Perfecting my buoyancy
- Thread starter Bent Benny
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MichaelMc
Working toward Cenotes
Bent Benny,
Largely what others said, but where your lead is has a big effect!
If you have calm ocean water you can get dialed on trim there as well. Surge makes it harder as more things pushing you about. Conceptually it is as simple as knowing you're a 2D see-saw. Arm and leg position makes small dynamic changes, but lead position has a big fixed effect. Get flat and in the hover position (arm out a bit, knees bent 90 degrees) then stop moving. Cross hands and ankles if needed! If you tip one way, move something so you do not. If a little arm or leg position change fixes it, good. If not, get out of the water, MOVE SOME LEAD (left to right, hips to shoulders), and try again. Pockets at plate top or shoulder straps (by the plate) let you get max effect for small amout of lead moved, leaving more lead to be still easily ditchable.
To see if you are flat, descend to the (level) bottom. If your knees hit first, you weren't flat.
Once you no longer tip quickly, small position changes of legs or arms should be enough to keep you level, with a base position of arms a bit out and legs at 90 degrees up. That is the goal. Finning (sculling) to create up/down force is the easier step short of that.
Get buoyancy down, that should be easy and it helps. Do a buoyancy check at SS depth with low air and keep refining your weight. Floating eye level is a quick crude estimate; neutral at SS with empty BC, low tank is the goal.
Largely what others said, but where your lead is has a big effect!
If you have calm ocean water you can get dialed on trim there as well. Surge makes it harder as more things pushing you about. Conceptually it is as simple as knowing you're a 2D see-saw. Arm and leg position makes small dynamic changes, but lead position has a big fixed effect. Get flat and in the hover position (arm out a bit, knees bent 90 degrees) then stop moving. Cross hands and ankles if needed! If you tip one way, move something so you do not. If a little arm or leg position change fixes it, good. If not, get out of the water, MOVE SOME LEAD (left to right, hips to shoulders), and try again. Pockets at plate top or shoulder straps (by the plate) let you get max effect for small amout of lead moved, leaving more lead to be still easily ditchable.
To see if you are flat, descend to the (level) bottom. If your knees hit first, you weren't flat.
Once you no longer tip quickly, small position changes of legs or arms should be enough to keep you level, with a base position of arms a bit out and legs at 90 degrees up. That is the goal. Finning (sculling) to create up/down force is the easier step short of that.
Get buoyancy down, that should be easy and it helps. Do a buoyancy check at SS depth with low air and keep refining your weight. Floating eye level is a quick crude estimate; neutral at SS with empty BC, low tank is the goal.
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