Just reached 200+ dives and dropped some lead!

[kimbalabala]

I just got back from a live aboard trip where I reached 204 dives and went from 10 to 6 pounds of weight! It seems I 'turned a corner' on my buoyancy, and I'm really excited. I think I could have gone to 4 pounds but I didn't want to push it. Yay! My husband, who outweighs me by 90 pounds is diving with 5 pounds of weight. I'm not sure how that has happened ....

 

[Land Fish]

Congrts!!

I'm still working on reducing the weight. I know I'm overweighted every time I go down, because I have to pump air into my BCD at the beginning of each dive, but I'm hesitating to drop the extra bit, as I wouldn't be able to control ascending freely during safety stop, and I had that happen to me a few times. Thankfully I was with people who are familiar with me and they held me down for the duration of the safety stops. Then again, they were the ones who encouraged me to take less weight in the first place...

Any tips you could share? Thanks!

 

[Chu Cherrie Zhang]

Congrts!!

I'm still working on reducing the weight. I know I'm overweighted every time I go down, because I have to pump air into my BCD at the beginning of each dive, but I'm hesitating to drop the extra bit, as I wouldn't be able to control ascending freely during safety stop, and I had that happen to me a few times. Thankfully I was with people who are familiar with me and they held me down for the duration of the safety stops. Then again, they were the ones who encouraged me to take less weight in the first place...

Any tips you could share? Thanks!

Deflate your BC completely before your ascend...

 

[mojo15227]

Also, tank type can make a difference. For example, the difference in an aluminum tank when full and empty is 4-5 lbs. So you might be overweighted when you start your dive, but once you breathe that tank down to 500 psi, you'll need the extra weight, especially as you ascend.

 

[Land Fish]

Also, tank type can make a difference. For example, the difference in an aluminum tank when full and empty is 4-5 lbs. So you might be overweighted when you start your dive, but once you breathe that tank down to 500 psi, you'll need the extra weight, especially as you ascend.

That sounds about right. I usually start to go up when I get to about 50 bar and plus the extra buoyancy from SMB at safety stops, I probably do need the extra weight at the beginning... Thanks Mojo!

 

[drrich2]

Land Fish:

Not a woman; might have a tip, though. You're lightest at the end of your dive (breathed through about 5 lbs. or so of air; your wetsuit is more buoyant shallow than deep), likely at your safety stop. At the end of your safety stop, try to vent your BCD of air completely. If there's a little left, and you gradually sink, probably no big deal. If there's a lot of air to let out, and you sink like a rock, I figure you're over-weighted.

Just a rec. diver learning slowly over a long time through some trial, error and occasionally even thought...

Richard.

 

[Land Fish]

Land Fish:

Not a woman; might have a tip, though. You're lightest at the end of your dive (breathed through about 5 lbs. or so of air; your wetsuit is more buoyant shallow than deep), likely at your safety stop. At the end of your safety stop, try to vent your BCD of air completely. If there's a little left, and you gradually sink, probably no big deal. If there's a lot of air to let out, and you sink like a rock, I figure you're over-weighted.

Just a rec. diver learning slowly over a long time through some trial, error and occasionally even thought...

Richard.

Haha I'd imagine weighting is a concern for many newbies, boys and girls included

Thanks a lot Richard. I'm familiar with my BCD and I deflated it completely at the times I had to be held down at safety stops, and I didn't hold my breath either... My BCD usually is empty by the time I get to safety stop, and sometimes I might actually take in a bit water if I tried too hard beforehand. Thankfully I've never had the situation that I'd sink like a rock.

During a recent boat trip, someone suggested that it could also be me finning that contributes to my free ascend. I wonder if staying horizontal or no finning at all would help.

 

[gladyvibe1]

I just got back from a live aboard trip where I reached 204 dives and went from 10 to 6 pounds of weight! It seems I 'turned a corner' on my buoyancy, and I'm really excited. I think I could have gone to 4 pounds but I didn't want to push it. Yay! My husband, who outweighs me by 90 pounds is diving with 5 pounds of weight. I'm not sure how that has happened ....

HAha! Congrts! I am trying the same for the past couple of months

 

[OrcaTorch]

Congrts!!

 

[Skulmoski]

What did you do to trigger the weight loss? Or what was your eureka moment?

Thanks for sharing and congrats!!

GJS