Help me improve my trim (with video)

[Mel.B]

I'm throwing myself wide open here:11: This thread arose from one I posted in the equipment forum regarding my new drysuit.

Ok, background: 3 dive with drysuit (approx 250 dives total). Dry suit is 'hot'n'dry' www.hotndry.com.au shell type suit. I was wearing tracksuit pants & windcheater underneath (I KNOW I need to get proper undergarments but after forking out $1800 (dry suits are expensive in OZ) I can't afford it just yet) Total weight was 15lbs (normally only 9lbs with 7mm semi-dry) Super steel tank, BP/W. Max depth of video footage is about 2.5m (7-8ft)...my videophotographer is not a very good freediver

Normally when I dive, I have my legs straight as it feels much more comfortable to me, however this I believe is dragging me into a SLIGHTLY head-up position (maybe 10 - 15 degrees?) nothing excessive anyway. As a result of this posture it was thought that was possibly one of the reason I felt the squeeze in my drysuit around me legs (see other thread). So today, I really concentrated on bending my knees and getting my legs up so they were the highest point, thus hopefully distrubuting the air more evenly (or at least reducing the squeeze on my legs) Because I was so shallow it was hard to tell if it was effective or not.

I felt ok with my knees up and was like that for about 30min, so I think I'll be ok for longer dives. I felt as though I couldn't put my legs up any more (closer to 90degrees) than what is in the video as I started to feel out of control. I tried to hover as still as possible without kicking, but had to do this a little (there was a bit of a current)

So, what can I do to improve (please don't mention the gauge in the sand...I clipped that up as soon as I realised it wasn't clipped)

Ok, (please be gentle)... here's the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Nz_0rn6Ufw

(I hope that works!)

Thanks,
Mel.b

 

[H2Andy]

you look really good

you need to bring your knees up higher and be "flatter" on your stomach

also, i see that you do light kicks from time to time, so i wonder if there's not some inherent instability in your configuration, trim and balance wise?

anyway... i think you look great. i'd work on getting my knees up, perhaps it can be as simple as arching your back more.

 

[WVDiver]

You're doing fine for the amount of dives you've done in a DS. Practice, practice, practice. You'll get there plenty soon enough. Play with your weights and where you polace it and you will be fine.

 

[Mel.B]

you look really good



also, i see that you do light kicks from time to time, so i wonder if there's not some inherent instability in your configuration, trim and balance wise?

Thanks Andy,

It's interesting that you mention instability. I would never have thought I was unstable until yesterday. Reading a post on here regarding trim, it said to cross your legs so you're not unconsciously kicking to maintain position. I tried that and as soon as I did, I started to roll which indicated to me that I was unbalanced and unstable. I tried crossing my legs over the other way but still rolled.

So what do I look at to help solve this problem? In terms of weights, as mentioned I was using 15lbs (5 x 3lbs) My weight belt has 7 pockets and the five weights were in the back 5 pockets (i.e the first on either side were empty) so in that respect I was evenly balanced.

And I'll work on getting my knees up some more

Thanks,
Mel.b

 

[Tigerman]

You dont look very bad at all as far as I can see. Also, you should take into consideration that your feet shold be relatively low when diving a drysuit to avoid getting "floaty feet" and ending up with your head downwards and the feet upwards. Atleast thats what Ive read and learned. Ive also tried having my feet up too high and at the end of a dive when youre doing your doing your deco or safety stop, thats not very fun..

 

[suthnbelle]

Mel, I thought you looked good in the water with only a couple dives in the drysuit. Just get out there and dive as much as possible in it. That is what I keep reminding myself as well. Monday made dive number 14 for me wearing my drysuit.

Mel

 

[do it easy]

I think there is a balance between floaty feet and being in trim. I will fluff my drysuit so that my feet come up. There isn't so much air in them that they roll me, but they aren't negative either. My free advice is to dive the drysuit more- Your trim isn't too far off and once you get used to the suit, I think you'll be fine.

 

[divemaster_jim]

You looked good there guy,
I can only repeat what H2andy & the rest of the posters have said, Try to get more horizontal, FWIW I have trouble with mine from time to time too, I only use mine about 3 months out of the year. keep diving with it.

Quick edit: I goofed and got my vertical & horizontal mixed-up,
Thanks TSandM lol

 

[TSandM]

Your trim isn't bad at all, but you might find yourself a bit more stable if you move some weight up onto your back. When I dive my single 95s, I have 18 pounds on my waist, and three on the cambands, in addition to the 5 lb backplate. Without the three up top, I can stay in trim, but only by kicking a little. With the three, I can sit perfectly still.

One thing to watch -- You're doing what I have had to learn NOT to do, which is pointing your fins UP when your knees are bent. The fins need to be horizontal, and when you kick, your knees shouldn't come apart as much as they do now. The knees flex and extend, but stay together. That keeps you more stable, too.

Also, try to look up more if you can.

This is all nit-picky stuff. You look pretty darned good.

 

[neil]

I think you look good. I thought I caught a glimpse of ankle weights. ?? If so, lose them for a while, or permanently. If no ankle weights, I'd move some weight forward as TSandM suggested. Then teach the camera person everything you know.