NEED HELP 120lb diver with steel 80 tank

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

bthomas28

Registered
Messages
5
Reaction score
0
I am a female and i weight 120 lbs i just got a steel 80 and i love the size of the tank but I am having trouble staying afloat when on the surface. My BC will be fully enflated and i will still have to kick to keep my head up. Does anyone have any suggestions other than getting rid of my tank. :D
 
I am a female and i weight 120 lbs i just got a steel 80 and i love the size of the tank but I am having trouble staying afloat when on the surface. My BC will be fully enflated and i will still have to kick to keep my head up. Does anyone have any suggestions other than getting rid of my tank. :D
Do you have to kick to stay afloat, or just to keep your head up? If the latter, then it is just about properly distributing your weight to keep proper trim. If you can't stay afloat, you need either less weight or more buoyancy.
 
...i just got a steel 80...


You didn't specify, is it an LP or HP tank? If it is LP you could try switching to an HP tank as that would remove a few pounds. Of course, that would require getting another tank.

Nathan
 
I have no weight on. I have a good bc a scubapro Lady Hawk. I have very low body fat it says around 10 or 11% so i am very lean.

Do you know if there is any extra float things to add to help you add buoyancy?
 
you said "i will still have to kick to keep my head up" is your back staying up? That BC is a back inflate BC. Rather than kicking, try just leaning back.
 
Odd. My wife is 135 ish. Dives 4mm full wetsuit with aluminum backplate, no lead, and HP 130 tank all the time and has not trouble staying afloat, or even being overweighted. She is basically neutral with 500 psi remaining.
 
A small block or two of blue styrofoam will help keep you neutral and not compress, losing buoyancy as you go deeper like a partially inflated BC would. A piece about 7" by 4" and 1" thick will have about 1 pound of lift.

You can also make pressure proof floats from PVC drain pipe with caps.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

Back
Top Bottom