How much weight?

[String]

Hello everyone,

I am getting certified in 3 weeks and I KNOW they are going to over weight me.

They shouldn't and chances are they wont

I understand you have to "experiment" and see how much weight you need as you become more experienced but I am looking for a guide line.

No such thing as a guideline. Different tanks, different suits, different body fat %, different size person, different salinity of water. Forget the guidelines, they're worthless.

The only way to do it is a proper weight check which is done as the very first thing on the first dive. Then there's no guesswork needed at all.

Get in, fully empty the BC, get someone to hand you weights whilst breathing out fully until you reach a point where you can JUST sink. Then add the weight of air in your tank (2kg or so) and you're done.

Most people i see diving massively overweighted used one of these so called guidelines and couldnt be bothered with a check.

Any decent instructor should have you doing a weight check as the very first thing.

Incidentally, did you not do weighting in the pool with full kit? I dont let anyone leave the pool until they're properly weighted with their proper open water gear (ok its fresh water but simply adding 2kg to go into salt works then).

 

[Web Monkey]

Hello everyone,

I am getting certified in 3 weeks and I KNOW they are going to over weight me. I understand you have to "experiment" and see how much weight you need as you become more experienced but I am looking for a guide line.

They probably will overweight you, however this may not be a bad thing if their plan is to plant you on a fixed platform while you demonstrate your skills. In fact, if you're kneeling on a platform, being a little overweighted makes it easier.

If you'll actually be hovering and swimming around, being properly weighted makes it much easier.

Determining how much weight you really need can only be accurately determined by doing an actual buoyancy check - getting into the water with your equipment and seeing what it takes to just get your head underwater with an almost empty tank, and empty BC and an average breath.

Terry

 

[Teamcasa]

Worrying about being over weighted will cause you more grief and anxiety than actually being a few pounds over weighted.

No doubt you will be over a few pounds or so but please, focus on what your instructor is teaching you. Accurate weighting has many factors and as a new diver you have too many other things to consider and work out during the classes.

Once you are certified, buy (and sell, then buy some more) gear, your weighting will fluctuate but you will also be gaining valuable experience. Have fun learning to dive and dive safely, that's what is important.

Let us know how it went!

 

[DESIGNERDIVER]

It would have to warm up A LOT to be freggin freezing here.
Good luck and HAVE FUN!

You got that right!

 

[TMHeimer]

Once you get the right weight for your equipment, it really never changes unless you gain a lot of weight, fresh to salt water, etc. May be best after you do your buoyancy check (as in the book), to add a couple of pounds your first few dives so you're not exiting the water to get more weight like I did a time or two. In time, you'll get it as close to perfect as possible.