bostondancer
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Hi Ladies,
I read a couple of posts on experiences of shorter, larger female divers. I want to add my contribution. I'm 5'4 with lots of curves. I used to weigh 208 (size 18-20 street clothes) and now am around 180 lbs (size 14-16 street).
Equipment - I bought a Oceanic Isla size Large. It works very well for me and does not ride up when diving. At my heaviest, I got an extender belt for around $25 (google) to make sure the bc closed at the waist and was snug. The clips/belt all worked fine at that size.
I also own two wetsuits, a Henderson hyperstretch shorty size 14 which worked at 208lbs but is now too big. I have also have a regular neoprene size 14 which I am currently using but I need to get a new one as it is too big in some places and a lot of water is getting through. I'm trying to decide between a Bare Elasket and another Henderson.
Weights - I wore about 24lbs at my heaviest with my shorty at the start of my dives and by the end of the week could usually get down on 22 or 20lbs because I was more comfortable. I also always wear a strap on cap. One trick that someone told me is that women tend to hold their breath when they go down. So now I exhale as much as I can and usually don't have a problem. If all else fails, I swim down. Of course, when you enter the water, make sure to open up the suit around the ankles, arms and neck to let water in.
With the full neoprene suit, a neoprene vest underneath and cap, I wore 22 lbs on my most recent trip. Sometimes I have trouble at the safety stop and have to swim upside down to stay at the 15ft mark or hold onto the line.
I usually tell the DM how much weight I'm carrying and sometimes in the past they brought along 1 or 2lbs with them and put it in my pocket if I was having trouble or was being overly optimisitic. If at all possible do not let the DM pull you down. I had one guy do that with me and he was going too fast and I couldn't equalize fast enough and I was eventually fine but my ear hurt afterwards. Now if anyone tries to pull me down I either take their hand so I can let go or I put my hand out in a stop motion. Once you start descending, you have to keep in mind when you are wearing that much weight to put air in your bc once you start getting deeper. For me in the waters of Cozumel, that means once I pass the 40-50 ft mark depending on what the currrents are doing. I also have to remember to deflate the bc any time I am close to the 40ft mark or I start floating up especially if the current is rising as well.
As far as getting weights from the dive shop, I am comfortable with the amount i need and while sometimes the shop guys have a little bit of a reaction, it doesn't bother me at this point. I wear a full bathing suit a full length dive skin. I am pretty self concious about my body but as some people have said, when I'm on the boat I no longer care and as long as I am covered at all times I am fine. I also have a terrry zip-up cover that I change into if needed to stay warm and covered on the boat.
Make sure the weights are spread out around the belt with at least one or two bars closer to your sides but still in the back. This puts less pressure on your back. Also, once i get in the water and the belt is wet, I become lateral, open the belt and retighten. Don't do this while being straight up as the belt will fall off and make sure you have both hands on each end of the belt. Readjusting keeps the weights from moving around as you dive and making you lopsided which is a real pain.
When I was the most out of shape, I occassionally got through my air before everybody. Once I had to come up on my own (yes, I know its a no-no but the dm was my buddy and he sent me up...I was a newbie then). So I started staying about 10-15 ft above the rest of the group especially on the deep dives and voila I would have enough air to last the whole dive. If I do this, I usually let my buddy know before we go in that he/she needs to look up if they don't see me and I always keep an eye out for that magic depth when I start to become bouyant. Since getting more experience under my belt (45 dives) and getting into a little better shape, I don't have to do this as much any more.
Exiting - I have had several back injuries and the weight gain cycle got vicious around the injuries. I am stronger now but I always ask for assistance from the boat crew to help with the tank while walking to the edge to jump. While coming back up I take off the weight belt under water and hand it to the crew. I also unclip the bc (easy with the isla) and the crew pulls the tanks off me before I climb back on. In really rough seas, I have climbed on board with the tank and sat on the platform and then they take it off before I walk. Of course I always give them a good tip for their help.
I have found that with having my own gear and suit I feel so much more at ease and can enjoy the dives instead of worrying about gear issues the whole dive. It really sucks miss the opportunity to enjoy beautiful dives. I spent an entire trip cold and miserable because I could not find a suit that fit and then I rented a men's full suit and had to wear many layers of T-shirts under it so it was snug.
Hope you find something helpful here. Have fun.
