Proper weight locations.

[HomerJay]

I just got my first new set of gear, and tried it out in the pool last night. Man, what a difference when you are properly weighted, and the gear is your own. This was also my first experience with a back inflate BC.

Horizontally, my buoyancy was better then I have ever experienced. I obviously still have a ways to go, but achieving perfect buoyancy seems attainable with lots of practice. Another excuse to get wet, not that I needed it.

The pool wasn't too deep, so I didn't have much chance to practice vertical buoyancy, but I did do an "indian style" hover. My body had a tendency to roll backward doing this. I noticed that if I took high chest breaths, it would bring me back vertically, but if I took diaphragm breaths, I would stay on my back.

It was really cool experiencing how much my lungs could really affect my buoyancy and attitude in the water. I was way over-weighted for my classes, and I really wish instructors would STOP that practice. I wish I had known better back then, but simply thought that was the right way to be weighted.

Long story long, I wonder if I need to adjust my weighting even more, simply reposition the weights, or do nothing and work on my breathing more. This is an Aqualung Malibu, and I had all my weights in the front ditchable pockets. There are non-ditchable pockets on the back straps, I think. Doing a surface check with 500 PSI and an empty BCD, exhaling was the only way to submerge and I floated at mask level so I think I got the amount of weight right. I am amenable to correction from the Peanut Gallery.

Any and all advice is welcome.

Disclaimer: The above ramblings are that from a Newbie. He does not purport to have any meaningful position on the DIR/non-DIR debate, whether computers rot the brain, and will probably be the butt of many of the most idiotic things thread. However, those were fun threads to lurk on, thanks for the edumacation.

-HomerJay

 

[Rick Murchison]

It sounds like you have your trim weights pretty close to ideal. What I'd recommend is getting in the pool with the near empty tank and checking trim in addition to the buoyancy check you've already done. What you're going to find is that your center of buoyancy moves toward the tank as the tank gets lighter, and your pitching tendency when verticle will likely change from backwards to forwards. If it does then you have it trimmed about as well as you can - if you continue to pitch back then try moving weight further toward your chest/belly if you can.
And don't get frustrated or discouraged - weighting, trim and buoyancy are something you will always be refining; I'm still refining mine after 30 years.
Rick

 

[ericfine50]

If you can get your buoyancy dialed in a shallow area - then it will be a lot easier when you get deeper. Have fun and work on getting neutral. Makes diving a lot of fun.

Eric

 

[HomerJay]

Thanks. I appreciate the help. Will stick with it.

Cheers.

-HomerJay

 

[zboss]

The only real concern I have with my Oceanic Tour back in flat is the fact that if I remain perfectly still... like I am passed out... my face goes in the water. Obviously, in the situation I just descibed, this could be a problem.

I have trim pockets in the back where I place a total of ten pounds and this presents two problems:

1) I am reluctant to add even more weight to my tank because then I have a tendancy to side roll while at depth.

2) That ten pounds will basically be a large portion of the weight I will need in the tropics because I will only be diving with a skin suit.

Does anyone have any hints about this?

 

[scuubaadoo]

Homer sounds like your on your way to a lot of fun. Just one little note you may want to consider keeping a weight belt with half your weight on it. if you had to ditch you can ditch the bc or belt which ever is easier and still have enough weight to keep from rocketing to the surface. Just a thought. Enjoy to journey.:bonk: