kicking as I slow down helps me remember to get out of the snorkeling, flat, position.

So when I reach where I'm fluttering to, I frog kick once or twice before I get there.