first ow and weight

[horsemen]

did all class work today only missed 4 on the final test
doing first ow dive tomorrow
i know a few thing i need to work on from the pool like clearing the regulator. not to bad when i have air to blow it but with no air clearing i dont like the feel of the water in the mouth . and i know tomorrow at the beach dive the salt water taste will get me.


a question seeing how this hasn't been covered very well in my class "at all"
ok when we got our gear they gave us weights based on our weights and hight i am 6ft 245 they gave me 30 pounds. i know this is to much because i have to use a almost full bcd to float "using a integrated bcd" so if i wanted to find the right weight for me how would i go about doing this seeing how it would be hard to add or remove weights with this bcd.

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

The weight required is going to decrease as you get more comfortable over time. 30 pounds is probably heavy. There are many ways to determine what you need but as far as I'm concerned this is what works best. Towards the end of your dive, when you have just a few hundred pounds left have some of your weights in your hand. Drop a couple of pounds on the bottom in about 10 feet of water and see if you stay there, if you can't stay down then you were correct. Do this until you get it right.

We have a saline pool at our shop and we just put everyone in full rubber and weight them there, but almost everyone requires a couple of extra pounds the first time in open water just because their anxiety levels are up so they don't breathe the same as they would when they get relaxed, down the road.

Enjoy.....

 

[oscar_2424]

did all class work today only missed 4 on the final test
doing first ow dive tomorrow
i know a few thing i need to work on from the pool like clearing the regulator. not to bad when i have air to blow it but with no air clearing i dont like the feel of the water in the mouth . and i know tomorrow at the beach dive the salt water taste will get me.


a question seeing how this hasn't been covered very well in my class "at all"
ok when we got our gear they gave us weights based on our weights and hight i am 6ft 245 they gave me 30 pounds. i know this is to much because i have to use a almost full bcd to float "using a integrated bcd" so if i wanted to find the right weight for me how would i go about doing this seeing how it would be hard to add or remove weights with this bcd.

What kind of exposure suit are you wearing?

 

[No Fish]

I suspect that your instructor will get you sorted out as you go. After you are certified, there are many things you will eternally work on to be a good diver. Weighting is just one of them. It will change with you exposure suit, your tanks, your weight, your skill, and all sorts of subtle factors. There are some basic gudelines to get started in your manuals etc. but your instructor will guide you to proper weighting for conditions and tasks. Trust him/her for this.

By the way, what is the certifying agency? If it is PADI, I know that there are many materials and additional training you can take in the future that involves fine tuning weight and weight placement.

I hope this helps a bit.

 

[redrover]

did all class work today only missed 4 on the final test
doing first ow dive tomorrow
i know a few thing i need to work on from the pool like clearing the regulator. not to bad when i have air to blow it but with no air clearing i dont like the feel of the water in the mouth . and i know tomorrow at the beach dive the salt water taste will get me.

a question seeing how this hasn't been covered very well in my class "at all"
ok when we got our gear they gave us weights based on our weights and hight i am 6ft 245 they gave me 30 pounds. i know this is to much because i have to use a almost full bcd to float "using a integrated bcd" so if i wanted to find the right weight for me how would i go about doing this seeing how it would be hard to add or remove weights with this bcd.

Fresh off the boat myself - what those guys said.

Here is the deal. There is a fair amount of tension going on, I think for everyone. I am impressed at how much it affects buoyancy. Even if you think you are calm, you are not as calm as a more experienced diver. Remember this is something new – the ocean diving aspect is new even if you are an accomplished snorkler.

My opinion is that in the long run you are better off overweighting than optimal weighting.

The reason is ascending. You may think you ‘get it’ in a shallow pool but the ocean is a different playing field you do not want an uncontrolled ascent. Controlling ascent is a lot more complex from deeper, your timing and situational awareness just is not going to be operating quick enough and things get out of hand very quickly. Learn to do it right first then work on problem solving and corrective actions and then work on optimal weight. And keep in mind little things can mean big differences in weighting (new fins was a bit of a shock

)

So, I can’t say how much you should carry for optimal or what is more than necessary. But your instructor is the one with the experience and knows you. Talk to him/she/it/them whatever. If you’ve got questions, ask them. Here is good, but they have you and the situation right in front of them – use it.

