Dracunos
Contributor
Thanks. I also learned a few things from this thread. 
Runaway Ascent (Analysis/Lesson Learned)
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rk288
Contributor
I'll back up a lot of the replies so far.
I had the same problem during my first few dives. I was very overweighted using at one point 30 lbs in full (7mm farmer john) cold water gear. Now I'm at 24 lbs. I never add any air to my BC after descending even at depths of 60 to 90 ft.
In salt water with a 3mm jumpsuit I use 12 lbs and still have never found it necessary to think about my BCD at depths from 80 to 120 fsw. To me so far it's all about being relaxed and controlling my buoyancy with breathing.
Have a great time in Bonaire!!!
I had the same problem during my first few dives. I was very overweighted using at one point 30 lbs in full (7mm farmer john) cold water gear. Now I'm at 24 lbs. I never add any air to my BC after descending even at depths of 60 to 90 ft.
In salt water with a 3mm jumpsuit I use 12 lbs and still have never found it necessary to think about my BCD at depths from 80 to 120 fsw. To me so far it's all about being relaxed and controlling my buoyancy with breathing.
Have a great time in Bonaire!!!
Some basic weighting questions will help understand the problem.
1. Personal weight at the time of the dive
2. Presumably fresh water
3. I understand 7mm wetsuit (new or old & broken in)?
3. How much weight in weight belts or whatever?
4. All weights in one location or distributed (where)?
Sounds like your father suffers the stress of most newbie divers with the rapid/shallow breathing. Breathing is one factor in bouyancy. With not exhaling fully and relaxing his chest, he needed the added weight to get down and stay down. This only improves with dive time as the diver gets more relaxed and comfortable in the underwater environment(however, never get complacient). It adds to the diver's ability to shed excess weight.
1. Personal weight at the time of the dive
2. Presumably fresh water
3. I understand 7mm wetsuit (new or old & broken in)?
3. How much weight in weight belts or whatever?
4. All weights in one location or distributed (where)?
Sounds like your father suffers the stress of most newbie divers with the rapid/shallow breathing. Breathing is one factor in bouyancy. With not exhaling fully and relaxing his chest, he needed the added weight to get down and stay down. This only improves with dive time as the diver gets more relaxed and comfortable in the underwater environment(however, never get complacient). It adds to the diver's ability to shed excess weight.
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I have found yoga very helpful in teaching my patients how to breathe. Guided imagery CDs are also helpful, especially the ones by Belle Ruth Naperstak. I recommend her "insomnia" and "PTSD" CDs for breathing and relaxation.
I know it sounds very " touchy feely " to all you guys but it really does work. You'd be amazed how many patients I see everyday who breathe from their shoulders instead of their diaphragm. They truly don't know and can't breathe properly. I can imagine this would effect them if they wanted to learn how to dive.
I'm a musician and learned how to breathe properly at a very young age. My SAC is amazingly low because of it, even when I was a total newbie.
I know it sounds very " touchy feely " to all you guys but it really does work. You'd be amazed how many patients I see everyday who breathe from their shoulders instead of their diaphragm. They truly don't know and can't breathe properly. I can imagine this would effect them if they wanted to learn how to dive.
I'm a musician and learned how to breathe properly at a very young age. My SAC is amazingly low because of it, even when I was a total newbie.
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