Floating

[sactoscuba]

?/ just how important is floating in scuba diving? Ever since i can remember, sufing,rec swimming three swimming classes i have not been able to float. 263\6'2'' someone told me once that it has to do the fact my body fat is real low, is this true and how will this affect my diving class?

 

[BrianS]

You need to be able to float/tread water for 10 mins in your Open Water course.

 

[sactoscuba]

So if you can't float you don't pass?

 

[StSomewhere]

If you can't float *or* tread water, you don't pass the first pool session. There is a firestorm of threads about swimming skills right now, but IMO the one water skill you need for diving is the ability to tread water/float for a long-ish period of time.

 

[phylo]

Dont worry you will do fine if you can swim you can tread water.. I have the same problem you do, I dont float at all.. I can fill my lungs in the pool and if I dont try to stay on the surface I sink! I actually sink in a 3mm full suit if I let the air out of my lungs!

In fact, having your body be negativly bouyant means you dont have to have as much weight on your belt. That makes diving a lot more comfortable..

?/ just how important is floating in scuba diving? Ever since i can remember, sufing,rec swimming three swimming classes i have not been able to float. 263\6'2'' someone told me once that it has to do the fact my body fat is real low, is this true and how will this affect my diving class?

 

[m3830431]

No one actually floats for ten minutes that I know. Not floating in scuba is actually a benefit unless you are so negatively bouyant that you can't find a BCD that keeps you up.

 

[fishoutawater]

I don't seem to float as well as I did when I was a kid. I float, but it's more vertical now.
Treading water to me, is a skill that's quite useless. If you're in the water staring at a departing boat, land is a long way away (it happens), and no floatation, holding the weight of your head out of the water is just wasting energy.

Best way to deal with it is by floating on your back, tilting your head as far back as it will go, and breathing in. In this position your eyes are under the water, but your mouth and nose are out. I like to take in large breaths, hold for a bit, then exhale and kick/stroke and inhale. There's a certain rythm to it. Anyone can do this all day long without any gear. And if you happen to be wearing a shirt with a tight fitting neckline, you can scoop air into the bottom of the shirt.
But in real life, if you're wearing a wetsuit, BC and fins, you'll float like a cork. Plus, with scuba gear on, the most efficient way to swim on the surface, is backwards on your back.
And with fins, there's no reason to use your arms, so you just flutter kick.
OTOH, people do fall off of boats and piers. If your going to spend much time around water, these skills are nice to have.

 

[StSomewhere]

No one actually floats for ten minutes that I know.

I'm no gym rat, but I'm not exactly fat either. I floated for my entire ten minute tread/float. I've been known to float on my back for over an hour, as long as I stay awake I'm fine.

 

[pasley]

I once had a cadet who was afraid of the water. She also could not float. I instructed her to do me a favor and sink to the bottom of the pool. That’s right, be vertical in the water and put your hands to your side and stay perfectly still and sink to the bottom. She could not do it. She sank about a foot and then bobbed back to the surface with the water at eye level. All that thrashing around was making her sink. You most likely just need some lessons in how to float. Just relax, tilt your head back and arch your back, take a nice deep breath and float. If you sink a tad at first don't sweat it. You will bob back to the surface. Heck, even dead bodies can do it.

You may be thin and have low body fat (mine is between 13-17%) but I would be surprised if you truly cannot float. There are some, but it is very rare. I also note you are from California, land of the 7mm wet suit. Floating will not be a problem wearing that. My wet suit requires 18 pounds of lead just to sink the wet suit without me in it.

 

[Walter]

fishoutawater had some excellent pointers for you. Let your feet sink, that's ok. Arch your back. As long as your mouth is out of the water, you are floating, just not as high as those with more body fat.