Question about proper weighting

[cirwin]

Hi All,

I recently bought all my gear and have done a few dives and now I have some questions about weighting. Here is the important info:

I am 5'9", 153 lbs, aquaflex 7mm one piece wetsuit, 5/3 hood, booties, gloves, sea quest latitude BC, al80 tank, 24 lbs weights (the BC is weight integrated).

I can't seem to get netural. I have to let all of the air out of my BC and kick to get to the bottom (the dive site is at 30'). Once I am at the bottom I am *almost* neutral, but still a little positive. Of course, at the end of my dive with the empty aluminum tank, it's pretty hard to stay down and control my ascent as well as I would like.

The LDS says just throw 4 more lbs in the back of the BC. 28 lbs sounds like a lot for me. Am I doing something wrong?

Thanks!

 

[The Kraken]

A 7mm suit and B/C can add a lot of positive buoyancy to a diver.

It sounds as if your wetsuit isn't compressing to any great extent as you pass through the "wet suit compression zone", usually somewhere around 13-18'.

It's just one of those things that you're going to have to work out for your personal physique and diving rig.

Don't want to sound like a wisebutt, but as is so often said, "It takes what it takes."

the K

 

[Ice9]

Hi All,

I recently bought all my gear and have done a few dives and now I have some questions about weighting. Here is the important info:

I am 5'9", 153 lbs, aquaflex 7mm one piece wetsuit, 5/3 hood, booties, gloves, sea quest latitude BC, al80 tank, 24 lbs weights (the BC is weight integrated).

I can't seem to get netural. I have to let all of the air out of my BC and kick to get to the bottom (the dive site is at 30'). Once I am at the bottom I am *almost* neutral, but still a little positive. Of course, at the end of my dive with the empty aluminum tank, it's pretty hard to stay down and control my ascent as well as I would like.

The LDS says just throw 4 more lbs in the back of the BC. 28 lbs sounds like a lot for me. Am I doing something wrong?

Thanks!

I dive with a weight-integrated BC as well as a 7mm suit, and I end up having to load up 30 lbs. I tried 28 lbs but towards the end of the dive, the AL80 got too positive...

Mine is a SeaQuest Balance BC, so I throw 2x5lbs in each of the weight pockets (making 20lbs) and 2x2lbs in each trim pocket (making a total of 28lbs). Finally, I strap on a weight belt with just a single 2lb weight centered in the middle of my lower back. Seems to work well.

 

[eclipse785]

If you switched to a steel tank you probably wouldn't need to add anymore weight, but that's just because the steel weighs more and is making up for the lead weight you don't want to carry.

To answer your question though,.. yes it does sound like a lot of weight, but I'm gathering that your wetsuit is fairly new. It might take a while, but you should notice that you wont need as much weight as your suit gets older and the cells that make up the neopreme rupture, loosing some air. Of course the downside to that is that the suit looses some of it's heat retaining propreties as well. But as I said, that will take quite a while and it will probably only knock off anywhere from 2 - 4 pounds.

Just throw on some more weight, strap on a steel tank, or drop to a thinner wetsuit. Either one should take care of your problem.

 

[tankboygreg]

A rule of thumb is you should be neutral at 15' at the end of the dive in order to do your decompression stop. Which means you would be positively bouyant on the surface but be able to start sinking when you exhale.

 

[Tollie]

HI,

You have had good advice here. Another thought. If you are a new diver you are likely retaining a bit of air in your lungs... as you become more comfortable in the water this will pass.

Another coulple of thoughts... make sure you are venting all of the air out of your bc... sometimes you leave a bit in if you dont roll your shoulder and make sure that the hose is the highest point on your body.

Cold water is a real stresser and this may be contributing to your problem.

As the poster above sugests do a weight check at the end of a dive and see how it goes.

 

[birdwrasse]

what should i do if i am going to do an ocean dive... i'm afraid that if i don't bring enough weight, i'll be stuck at the top, or will ascend too quickly...

i'm 5'11 and 200 lbs... will be wearing a new two piece 6.5, hood, gloves, boots... according to my dive book, i could need 37 pounds to start... that just seems like a whole lot! i have an integrated bcd, so can put 30 there, and have a weight belt that i can add 8 more with the weight i have! i only have a total of 42 pounds of weight and don't want to bring more than i need... i only dive in fresh water, so there is no way i can try it out first! please help!

thanks,


--carlos


the breakdown of what the book says:
suit: (10% of body weight + 5 pounds): 25
salt water: 7
tank compensation (using air in tank): 5
________________________________________
thats, 37 pounds... in fresh water, i add a few pounds as i am larger framed and a little fatter... so am i going to need this much weight?

 

[birdwrasse]

how much do you weigh, ice?


--c

I dive with a weight-integrated BC as well as a 7mm suit, and I end up having to load up 30 lbs. I tried 28 lbs but towards the end of the dive, the AL80 got too positive...

Mine is a SeaQuest Balance BC, so I throw 2x5lbs in each of the weight pockets (making 20lbs) and 2x2lbs in each trim pocket (making a total of 28lbs). Finally, I strap on a weight belt with just a single 2lb weight centered in the middle of my lower back. Seems to work well.

 

[tankboygreg]

i'm 5'11 and 200 lbs... will be wearing a new two piece 6.5, hood, gloves, boots... according to my dive book, i could need 37 pounds to start... that just seems like a whole lot!

I'm 6' and 195 lbs, I use a steel 80 in salt water and wear a 7 mm one piece suit with a 3 mm hoodless vest... I only use 20 lbs and could probably use 2 lbs. more.

I don't see any way you would need over 30 lbs much less 37. The best thing to do is experiment. Start light and add weight as needed. As I stated before you should be positively bouyant on the surface but if you can exhale and start sinking you are probably good. What you don't want to do is deflate your BC and start sinking like a rock.

 

[birdwrasse]

thanks... i'll bring my weights and try them out... just hope everyone is not too impatient with me as i'm figuring the weight out!


--c