Newbie from Wisconsin

[Justin Downey]

Hello to you all,

I have never once scuba dived. I have always wanted to learn but just wasn't sure about it. I wasn't sure if I was built for it I guess you could say. I'm a very big guy. I stand six foot three and weigh 375. However I don't quite look it as I have broad shoulders. In talking with one of the employees at a local dive shop he feels I should have no problem with getting into diving.

What do you all think? And obviously I am working to lose weight.

I know I will need to have a custom made wetsuit made for myself for sure.

Will there be anything else you all can think of where I may struggle with finding proper sizes for me?

Or where I may struggle with the dive?

Any and all criticism and.advice is greatly appreciated....

 

[Marie13]

Oooh, someone from behind the Cheddar Curtain! Welcome from a FIB!

 

[drrich2]

I used to be 355 and 2 inches shorter, and I was diving. A 2xl weight integrated BCD worked well. Weight belt did not: on top my gut too high, under it could fall down.

Weight doesn't correlate so close with hand and foot size. I wear a size 15 and the biggest gloves I can find. Are those issues for you?

Starting out your gas consumption may be fast, cutting your dive short. If you buy a tank for local diving, I'd get a steel 120, not an aluminum 80.

A lot of travel dive op.s use AL 80s as default tanks. Some have 100's is you ask. A few have options like 120's, such as 3 dive op.s I know of in Cozumel.

Where do you anticipate traveling to dive? The conditions you'll dive in help inform advice.

Richard.

 

[ram04769]

Hello Justin. I just wanted to wish you the very best if you do decide to try and pursue diving.