Help with weighting?

[Gombessa]

My usual vacation config: AL80, jacket BC, Mares quattro fins, 3mm wetsuit: 12lb on the weight belt.

Proposed config: AL80, SS BP/W, jets, 3mm wetsuit; 6lb-weighted or 1lb-unweighted STA: ??

I think I'm probably actually a tad overweighted with a weighted STA and no weight belt, and maybe in need of ~4lb with the unweighted STA. Does the math check out?

 

[FLDVR]

Wow, heres a question with a different answer for each person depending on such factors as body composition, Wetsuit floatation and weight of the rig itself.
The best way to find out before you go on vacation is to find some quality time in the
water or pool first to sort out your trim and bouyancy.
Henry

 

[Mr Carcharodon]

My usual vacation config: AL80, jacket BC, Mares quattro fins, 3mm wetsuit: 12lb on the weight belt.

Proposed config: AL80, SS BP/W, jets, 3mm wetsuit; 6lb-weighted or 1lb-unweighted STA: ??

I think I'm probably actually a tad overweighted with a weighted STA and no weight belt, and maybe in need of ~4lb with the unweighted STA. Does the math check out?

For myself I would be overweighed with the 6 lb BP and 1 lb sta. Consider using an aluminum BP for this configuration. You want a setup you can swim to the surface in the event of a wing failure at the begining (least buoyant) part of the dive.

Of course your buoyancy characteristic may vary but a steel BP with a weighted STA is probably over weighted with a 3 mm wetsuit. Try dropping 2-3 pounds at the end of a dive and see if that makes you shift from neutral to positive. Velcro weight pockets are great for this. It should take 2 to 3 dives to get the weight shorted out.

 

[David C R]

Ideal configuration must allow you a comfort ascent to surface with a wing failure and full tanks, and you might keep your safety stop with empty tanks with the same. I got almost the same configuration as you, al80, ss b/w, jetfins, 3mm wetsuit, and the unweighted sta, and I use extra 4 lbs for weighting, I'm 1.67 m height and weight 75 kg, consider this in salt water, ocean dives, in fresh water (cenotes) I just need the ss bp with uw sta, math says that I might use 8 lbs extra to my ss bp, but never had any problem with this two conditions, but believe me since you're changing your whole rigg it will take time to adjust weighting, and try to made the adjust in the same enviroment you'll dive in your vacations


dive well and enjoy your new config

 

[Bismark]

I am 5' 11", a solid 215 (big, not too fat) and with al 80, 3mm suit, jets and my ss bp and unweighted sta I am just about perfect. Maybe even a pound or two overweighted but not enough to switch to an al plate. 6 or 7 guys who I dive with use the same weighting. Unless you are carrying a lot of bio-prene you shouldn't need any extra weight.
Just my experiece.

 

[mer]

The new Halcyon STAs come with a removable weight inside the STA, so you can have the best of both worlds and ability to adjust with different exposure protection.

Personally I need more than just the SS BP with any wetsuit, but I either dive a skin or the drysuit. Nothing in between.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

The big thing here is to have just enough weight at the end of the dive with 500 psi in the tank to be able to be neutral at a 10' stop with no gas in the wing. Any weight in excess of that just makes it harder to swim everything up in the event your wing fails.

The in water reality of things means a whole lot more than the math.

If your old configuration (12 lbs on a belt with a BC) met this criteria, then a 6 lb plate and a 6 lb STA will be in the ball park depending on the bouyancy traits of your old bc. Jets are negative, but not that much more negative that a pair of Quattros to make an enormous difference (maybe 1/2 to 3/4 lb.)

 

[VooDooGasMan]

gombessa, even on your other thread this applies. Being a pound or two overweighted as a new diver is fine, Like DA saying at end of dive 500 or less on psi.
Another 50 or so dives persuming there pretty close together you will be able to drop more weight than you think cause you will be more comfortable ,bouyancy, and breathing,
So give it a little time before trying to achieve your weight goal, I only recommend wear enough weight on a belt to keep you neutral in your exposure suit. Put the rest on any part of the breathing apparatus that you pick to dive with.

 

[Jason B]

Did they stop covering weighting in OW classes?

Is there any DIR content to this post?

 

[JeffG]

Did they stop covering weighting in OW classes?

Is there any DIR content to this post?

LOL..