Tightness

[PUGMASTER]

Hello all, I just got back from Diving in Jamaica and noticed a couple of things that I need your help on.

1. Most of the guys that were more experienced I noticed that they wear thier equipment very loosely. I tend to ratchet the straps all around very tightly... I'm thinking that maybe the tighter it is, the breathing might be a little more laboured and thus might lead to using more air. Strangely enough this wasn't covered in my course.
To me it's starting to make sense that the more "comfortable" and "relaxed" you are in the water, the less air you will consume. What do you guys do?

2. Taking alot of pictures, I found that when I noticed something and the group was proceeding forward I needed to add an extra 4 lbs of weight so I could drop the 5 --> 10' needed to get a good close up quickly. One dive master told me while on the boat that the less weight you carry usually ends up being noticed on the S.A.C. rate.
I don't adjust the air in my BC very much and I'm wondering what his theory might be.
I understand that the slimmer your profile the better overall but what about extra weight?

 

[spectrum]

1. If it feels tight then it's too tight. I do snug my rig up when I gear up but once I get prone in the water it's like it's not even there. As a new diver you probably want to make sure your air supply isn't going anywhere and you are over tightening things.

What you had for your course may have fit your body in a different way. Being relaxed and at ease while breathing deeply, slowly and gently is the key to lowering consumption.

2. To be blunt, with 0-24 dives the best thing you can do with the camera is leave it at home. Diving as photographer requires very good buoyancy control and is task loading you in a way you can do without. Devote your attention to your diving for a while and then photography will be more enriching.

You describe "needing to add weight to go down while swimming forward". Assuming that you fully vented your BC it sounds like you are swimming in a feet down position making your body rise like a wing in flight. The more you swim the more you want to rise. This may mean moving some weight to trim pockets or raising your cylinder higher on your back for openers. You need tune you and your gear so you dive in a nice horizontal posture. This weight will be weight you move around after determining your correct weight with a proper weight check. Being under weighted is as bad as being overweighted weighted so take the time to get it right.

When you get this all together and relax your SAC will drop. Then it will be time to pick up your camera and adapt your configuration.

Pete

 

[TSandM]

After watching what goes on around me for the last two years, I really think one of the things that hinders new divers most in developing good buoyancy and trim is carrying a camera too soon. There is SO much to think about when diving, when you are new to it, and adding the camera just reduces the amount of bandwidth that's processing cues about buoyancy and position in the water. JMHO.

It is often said that overweighting increases the SAC rate, and I think for new divers, it does. Overweighting is often also associated with maldistribution of the weight and an obligatory feet-down position in the water. As Peter describes, this means kicking pushes you up, so you have to stay negative to counter that, and the whole situation is inefficient and leads to wasted motion and wasted gas.

On the other hand, technical divers often enter the water massively negative, and it does not significantly impact their gas consumption. This is because their buoyancy control is better developed, and their propulsion is efficient.

BTW, to the OP, when I started diving, I could never get my BC tight enough around me to make the tank feel stable on my back. This is one of the things I like about diving with a harness. But I've also had the experience that, going back to my BC nowadays, I do a much better job of balancing the tank than I could do when I was new, and the looseness doesn't bother me the way it used to.

 

[Jim Baldwin]

Leave the camera on board and simply concetrate on diving skills. As you start to find your proper weighting you should be able to change your position in the water by simply taking a deep inhalation and then begin a very slow exhale. If you need to drop quit finning and do a very deep exhalation. You should begin a slow fall and get into position with little extra motion. I'm on my third underwater camera and housing. I'm far from an expert but these are things that work for me. I rarely make a dive without a camera and on a week's trip will shoot in excess of a thousand shots. You've got to pull the trigger to get the picture.

At 6' 175 in a full 3 mm wetsuit with a LP 95 I don't use any weight. With an AL 80 I'll add 4 lbs. to counteract the positive tank at th end of the dive.

Having to add and dump air is a sign you are probably overweighted. But don't worry the more relaxed you become the less weight you will find you need.

Yes, I am also a big supporter of the BP/W. I think it's much less restrictive than a BCD that you have to strap down to make it feel like it's a part of your. But good skills are the key no matter what you're wearing.

If you find yourself trying to use your hands to move around and having to fight to stay horizontal in the water then you're not ready for a camera. Try to dive with as little air in your BCD as possible. If you empty your BCD and fall like a rock get rid of some weight. Sleeker and lighter is better.

