Question about weighting in a thick suit

[compton384]

I think people vary greatly in their own buoyancy, even if they are the same height and weight. I think I am pretty buoyant for my size- in fresh water, if I breath slowly and deeply, keeping lots of air in my lungs (just swimming, not with any gear), I can float with my head above water with my arms locked at my sides and without kicking at all (in a vertical position, not doing a back float or anything). Although, that said, I still only needed 17lb in salt water with a brand new 5/4 that has the 10mm spine pad (pinnacle merino-elastiprene).

 

[scubafanatic]

Thanks everyone. I'll discuss it with my instructor but will most definitely need to bring more weight than what I own. I'm trying to not have to rent any gear but the tank for local dives, and have purchased 20 pounds of lead so far (that stuff ain't cheap). I'll pick up another couple of 4 or 5 pound weights this week. I do have trim pockets on the back of my BD, and could reasonably fit my two 2 pound weights back there.

I wonder if I should try to cram all the weight into my BC, or put some of it on a weight belt. Pros? Cons?

I'm gonna suggest NOT buying your weights in 4 or 5 lbs 'increments'. Your weight collection needs to be built from 1, 2, or max 3 lbs increments, makes it much easier to fine tune your weighting requirements going forward, additionally it makes it easier to tweek your trim by rearranging weights to different areas/sides of the body.

Suggestion #2: begin recording in your logbook the following parameters:

dive location (fresh vs salt water)
wetsuit thickness/type
scuba tank size/type
'lead' used
'lead' location (where did you place your weights?)

...your goal here is building a personal, real-world database where you record for future reference what combos of weighting you used, and what worked/didn't work for you on that dive, and use those datapoints to move you closer to success, with enough experience you will develop a a little 'table' where you've organized different 'combos' such that you will know, in advance, exactly what worked previously, so that you won't have to reinvent the wheel, especially helpful if you don't get to dive all that often and forget what you did way back when.

Ideally, you can tune your weighting in a fresh water pool before you hit the lake, as it will be way easier and less frustrating to surface and swap out weights if they're over at the edge of the pool versus back on the lake shore/truck.

Be advised that the thicker the wetsuit, especially at shallow depths, it's easy to experience a runnaway ascent, as wetsuits experience the largest % changes in bouyancy at shallow depths, and a thick wetsut makes the effect worse, so pay attention to your depth!

 

[Blue Sparkle]

scubafanatic: I like your suggestion on the smaller weights. I generally rent weights along with tanks when I dive, but even so I have started to carry a few 1# weights with me, because - at least where I have dived - the ops seem to be very short of 1# or 2# weights, and it's kind of hard to fine tune with 4# or 6# chunks.

I have had good success with a detailed log as you suggest also. I have records of what weights I wore (and where they were located on my kit), which suit, and whether I felt over or under-weighted (if I did). That sure comes in handy months later when I'm trying to remember what worked last time I used the same combo. It's helpful for other things too, such as "What was the water temp that time last year when I was chilly in my 3mm suit?"

 

[TexasKaren68]

I'm gonna suggest NOT buying your weights in 4 or 5 lbs 'increments'. Your weight collection needs to be built from 1, 2, or max 3 lbs increments, makes it much easier to fine tune your weighting requirements going forward, additionally it makes it easier to tweek your trim by rearranging weights to different areas/sides of the body.

Suggestion #2: begin recording in your logbook the following parameters:

dive location (fresh vs salt water)
wetsuit thickness/type
scuba tank size/type
'lead' used
'lead' location (where did you place your weights?)

...your goal here is building a personal, real-world database where you record for future reference what combos of weighting you used, and what worked/didn't work for you on that dive, and use those datapoints to move you closer to success, with enough experience you will develop a a little 'table' where you've organized different 'combos' such that you will know, in advance, exactly what worked previously, so that you won't have to reinvent the wheel, especially helpful if you don't get to dive all that often and forget what you did way back when.

Ideally, you can tune your weighting in a fresh water pool before you hit the lake, as it will be way easier and less frustrating to surface and swap out weights if they're over at the edge of the pool versus back on the lake shore/truck.

Be advised that the thicker the wetsuit, especially at shallow depths, it's easy to experience a runnaway ascent, as wetsuits experience the largest % changes in bouyancy at shallow depths, and a thick wetsut makes the effect worse, so pay attention to your depth!

Thanks for the good suggestions. I have 4,3,2 and 1 pound soft weights (2 of each). I think I'll get a belt and a few hard weights so I can have some on a belt and some in the BC for the cold water dives. It was pretty hard to move on land with the 22 pounds in my BC on Kauai. The instructor is the one who moved weights to the trim pockets in my PPB class and it did help with horizontal trim.

I haven't been making a note of tank size in my logbook, but will start with the next dive.

 

[Blue Sparkle]

I haven't been making a note of tank size in my logbook, but will start with the next dive.

