With some outstanding ideas and programming support from Kevin Marks (
@kmarks ), we are uploading the latest version of the Wing Lift Calculator.
This version has automated factors that several of you have asked about.
1) Exposure suit buoyancy is calculated based upon your body surface area and data you enter about your wetsuit/drysuit.
2) Tank buoyancy data can be selected from a list on the third page of the spreadsheet, which is then automatically transferred to the calculator.
3) Notes have been added explaining the purpose and use of the gray (user data entry) cells.
DISCLAIMER!!! This is a toy, for educational purposes only. It is a tool which only APPROXIMATES likely buoyancy with a given equipment and suit configuration.
Dive weighting decisions that you make, if based upon the approximations given here, MUST be checked with a neutral buoyancy check before any dive. As it is an amateur educational experiment, we make no guarantees about the accuracy of the results, and welcome your corrections and suggestions. The password for editing any of the sheets is "scuba" so you can change things at will.
This spreadsheet can assist the developing diver in several ways:
a) it can help you choose a wing or bcd to ensure adequate buoyancy for your equipment configuration;
b) it can aid you and your buddy, as you plan for a variety of equipment failures, including torn bcd/wing and flooded drysuit;
c) it can help you develop a safe "worst-case" ascent strategy using incremental weight ditching to allow a safe rate of ascent while making adequate surface buoyancy more likely;
d) it can show you why you need more or less buoyancy depending upon depth and tank pressure.
This tool was developed using standard formulas regarding pressure at depth combined with MANY ASSUMPTIONS based upon our collective diving experience.
We welcome your suggestions as we refine this tool. Again, my profound thanks to
@kmarks for his valuable input!