BTW, I use integrated BC, no sweat to change weight. Now changing from the beach, that would be more time consuming.


Oh, as for the salt water in your mouth… Might be a good idea to get used to it, sure can’t avoid it….maybe do some salt water gargling tonight?

 

[Buoyant1]

That would be my question also?!?!

In a full 3mm in salt water I've been using 28-30lbs (and I weigh almost 300lbs) Fresh water same set up I've been able to get away with around 20lbs...

I just got a 7mm as well as a hood and gloves and need to figure out where I'll be for fresh water with that... but for your size, 30 lbs sounds like a LOT of weight even it you are using a 7mm! (although for my OW cert, I had 26-28lbs, but by the last dive my DM said I NOW had too much weight on..and that was in fresh water)

Salt water in the mouth? Not as bad as salt water in the eyes IMHO, but you'll get used to it...

Have fun!

What kind of exposure suit are you wearing?

 

[Walter]

Trust your instructor

I wouldn't trust an instructor who decided you needed 30 lbs without checking it in the water. He's either lazy or incompetent.

If it is PADI, I know that there are many materials and additional training you can take in the future that involves fine tuning weight and weight placement.

This is basic and should be completed prior to the first OW dive. While there are instructors who don't do a good job, PADI standards do require proper weighting in the OW course. You can't blame PADI for this short coming.

if i wanted to find the right weight for me how would i go about doing this seeing how it would be hard to add or remove weights with this bcd.

Get in the water with a nearly empty tank, a deflated BC and have a buddy hand weights to you until you float at eye level with full lungs. Keep in mind, you'll need more in salt water than in fresh. You'll be about 6 lbs heavy at the beginning of the dive due to the weight of the air in the tank.

 

[UnixSage]

You'll be about 6 lbs heavy at the beginning of the dive due to the weight of the air in the tank.

Only a AL80 tank right?

I confused the heck out of my Instructors. I am 5'11" and 325Lbs with just a swimsuit I can sink in a pool (Fresh water empty lungs). They tried to start me of with 12Lbs and a steel tank. Except the drills where I needed to use a belt for I did not need lead for pool work. When I went for my checkout dives (7MM top) I got 20Lbs.. The running joke was that the LDS owner was trying to drown me. Dropped it down to 14 it is was tolorable.

Seriously though, being a little heavy is good when you are working on a platform. I agree that durring training is the only time you do this but none the less it serves a purpose.

I am a newly minted diver so take my observations with a grain of salt.

Thanks

 

[No Fish]

I wouldn't trust an instructor who decided you needed 30 lbs without checking it in the water. He's either lazy or incompetent.

Pretty hasty words. I don't think that the verdit is in on how, if any, weight checks were done. What? Don't trust your instructor? I would not give that advice, especially if I am not there and observed the content of the course.

This is basic and should be completed prior to the first OW dive. While there are instructors who don't do a good job, PADI standards do require proper weighting in the OW course. You can't blame PADI for this short coming.

Nobody said anything about blaming PADI. Maybe you did, I am not sure. The point was that there is no perfect formula. The basics are in he course. Effective instruction? That remains to be seen.

Get in the water with a nearly empty tank, a deflated BC and have a buddy hand weights to you until you float at eye level with full lungs. Keep in mind, you'll need more in salt water than in fresh. You'll be about 6 lbs heavy at the beginning of the dive due to the weight of the air in the tank.

I would say holding a normal breath...

 

[horsemen]

sorry i went to bed early last night to get as much rest as i could with the drive time i had to get up around 430am

ill go tho as many questions as i can recall

class type PADi
suit 7mm body glove
tank al80
weight was give out at the rental area instructor wasn't even their he said use all of what they gave out i guess they use a chart or something

if i missed any thing sorry

ok first ow dive hard to say it was a 1 on a scale 1-10 because it was my first but the visibility was only 3-4 feet high serf and red tide also so we more less did a fallow the leader thing at 30 feet for about 20 min only saw a few star fish.

i know it gets better so i not going to let this discourage me