Another thing that's nice for is that you can calculate your rate of air consumption for future reference.

I suppose when people are doing thousands of dives then maybe it becomes overkill; but for me it's been the more data the better when I am figuring things out. I've found it very useful on subsequent dives. Plus, it's fun to look back at the log in between trips (alas, no local diving unless/until I move elsewhere).

 

[The Light Eternal]

Thanks for the good suggestions. I have 4,3,2 and 1 pound soft weights (2 of each). I think I'll get a belt and a few hard weights so I can have some on a belt and some in the BC for the cold water dives. It was pretty hard to move on land with the 22 pounds in my BC on Kauai. The instructor is the one who moved weights to the trim pockets in my PPB class and it did help with horizontal trim.

I haven't been making a note of tank size in my logbook, but will start with the next dive.

You think it was hard with 22 lbs, I did a shore dive in Puget Sound with 38lbs! That sucked!

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

Way too much weight..At 5'6"- 160 lbs you should be able to dive in a 5mm with no more than 12lbs of leads with a alum tank.

I am disgusted with the way TexasKaren68 has been treated by some of the most prolific SB dive instructors! :shocked2:

She has been diligent in her strive to be a thinking new diver and the Weight Nazi's continue to tell her she is wrong and her instructors are wrong.

TexasKaren68; you are thinking correctly!

If I were you I would buy a couple 4# or 5# weights. You can get a belt designed for both soft and hard weights; no need to think hard weight only for the belt. If you don't have much in the way of hips, the harness may also be available in soft/hard as well. With 7 mm hooded vest, I would start with 4# weights in each of the trim pockets.

Your AOW Instructor should also have some extra 2# &/or 3# weights on the first couple dives in case you are light at the SS.

 

[TexasKaren68]

I am disgusted with the way TexasKaren68 has been treated by some of the most prolific SB dive instructors! :shocked2:

She has been diligent in her strive to be a thinking new diver and the Weight Nazi's continue to tell her she is wrong and her instructors are wrong.

TexasKaren68; you are thinking correctly!

If I were you I would buy a couple 4# or 5# weights. You can get a belt designed for both soft and hard weights; no need to think hard weight only for the belt. If you don't have much in the way of hips, the harness may also be available in soft/hard as well. With 7 mm hooded vest, I would start with 4# weights in each of the trim pockets.

Your AOW Instructor should also have some extra 2# &/or 3# weights on the first couple dives in case you are light at the SS.

No worries. I know that the only one who can figure out my weight problem is me (both scuba weights, and the other kind ) I have plenty in the way of hips too, so the weight belt won't slide off, but may shift around unless I get it tight enough. I noticed that my weight belt did shift quite a bit when I was in Cozumel - just couldn't get it to stay put but I had a lot of other things going on there and Coz was my first two OW dives so I didn't know what I didn't know back then (still don't really, that's why I come here to ask questions)

fwiw, despite what the SB "experts" say, 22 pounds for me in a 5mm was 2-4 pounds below what I probably needed in Kauai salt water. My instructor had to pull me under on the second dive. If I had enough weight I should have sank without help with my BC completely empty. I used 18 pounds in a 3mm shorty in Coz and felt overweighted. Until I have a few more dives in different suits in different locations I know things aren't always going to be perfect as far as weighting goes. Every time a variable changes, I'll be starting over.

I'm sure my instructor will be able to help get it all figured out (for a 7mm in a lake). I'll report back a week from tomorrow.

For my Key Largo dives in May (which will be in my 3mm full) I figure I'll need somewhere between 10 and 22 pounds I'll report back at the end of May k:

 

[TexasKaren68]

Okay, I guess that particular consideration won't be necessary then -- 40# should certainly cover it (I didn't know what she was diving with for a BC)

In Hawaii (and previously in Cozumel) I used a rental BC and forgot to note what brand they were Here, I'll be using my own - an Oceanic Hera.

 

[elan]

scubafanatic: I like your suggestion on the smaller weights. I generally rent weights along with tanks when I dive, but even so I have started to carry a few 1# weights with me, because - at least where I have dived - the ops seem to be very short of 1# or 2# weights, and it's kind of hard to fine tune with 4# or 6# chunks.

I have had good success with a detailed log as you suggest also. I have records of what weights I wore (and where they were located on my kit), which suit, and whether I felt over or under-weighted (if I did). That sure comes in handy months later when I'm trying to remember what worked last time I used the same combo. It's helpful for other things too, such as "What was the water temp that time last year when I was chilly in my 3mm suit?"

1 lb might be too fine grained. A male can swing I guess 7-8 pounds of buoyancy with the lungs. A female i would guess 5-6 so 1 lb weight does not make much difference you just adjust the level. I found that for me having +- 3 lbs off the centreline is just a matter of comfort.
Trim wise 2lbs is also negligable

So 1 lb weigts just adds bulk giving no much advantage especially if you have a buoyancy compensator