Learn to swim without your hands. Pretend you're flying like Superman. To turn roll your shoulder and use your fins. Remember when you finally put a camera in your hands both will be occupied. When you can comfortably turn and maintain your position in the water without your arms you will be ready for the camera. Also remember that slower is always better.

 

[Wildcard]

My new pt boss at the dive shop asked me yesterday why I left my camera onbaord? It was a first dive with new divers. I cant take pics and mind them at the same time. They proved themselves, one with 150 dives and one with 10. On the second dive I took my camera along and got some great shots of critters and them....Trying to take pics withouot having everything else mastered is folly. I learned that again when I was doing my first few drysuit dives. Frikkin camera was a pain.....Learn to dive, then learn to take pics while diving.

 

[lazyturtle]

As far as those clips on your BCD go:
The shoulders should be tightened to comfort, much like a backpack.
The cummerbund should be tightened to comfort.
The clip over the cummerbund should be loose. Here's why: inflate your bcd (I'm assuming you are using a jacket style bcd) and watch how when the BCD inflates the 2 sides (left and right)spread apart. Now clip it tight and do the same, you'll see there's much less movement of the bcd before the overflow valve releases air. Same thing happens when you're wearing it. So if you tighten the clip over the cummerbund really tight, you cannot get as much air in your bcd. Adjusting your tank to a different hight on th BCD may also make the gear feel more comfortable; it's a trial and error thing.
You should be weighted correctly. Having less weight may decrease your air consumption, but not if you're struggling to say down. Do a search on how to test your weight and you'll see many methods to test it.
Groups dives and photo dives usually are at odds. Leading a group of divers (who are not 'with' each other) it somewhat like herding sheep: if you keep moving, the group stays together. Stop and chaos ensues. As a photographer you want the opposite, to move very little. See if the boat will let you buddy with another photographer and do a buddy dive. If so, just go down and concentrate on a very small area (100 sq feet or so) spending you're whole dive working on setting up good shots. If not, make a point to tell the guide that you move slowly and you are looking to take photos of XYZ. The dm will work to find as many XYZ as he/she can for you.

 

[PUGMASTER]

Ya, you're a correct about leaving the cam behind... just so exciting... 1st tropical dive and didn't want to miss the photo memories.

Love to dive. Getting very comfortable and not adding/removing air all the time to the BC.

Makes sense about the cummberband / belt clip thanks.

I am 190 lbs, was wearing a shorty 2mm suit and using a #80al, darn camera is sure +

Was using 16lbs in the Carribean. 70' dives at 35mins and came back with min 500 air, talk about high SAC eh? The more experienced guys were left with up to 2000!!!

This summer I'll leave the cam behind and focus on technique. Vis is about 10' in these lakes anyway:shakehead

 

[spectrum]

This summer I'll leave the cam behind and focus on technique. Vis is about 10' in these lakes anyway:shakehead

That's great! Regular local diving will get you on the right track. Once you get the hang of diving in your waters while wearing a significant wetsuit you will be delighted with your abilities the next time you hit warm water in your shorty.

Pete

 

[scottg_Bonaire]

When I did my OW last August..I had everything as tight as it would go..!

So tight I could hardly breathe..so I sucked air big time..and nearly didnt make it thru OW as I was close to running out of air on the platform!

Since then, I have kept everything very lose..including my mask strap (its such a great fitting mask _ I smiled in Mexico when the divemaster was clearing his, and I had no need.)

And so I have logged an additional 25 dives..nothing below 45 feet..and it has been comfortable...and includes a couple of 75 minute gentle drifts ..cant tell you what that did for my confidence..(my experienced buddy and I where the last but one to head for the surface.. I know not important..but it was rewarding after my OW experience..meaning I no longer have a "suck air" thinghie)!

So at present , I just leave it the whole rig very lose.wiggle a bit...and adjust as I see fit.

But my question for this thread is..is that wrong..will it get me into trouble..

Heading to the Red Sea shortly..to do my advanced.so am just wondering do I need to tighten up..mask strap ..BCD chest strap etc.. when I go do my deep dive?


Just a newbie asking the questions everyone probably wants to, but cant quite do once they are on the boat!

So be kind scuba board!
best etc
Scott


Best as always (never had a poor reply here)!
Scott

 

[PUGMASTER]

So at present , I just leave it the whole rig very lose.wiggle a bit...and adjust as I see fit.

But my question for this thread is..is that wrong..will it get me into trouble..

Scott

Thanks for the wording Scott, this was the main reason for this thread I just didn't know how to word it.

The DM had it so loose that I could see the whole thing wobble around in the water but he was so comfortable even in the most awkward positions.