Quick question about weighting

[FishOutUvH2O]

I think the advice you've gotten on how to determine your weighting is great. But when you can do a weight check might be a little different. If you're doing a boat dive and you surprise the DM when you get to the dive site that you need to do a buoyancy check, it might result in you having the same experience you had in OW. Here's a bunch of weight, deal with it. And that's definitely not going to make for a fun dive for you. Remember, there are probably going to be a few other people on the boat, and having them sit around and wait while someone spends the time doing a weight check. . .Well, needless to say not everyone is patient (I hate to say it, but not every DM is willing to piss-off an entire boat for one diver). The best thing you can do is; Be honest. Let the operation know you're newly certified and aren't sure about your lead needs. Do this when you book with the operation or you're at their shore location signing forms. Hopefully you can do a shore dive to sort this out. The best advice I can give you, from one newbie to another, is to plan a dive specifically for the purpose of practicing diving, and not sightseeing. Getting a personal DM, or if you can , an instructor, and doing a couple of shore dives to practice buoyancy and trim can really make a big difference in how much you will enjoy your sightseeing dives. It's hard to see much of anything when your entire focus is on staying neutral and your sucking down gas fighting to stay trimmed.

 

[baz500]

There are two brilliant bits of advice in the preceeding threads they are by Spectrum when he said "it`s better to be 2 pounds heavier than 2 pounds light". I t is far safer to have to put more air in your BCD or suit to get positive than it is to shoot to the surface because you are too light.

and the second, and in my opinion, the more important was by Fishoutuvh20. He said "be honest".
This is the hardest. Tell your DM that you have not done much diving. I know lots of people who are embarrassed to admit they have not done much diving. But remember...... everyone, and I mean EVERYONE started somewhere. They too, at one time, had no idea what weight they needed. Once you get this sorted you can really start to enjoy this wonderful sport.

By the way when I said everyone, that included myself.