Need Help with weighting for my Fusion dry suit

[sfdiver140]

Hey Bubbletrubble, thank you your post really afirms what I have been thinking weight distribution is better. A local dive instructor seems to think all the weight needs to be in the BC but it is just not comfortable I am strong enough to carry the weight that is not the problem it is just not as easy to carry with all in the BC. Thank you

 

[sfdiver140]

I don't think you're doing anything wrong, I have a similar situation. When diving wet with a two piece 6.5mm wetsuit I use 10kg. With a Fusion I need 18kg to be comfortable inside the suit, so 80% more.

Just estimating volumes, you can see that this makes sense. My undersuit is relatively thick. Combine that with the fact that it's creased, that this drysuit's inner shell also has creases that retain and that the space inside the shell is mostly air (compared to neoprene), this increase in the necessary weight isn't surprising.

Hi JanK thank you your post helps especially the amount of weight you had to add when you dive dry. Many times the sales people promote the suit by saying you can wear less weight when diving dry. I will add more weight and not worry and distribute the weight evenly on my body. thank you Steve

 

[tbone1004]

this may be time to switch tanks out... although the lp95's are bricks... Are you using a SS backplate?
Without a SS backplate, with a 7mm farmer john and a HP120, I need close to 10lbs of weight... The suit is rather buoyant... With two of them though, I don't need any weight whatsoever. Same with my drysuit, I can dive dry with my 120's on my Nomad without needing any weight. I use a shell though not neoprene... You didn't say whether or not you're using doubles, but it may be beneficial to try that instead of all the extra lead... Add an extra 2lbs for the extra 1st stage, couple more pounds for bands and hardware, and the 2nd tank and you may be good to go with a SS backplate

 

[sfdiver140]

Hi Sax I am diving singles no backplate but what I am hearing is it is all about weight distribution. I am going to try that then the added weight so it will not be so difficult. I am diving a shell suit and in very cold water 49 degrees lots of heavy undergaments. thank you

 

[Brandon]

Six dives in two years isn't near enough to begin building a level of comfort in a drysuit. Especially if those are your only drysuit dives. It's common to start out with a lot of weight, and you might drop 25% or more as you get more comfortable with the suit.

But it's not just as simple as adding more weight - Bubbletrubble's advice on proper weight checks is spot on, and something you should get used to doing anyway. I do a weight check at the end of the dive from time to time to see how close I am to my ideal weight, or to check how new or changed gear has affected things. I don't like carrying any more weight than I have to.

This is one of those problems that will easily be fixed with more diving - just get out and dive the crap out of it. Go dive your Fusion once a week for a couple of months, and make the adjustments you think are necessary. Try to keep everything else the same until you get the drysuit sorted out.

-B

 

[stargost]

Sfdiver140,
another approach: get in a pool with only your drysuit on, and try to remove much of inside air.
Then take a bag of weigth, get lead in it till your start sinking.
You will get an idea of your dry suit + undergarment bouyancy.
Add ~5 pounds (~205/40 to compensate for salt water if pool if fresh water)

Then put your rig together without any weigth: BCD, empty tank, light, whatever your have.
See if it is neutral, positive or negative. it's probably negative in fresh water, and neutral in salted. Best in this case is to do this test in salted anyway.
If the rig is still ositve, add 1 or 2 pounds til it start sinking.

Then roughtly what you need is the amount of weith to compensate for your drysuit and the lead you had to add to sink your rig.


The distribution is a case by case. ankle weigths are only needed if your fins are really positive. You can use instead the little ankle strap which put pressure on your shoes/ankles and avoid air to be trapped in your suit at that place.
You can add some lead on your tank, at strap level too.

 

[Bubbletrubble]

Hey Bubbletrubble, thank you your post really afirms what I have been thinking weight distribution is better. A local dive instructor seems to think all the weight needs to be in the BC but it is just not comfortable I am strong enough to carry the weight that is not the problem it is just not as easy to carry with all in the BC. Thank you

@sfdiver140: What that local dive instructor said...has to be one of the worst suggestions I've heard coming from someone charged with the responsibility of certifying divers.

I can only think that the instructor has little to no experience diving in a drysuit.
Or perhaps there was some sort of misunderstanding.

On a related note, I once had a discussion on ScubaBoard with an experienced captain for a Monterey dive op. He was convinced that wearing a weight belt with a weight-integrated BCD was a dangerous practice. He shared an experience he had in which a struggling diver in a weight-integrated BCD was trying to re-board his boat. The captain proceeded to remove the diver's BCD and was shocked to find that the diver began to sink! Apparently the diver was wearing a pretty heavy weight belt, which counteracted the positive buoyancy of his exposure protection at the surface. The captain reacted quickly, kept hold of the diver, and was able to pull him back on-board, so thankfully no one was hurt. I made the point that it was the rescuer's responsibility to ensure that the "victim"/struggling diver was positively buoyant -- before ditching the diver's BCD. This means that, in a rescue situation, the rescuer needs to recognize that the diver is wearing a weight belt...and ditch it first. The captain saw it differently. He argued that it was unsafe for a diver to split up his weight like that. I suppose he's entitled to his opinion.
I'm relating this story with you now to emphasize the importance of communicating to the boat crew and your buddies where you are carrying your lead weight. Moreover, it's probably a good idea not to attach so much weight to your person that you will sink when separated from your BCD at the surface. Wearing a drysuit with a 6-10 lb. weight belt or weight harness should be OK.

I hope that you find some of these comments helpful...

 

[noreastDIVER84]

If you are floating, then you are in need of more weight. It may seem like it is too much, but until you get comfortable in the drysuit, you may actually need that much.

I needed 38 pounds with my back inflate BCD and an aluminum 80 tank. I needed 30 pounds with my back inflate BCD and a steel tank.

I am diving a Pinnacle Evolution2, a DiveRite aluminum plate, DiveRite STA, Steel LP 112, and an AL40. I need 26 pounds to sink with all that.

 

[sfdiver140]

Hi Brandon I agree I do need to dive the suit more I should work it out. I guess it is a vicious circle I have problem with weight and it is frustrating and with flakey dive buddies I don't get in to the water like I should and therefore I don't have the time to iron out the problem but I will take you advice and really dive the heck out of it and bite the bullet and add more weight. thank you

 

[sfdiver140]

Hi stargost nice approach thank you