Trim Issues

[Sebs]

Can't you just grab your friend (with similar issues), a gopro, an extra camband and some weights and just play around? Film each other to see what you look like underwater. Your buddy can also move that camband weight around the tank under water for you so you don't need to go up everytime an adjustment has to be made.

Once you've figured out the exact weight and positioning, you can think about more permanent solutions than a camband..

 

[The Chairman]

I wonder if this is the case. Since I don't think I had this many issues before I dove with the aluminum tank.

Steel tanks are a problem solver. It will take weight off of your waist, and much, much easier to trim out a drysuit.

 

[jadairiii]

Steel tanks are a problem solver. It will take weight off of your waist, and much, much easier to trim out a drysuit.

Until you travel and the location only has aluminum tanks.

Best to solve the problem first.

And another thing to consider, most, if not all, of us with opinions, are diving back plates of aluminum or stainless steel, with or without weighted STA's and sometimes v-weights. Which makes it possible to dive any available tank as long as you have a vague idea of the tank's buoyancy characteristics. I have 3 different STA's, 2 back plates and an adjustable v-weight.

It makes balancing that "bubble" of the dry suit so much easier, since the majority of your ballast is mid centerline of your body.

 

[The Chairman]

Until you travel and the location only has aluminum tanks.

I travel a lot, and sometimes they do have steel cylinders. But with aluminum and lots of thermal protection, you have to get weight closer to your butt.

 

[NorCalDM]

One more thing to look out for with the BC you are using is it has U shaped bladder and it will trap air in the bottom corners. This can make you roll or end up with too much lead because you are not getting all the air out. I dove the same BC for many years and I would reach back and shake the bottom of the bladder to move the air up so I could release it. Also I log my gear configuration so when I make changes I can track what works or didn't. I log exposure protection, type of tank, amount of lead, what plate I'm using and fresh or salt water. This way when I dive some place new I can look back at what I did for similar conditions and how it worked.

 

[AnnoyedSpelunker]

1. Buy a BCD with lots of pockets.
2. And maybe switch to a side-mount tank configuration For me, this was the best decision I could have ever taken. No more trim issues. As an added bonus, no more issues with neck pain from constantly gluing my head to the manifold.

 

[AnnoyedSpelunker]

@grantctobin may I ask your reason for disagreeing

 

[grantctobin]

1. Buy a BCD with lots of pockets.

This is silly and doesn’t resolve the situation.

2. And maybe switch to a side-mount tank configuration For me, this was the best decision I could have ever taken. No more trim issues. As an added bonus, no more issues with neck pain from constantly gluing my head to the manifold.

This is sillier. They’re a recreational diver in a rented single cylinder configuration with obviously no manifold in an area with little instruction or mentorship.

Just put them on your sides! That’ll teach you how to resolve the issues you’re currently having!

 

[AnnoyedSpelunker]

Just put them on your sides! That’ll teach you how to resolve the issues you’re currently having!

It is obvious from his post that he is having issues with maintaining his center of gravity if he focuses on trimming too much.

I'm just suggesting what has helped a lot of my students. Each diver has their own scuba skill nemesis they cannot win over, for some, it's ear equalization, for some, it's neutral buoyancy and for others (like the poster) it's trimming.

For back-mount, I've always preferred a twin-set with manifold so I assumed he is using the same too.
But I stand by what I said. Side-mount configuration certainly resolves the issue he is having. It improves the trim, is better for your neck, and is by no means "inferior" to back-mount.

 

[Forbin's Descent]

Undergarment distribution is important as well. I moved more layers to my legs and it caused me to be head heavy so had to remove them.