Tipping over while on the bottom

[dogglebe]

I certified this past weekend at Beach 8, in Far Rockaway, NYC. As there is no delicate coral on the bottom, we spent time kneeling in the sand. For some reason, I can't do this for long before I'm tipping over. Struggling to regain my balance using up a lot of air, thus shortening my dive.

How can I prevent this in the future? Swimming is not a problem; not swimming is. My weights are distributed, so what could be causing this?


Phil

 

[rcs9250]

Not that uncommon for new divers. What kind of tank were you using? Your body position will make a big difference. Center your body over your horizontal lower legs.
You may not be used to the reduced gravity as I like to think of it. Practice makes perfect. Look at other divers that aren't using their hands and observe their body position.

 

[Belmont]

In your future diving you should never have to be kneeling or for that matter be vertical in the water.
Try staying flat on the bottom and adding air to your BC in very (very) small amounts. Wait between every shot to give time to your body to react to the added flotation effect.

When you start to slowly rise from the bottom stop adding air and you should be able to go up and down slightly, with only your breathing.

Practice makes perfect.

 

[Steve50]

Your weights were not "distributed" optimally for kneeling on the bottom, which you should start avoiding anyway....

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I certified this past weekend at Beach 8, in Far Rockaway, NYC. As there is no delicate coral on the bottom, we spent time kneeling in the sand. For some reason, I can't do this for long before I'm tipping over. Struggling to regain my balance using up a lot of air, thus shortening my dive.

How can I prevent this in the future? Swimming is not a problem; not swimming is. My weights are distributed, so what could be causing this?

Phil

It comes with practice, Phil ... every new diver goes through it to some extent or another, as your body gets used to the sense of "weightlessness" that it experiences for the first time when you begin diving.

The good news is that with proper weighting, distribution of weights, and a bit of practice on your part, the learning curve is fairly quick.

Just go diving ... work on staying off the bottom while you swim normally ... once you're comfortable with that, work on staying off the bottom while swimming slowly ... once you're comfortable with that, work on staying off the bottom while not swimming at all. Your brain will "rewire" itself to the sensory input it receives while you're doing all of that, and before you know it you'll be "one" with the fish ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[dogglebe]

My weight situation is posted on another thread or two. I'm using 43 pounds of weights right now (wait for the GASPS to die down). I'm 200 pounds and I wear a 7 mil farmer John suit.

I figured the whole thing is a matter of practice. I was thinking of maybe splitting my legs further apart when I kneel. The whole thing was just very frustrating, something that all new divers probably undergo.

Hovering and swimming is not a problem. But when I can't do something as simple as resting on the bottom, it's very frustrating.

Thanks for the advise, everybody.


Phil

 

[Marek K]

I agree with the others that, with time, you shouldn't be kneeling on the bottom at all or even be vertical much underwater.

Meantime, do you mean you tip over forward while kneeling on both knees, or tip over to the side? Because if the former, then the easy way to solve that is to kneel on one knee and have the other other leg out in front of you a bit.

If you're tipping over to the side... why do I have a mental image of cow-tipping?

 

[boulderjohn]

My weight situation is posted on another thread or two. I'm using 43 pounds of weights right now (wait for the GASPS to die down). I'm 200 pounds and I wear a 7 mil farmer John suit.

I was one of the people gasping.

It has been a number of years since we used 7 mm farmer johns for students. I don't remember exactly, but I don't believe we ever reached 30 pounds with any student. I am not sure we ever got all that close to 30 pounds with any student. (This was in fresh water, though.)

We now use one piece 7 mm suits with students, and we rarely go over 20 (again in fresh water).

 

[Gilldiver]

My weight situation is posted on another thread or two. I'm using 43 pounds of weights right now (wait for the GASPS to die down). I'm 200 pounds and I wear a 7 mil farmer John suit.
Phil

I'm 250 and 6'3" and use 34 to 36 with a single 80 and a 7mil farmer john in salt water. So, I'll bet you are at least 7 to 10 pounds over. Next time you are at the beach just put on your weight belt and walk out into 3 or 4 feet, get horizontal and take a deep breath. You should float, if not shed 2 pounds at a time till you do. Now take a 1/2 breath, you should now be just awash, if you still float high, shed another 2 pounds.

When you get to the point where by blowing out you sink and taking a 1/2 breath you just float, you are at the weight needed for your suit at the surface, Now add 3-4 pounds back on to compensate for a aluminum 80 with 300-500 psi in it.

The thing about knowing what you need for your suit is that you can figure out what you will need for any tank you may use, aluminum/steel, and size 72/80/100/120/130..... This also works with dry suits.

 

[Gilldiver]

In your future diving you should never have to be kneeling or for that matter be vertical in the water..

I hope you never have to do any work on the bottom. Ita a bit hard to use a hammer or a wrench in the horizontal.