I can't descend!

[the sharkman]

Dove Monterey this weekend. I am a novice diver, so I am still getting used to my equipment, but I have had a lot of trouble ascending (especially from a verticle, head-above-feet position). I am diving 53-57 degree water, wearing a two-piece 7mm, with hooded vest. Last few dives I wore 30 lbs of weight, integrated. I am 170 lbs, and have no natural bouyancy. I feel ilike this is a lot of wieght, but any less and I will not descend unless I go to a head-down position (with feet above me). Isn't this too much weight?

 

[the sharkman]

I'm having trouble "descending". I have no trouble "ascending" (sorry)

 

[WreckWriter]

cross your ankles.

Tom

 

[ERP]

Id your wearing a 2 piece 7mm and using an Al80, I can see needing 30lbs.

Personally I'm 6ft 155lbs and I sink unweighted in a pool. I wear 30lbs in a 7mm farmer John and Al80 in the Puget Sound. I might be slightly over weight with 30lbs (still playing with weight), but I was definitly positive with 26lbs.

My girlfriend is positive with 35lbs, so 30 doesn't sound excessive to me.

 

[MikeFerrara]

Make sure your not moving your feet aroud. kicking will keep you at the surface.

Make sure you are getting enough air out of the bc. You need to position the pont where th inflate/deflate hose meets the bc high enough to get the (enough) air out.

Relax in the water and exhale to descend. If you are breathing heavy and have essentially a lung full of air it could take alot of weight to sink you.

do a weoghting check. When you do it make sure hands and feet are still and the bc isn't full of air. Have someone help with this.

A wet suit (especially if it doesn't fit well) can trap air in the biginning of the dive, making the first descent a little hard.

 

[WreckWriter]

ERP once bubbled...
My girlfriend is positive with 35lbs, so 30 doesn't sound excessive to me.

It is excessive. 90% of people wearing that much weight could use far less with improved technique.

Unless your girlfriend is extremely large she is probably inadvertantly kicking her feet or sculling her arms. You probably are too.

Tom

 

[ERP]

It is excessive. 90% of people wearing that much weight could use far less with improved technique.

FWIW my gf isn't particularly large, although she is big up top .
I'm also not sure how much she could cut her 35lbs of weight down, I'm basing this on the fact that with 35lbs she is positive at 10ft with no air in her BC.

While it's quite probably true that I could get by with improved technique and less weight. I'm also sure that some of it is related to trapped air in the wetsuit on the initial decent.
I'm sure some of the weight will come off with experience as I said I'm still playing with the exact amounts.

 

[WreckWriter]

ERP once bubbled...


FWIW my gf isn't particularly large, although she is big up top .
I'm also not sure how much she could cut her 35lbs of weight down, I'm basing this on the fact that with 35lbs she is positive at 10ft with no air in her BC.

While it's quite probably true that I could get by with improved technique and less weight. I'm also sure that some of it is related to trapped air in the wetsuit on the initial decent.
I'm sure some of the weight will come off with experience as I said I'm still playing with the exact amounts.

In my 10 years of teaching I found that almost all divers are overweighted. It is, mostly, the fault of the system in that many instructors don't take the time (or don't have the time) to teach proper body positioning.

The best way to test it is to get in water over one's head, cross your ankles and deflate the BC, allowing your arms to go above your head as you descend. If you sink, you've got plenty, remove 5 and repeat. The trick is crossing the ankles.

If you are able to remove weight, be conscious of body position as you swim. If the upper half of your body is higher, as you kick, you go up

Simple yes, easy no ...

Tom

 

[caymaniac]

like you have'nt let the most of the air out of your BC.

Caymaniac

 

[Aquamaniac]

Sharkman.
I dived (dove) for many years with about 25 pounds of weight. I met an instructor once who spent some time with me.
In a matter of two dives I had gone from 25 pounds down to 12 pounds.
This is using a 7mm SemiDry wetsuit as well.

Through practise and control, I now only dive with a 6 pound Backplate 2-4 pounds on my belt, depending on what light I am using.

See if your local shop runs a "good" Precision bouyancy class. Its worth the effort.

Dave