Proper weighting techniques?

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Bamabowtie

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One thing we didn't go over in my OW class, proper weighting techniques.

My OW cert dives we with rental equipment in fresh water, and I know how much weight I would need to dive that set up again.

My next dive will be a salt water dive with a brand new set up (my equipment) from a dive boat.

So my question is, with a full tank, is there a method that lets you add weight to your setup until you are properly weighted while on the surface of the water?

How will I determine how much weight I will need for my first salt water dive?
 
If you know the weight of your rig in fresh water add it to your body weight then multiply by .025.

Example: If you weigh 175# and your kit (including ballast) weighs 50# you would add 225 x .025 or about 5.5#.

You can do a weight check with a full tank. Get neutral with an empty BC at 15 ft and then add ~6# for the gas you will use. Or float at eye level with a full yank then add the 6#.
 
Note to the OP: If it was a PADI course, the instructor is meant to teach you how to conduct an in-water weight check during the confined water/pool sessions... and then he is meant to conduct actual weight checks with you on your open water dives (2-4). If he didn't do this, then he was violating the course standards. It'd be worth contacting him to find out why he didn't teach this and what else he may have missed out. If you're dissatisfied with your course being taught incompletely... contact/complain to PADI in the QA area if www.padi.com
 
The same way you do with empty tanks, you find the exact amount of weight you need, then add additional weight to compensate for the gas you will use during the dive, on avearage about 4 lbs additional if plenty for 80 cf tanks. I don't bother with doing it at 15 ft. It buys you nothing but is a pain in the rear to have to yoyo up and down to add or remove weights plus it yoyoing is a really bad idea to do at the end of a dive.
 
Don't forget to write everything down for a while until you get the hang of figuring out what your weight is.

Lights can range quite a bit in weight, which in term will impact your weighting.

Keep track of your exposure protection; gloves, hoods, vests, so on so forth. Again they all impact your weighting.

Write down what tank your were diving; brand, material, pressure rating. A Worthington HP100 has different buoyancy characteristics than a Faber HP100. Of the top of my head, I think that the Worthington may be a pound heavier.

Out in the wild one way you can figure it out is to get in the water will all your crap on. With no air in your BC, weight yourself so that you can hold yourself at eye level in the water with a full breath. Once you get that, add the weight of the 'swing' of the tank(s) on your back.

The swing is the buoyancy difference from the tank full to tank near empty. Manufactures post these buoyancy characteristics on their websites.

The whole point of weighting is so that at the end of your dive, you can hold your safety stop with no air in the BC.

At the end of the dive during my safety stop, I have literally purged air from my tank(s) down to 500psi to really, really gauge my weighting.

Once you figure out your weighting, you then get to play with your trim!
 
This is scary. I am a new diver also but we did learn how to do a weight check in our OW class. I looked at some of your other posts and saw that you were considering your 1st SW/dive in an unfamiliar area with new equipment,not knowing your weight,and feeling like you didnt need a guide. I'm glad you decided to use a guide!
I see you went from rental equipment to a new BP/W set up. I did the same not long ago. Your weight will be considerably different and If you change your exposure protection even more so.
Go to a pool or some place to dive in a controlled environment to get use to your equipment and correct your weighting before you do this ocean dive. It will make your dive much more fun and safer to.
Be safe and dont forget it is for your buddies safety also.
Keith
 
Proper weighting and trim are best addressed at nearly the same time. The first night on scuba is where I do both. The first step is to get weighted neutrally in just the exposure suit you are using. Eye level, exhale, you should slowly sink. Next add your scuba unit. Recheck and add weight until the same effect occurs - exhale you should sink slowly. The next step is to descend into the water in a horizontal position. We then settle to the bottom in 4ft or so if water and just breathe. Then start practicing with the power inflator. Following this we move to the part of the pool where it slopes down to the next level. I have them get out over the step with just their legs resting on the upper level. we then begin to work on staying horizontal while doing skills. By the end of the first session I will adjust weights, move weights around, and have them working on arm position and body posture to remain in trim.

You need to get all your gear together and get in the pool. Do some good weight checks. IF you are using the exact same setup to go into saltwater I recommend as a ballpark figure only adding 6 lbs and perhaps 8 if you are going to be nervous. If you don't have any problems staying at your safety stop, thinkabout adjusting your weights. Drop a lb or two and see how that goes. During OW checkouts I do not tell my students how much weight to use. They know. They know because they have done at least 6 checks on their own in the pool. During checkouts they are free to and in fact encouraged to adjust their weighting. I've had numerous students add, drop, and move weights between checkout dives. As they should. It is their responsibility to do this.
 
This is scary. I am a new diver also but we did learn how to do a weight check in our OW class. I looked at some of your other posts and saw that you were considering your 1st SW/dive in an unfamiliar area with new equipment,not knowing your weight,and feeling like you didnt need a guide. I'm glad you decided to use a guide!
I see you went from rental equipment to a new BP/W set up. I did the same not long ago. Your weight will be considerably different and If you change your exposure protection even more so.
Go to a pool or some place to dive in a controlled environment to get use to your equipment and correct your weighting before you do this ocean dive. It will make your dive much more fun and safer to.
Be safe and dont forget it is for your buddies safety also.
Keith

Thanks for the response. I plan to have several freshwater dives with my new equipment before that trip to FL, I am just waiting impatiently for it to warm up.
 

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