I read a couple of posts on experiences of shorter, larger female divers. I want to add my contribution. I'm 5'4 with lots of curves. I used to weigh 208 (size 18-20 street clothes) and now am around 180 lbs (size 14-16 street).
Equipment - I bought a Oceanic Isla size Large. It works very well for me and does not ride up when diving. At my heaviest, I got an extender belt for around $25 (google) to make sure the bc closed at the waist and was snug. The clips/belt all worked fine at that size.
I also own two wetsuits, a Henderson hyperstretch shorty size 14 which worked at 208lbs but is now too big. I have also have a regular neoprene size 14 which I am currently using but I need to get a new one as it is too big in some places and a lot of water is getting through. I'm trying to decide between a Bare Elasket and another Henderson.
Weights - I wore about 24lbs at my heaviest with my shorty at the start of my dives and by the end of the week could usually get down on 22 or 20lbs because I was more comfortable. I also always wear a strap on cap. One trick that someone told me is that women tend to hold their breath when they go down. So now I exhale as much as I can and usually don't have a problem. If all else fails, I swim down. Of course, when you enter the water, make sure to open up the suit around the ankles, arms and neck to let water in.
With the full neoprene suit, a neoprene vest underneath and cap, I wore 22 lbs on my most recent trip. Sometimes I have trouble at the safety stop and have to swim upside down to stay at the 15ft mark or hold onto the line.
I usually tell the DM how much weight I'm carrying and sometimes in the past they brought along 1 or 2lbs with them and put it in my pocket if I was having trouble or was being overly optimisitic. If at all possible do not let the DM pull you down. I had one guy do that with me and he was going too fast and I couldn't equalize fast enough and I was eventually fine but my ear hurt afterwards. Now if anyone tries to pull me down I either take their hand so I can let go or I put my hand out in a stop motion. Once you start descending, you have to keep in mind when you are wearing that much weight to put air in your bc once you start getting deeper. For me in the waters of Cozumel, that means once I pass the 40-50 ft mark depending on what the currrents are doing. I also have to remember to deflate the bc any time I am close to the 40ft mark or I start floating up especially if the current is rising as well.
As far as getting weights from the dive shop, I am comfortable with the amount i need and while sometimes the shop guys have a little bit of a reaction, it doesn't bother me at this point. I wear a full bathing suit a full length dive skin. I am pretty self concious about my body but as some people have said, when I'm on the boat I no longer care and as long as I am covered at all times I am fine. I also have a terrry zip-up cover that I change into if needed to stay warm and covered on the boat.
Make sure the weights are spread out around the belt with at least one or two bars closer to your sides but still in the back. This puts less pressure on your back. Also, once i get in the water and the belt is wet, I become lateral, open the belt and retighten. Don't do this while being straight up as the belt will fall off and make sure you have both hands on each end of the belt. Readjusting keeps the weights from moving around as you dive and making you lopsided which is a real pain.
When I was the most out of shape, I occassionally got through my air before everybody. Once I had to come up on my own (yes, I know its a no-no but the dm was my buddy and he sent me up...I was a newbie then). So I started staying about 10-15 ft above the rest of the group especially on the deep dives and voila I would have enough air to last the whole dive. If I do this, I usually let my buddy know before we go in that he/she needs to look up if they don't see me and I always keep an eye out for that magic depth when I start to become bouyant. Since getting more experience under my belt (45 dives) and getting into a little better shape, I don't have to do this as much any more.
Exiting - I have had several back injuries and the weight gain cycle got vicious around the injuries. I am stronger now but I always ask for assistance from the boat crew to help with the tank while walking to the edge to jump. While coming back up I take off the weight belt under water and hand it to the crew. I also unclip the bc (easy with the isla) and the crew pulls the tanks off me before I climb back on. In really rough seas, I have climbed on board with the tank and sat on the platform and then they take it off before I walk. Of course I always give them a good tip for their help.
I have found that with having my own gear and suit I feel so much more at ease and can enjoy the dives instead of worrying about gear issues the whole dive. It really sucks miss the opportunity to enjoy beautiful dives. I spent an entire trip cold and miserable because I could not find a suit that fit and then I rented a men's full suit and had to wear many layers of T-shirts under it so it was snug.
Hope you find something helpful here. Have fun.
