need help figuring out weight

[miked10]

i was in the pool last night with my new BP/W. i wing is a 30lb lift and i always felt like it was maxed out. i was using a steel tank for the first time and took off half of the weight that i normally used. i still felt heavy and maxed out. so at the bottom i ditched both my weights and felt more comfortable even swimming around. only probelm is i want some ditchable weights cuase i usually dive 7mm or 14mm on body in the cold. so i am thinking i need to drop the weight of the BP. remove the weighted STA and get regular one and then have that extra 5lbs or so in my pockets.

and also carry a lift bag as a backup!!

any ideas about the weighting issue would be appreciated!

 

[rockjock3]

i was in the pool last night with my new BP/W. i wing is a 30lb lift and i always felt like it was maxed out. i was using a steel tank for the first time and took off half of the weight that i normally used. i still felt heavy and maxed out. so at the bottom i ditched both my weights and felt more comfortable even swimming around. only problem is i want some ditchable weights cause i usually dive 7mm or 14mm on body in the cold. so i am thinking i need to drop the weight of the BP. remove the weighted STA and get regular one and then have that extra 5lbs or so in my pockets.

and also carry a lift bag as a backup!!

any ideas about the weighting issue would be appreciated!

Your best idea is to get into SW with the suit you want to wear and see how your weighted. Once you have done a proper buoyancy check then you can go up or down from there. There are many numbers and approximations you can do but every suit size, body size and setup is different. If you are properly weighted when you are done then ditchable weight is not as big a concern. If you are overweighted then ditchable weight is more of a concern. You are just not going to get it right though and nothing that anybody here can really tell you is gonna help until you do a buoyancy check under the conditions you are going to be diving.

With a steel tank it will depend though. I don't dive a steel tank because I am totally neutral with my Al BP/W and an AL80. If I wore a similar size steel I would actually be negative and I have no weight to drop.

Here is a good site to get you in the ballpark, but bottom line you need to do a proper buoyancy check under the conditions you will be diving.

http://dive.scubadiving.com/html/200105buoyancycalc_chart.html

 

[cummings66]

You can get those camband weight pouches and use them on the belt next to the plate and if need be dump them, that's one way of ditchable weight.

Because you dive with such a thick neoprene suit ditchable weight is a good idea down deep if your wing failed and those X-Scuba pouches are just the ticket for you.

Now, how you went about figuring the weight needed is wrong, it's going to be hot but you've got to do it either in the pool or in the actual water to be accurate. I took my drysuit I use for diving in the 30's and went to a pool which had temps at around 85F, I worked up a sweat and I did nothing. I was never so glad to get out of a suit in my life, but I did figure out the weight I needed for the config I use in cold water. So bite the bullet and sweat it out. The only thing going to change for you is the weight of the BP + sta will come off your belt, nothing more.

 

[terrasmak]

Because you dive with such a thick neoprene suit ditchable weight is a good idea down deep if your wing failed and those X-Scuba pouches are just the ticket for you.

I will have to disagree , nice thick suit and ditch some weight , well your probably going to clear the surface. Maybe a couple pounds should be fine but the lift bag is a better bet

 

[spectrum]

I will have to disagree , nice thick suit and ditch some weight , well your probably going to clear the surface. Maybe a couple pounds should be fine but the lift bag is a better bet

Lift bag is a nice idea and I agree a better solution if you have the time.

Being able to ditch quick and go positive (preferably not by a gross amount) gives you the chance to be treated for DCS rather than being a drowning statistic.

miked10

In the pool were you wearing your 7mm set? If not the whole experiment was bogus and I have no doubt that it took all the lift you had. Not only were you lacking the buoyant lift of your wetsuit you also lost the 6-8 pounds of buoyancy that the salt water lends.

You need to do a true byuoyancy check in full gear, in salt or fresh water as you will dive and with 500 PSI in your cylinder.

Pete