Trim? Let's discuss how to manage trim

[HowardE]

I don't disagree at all but what I find is that people will find the sweet spot then lose it due to body positioning instead of thinking holistically about the process of achieving good trim. IME it's best to set a configuration and work with it over several dives before makes changes. It gives the diver a chance to work on body position and see what he/she is compensating for to improve trim, then do gear tweaking, dive more, rinse, repeat.

R

Very good advice... Don't overcompensate by immediately hanging weights somewhere else (tanks, ankles, trim pockets, etc) work on it a few dives and it will come - dive, dive, and then dive some more, and you'll become a good all around diver.

 

[xiSkiGuy]

Don't you mean foot heavy? I assume you wear your tanks on your back

Nope. My Catalina AL80s get head heavy as they get empty.

 

[TheRedHead]

I think it is a lot easier to achieve good trim when in light neoprene which requires warm water. The more weight you need to sink, the more variables you have to manage. To me, the measure of trim is not diving or even drifting, but remaining perfectly still in the water column. When you relax, your trim issues will become apparent.

 

[ClayJar]

A friend of mine just did her AOW, after being originally certified in June, and as we carpooled to the checkout dive trip (it was my NAUI MSD checkout, too), I was fielding questions from her about what she needed to do to improve her diving. I explained that the biggest issue she was probably facing at this point was trim, which seems to be the thing least thoroughly covered by our LDS (gotta talk to them about that, actually).

After the first pair of dives, we went to the nearest dive shop and picked up a second cam band and some weight to hang on the shoulder of her AL80, since her BC didn't have any trim pockets or the like. It was practically magic. She suddenly found it trivial to maintain horizontal trim, and her air consumption somehow found a way to be even less than it already was (she made several friendly enemies on the boat that weekend).

Best part was when the idiot DM I'd met in the pool (see my earlier lift bag story, if you must) came over on the boat and incredulously asked why she had a weight on an extra cam band, as if it was the stupidest thing he'd ever seen. (Entertainingly, this was moments after the LDS owner and *long*-time NAUI instructor complimented her on it.) Anyway, that DM's now permanently on both of our do-not-buddy lists, and when the group from our LDS was split onto two cattle boats for the last day's dives, we just couldn't seem to find the heart to miss him.

 

[HowardE]

I think it is a lot easier to achieve good trim when in light neoprene which requires warm water. The more weight you need to sink, the more variables you have to manage. To me, the measure of trim is not diving or even drifting, but remaining perfectly still in the water column. When you relax, your trim issues will become apparent.

Actually, I prefer my Dry Suit. It feels much more natural for me to be trimmed out perfectly in my DS than in neoprene. YMMV

 

[Jasonmh]

Interesting topic. On how to assess your trim, I would say the best way to assess at the start is to have someone with you who knows what trim looks like, and have them tell you how you are doing. Underwater video or a camera are great tools also. Many people think they are in trim, or horizontal, when they are not. At the beginning it can be hard to "self-assess" your own trim, but once you get used to it and the feeling, you can tell if you are in trim or not. Try asking your dive partner to look at your trim thoughout the dive and critique you. Come up with a hand signal that works for "your trim is head up" or "your trim is head down". And ask your buddy to let you know throughout your dive.
I think that most divers don't want to (or don't need to) have perfect trim. Most would be happy with just decent trim (within 20-30degrees of flat), but I have seen people swimming along at 45 - 65 degrees, but after the dive say they think they were in trim. At first it can feel weird, since it is new, but it quickly becomes second nature, but it is really something worth working toward imo.
As far as adjusting trim, I always make small adjustments, trying to move some of the weight higher to help balance me out. That might be with a heavier backplate, trim weights, weigted STA, or V-weight, etc.
Good for you for wanting to learn more about it, good luck in your search.

 

[xiSkiGuy]

Interesting topic. On how to assess your trim, I would say the best way to assess at the start is to have someone with you who knows what trim looks like, and have them tell you how you are doing. Underwater video or a camera are great tools also. Many people think they are in trim, or horizontal, when they are not. At the beginning it can be hard to "self-assess" your own trim, but once you get used to it and the feeling, you can tell if you are in trim or not. Try asking your dive partner to look at your trim thoughout the dive and critique you. Come up with a hand signal that works for "your trim is head up" or "your trim is head down". And ask your buddy to let you know throughout your dive.
I think that most divers don't want to (or don't need to) have perfect trim. Most would be happy with just decent trim (within 20-30degrees of flat), but I have seen people swimming along at 45 - 65 degrees, but after the dive say they think they were in trim. At first it can feel weird, since it is new, but it quickly becomes second nature, but it is really something worth working toward imo.
As far as adjusting trim, I always make small adjustments, trying to move some of the weight higher to help balance me out. That might be with a heavier backplate, trim weights, weigted STA, or V-weight, etc.
Good for you for wanting to learn more about it, good luck in your search.

Good points. The first time someone is truly horizontal, it often feels like head down trim.

 

[wreckchick]

If you have access to a platform or sand or some other sort of bottom that can be touched without consequence, a good check is to drop slowly in "trim" by exhaling and see what hits the bottom first. If you can get all of you to hover a couple inches above the bottom and have nothing touch, you've got it!

R

 

[Buoyant1]

I definately agree with that! I'm trim as a tree in my 3mm in warm water, but still struggling to get it perfect in my 7mm in cold water. After 7 dives in the 7, I'm getting better, but still need a little work.

btw...credit KeyLargoBrent for the photo....

I think it is a lot easier to achieve good trim when in light neoprene which requires warm water. The more weight you need to sink, the more variables you have to manage. To me, the measure of trim is not diving or even drifting, but remaining perfectly still in the water column. When you relax, your trim issues will become apparent.

 

[Ronniemu]

That is true while swimming but as soon as you stop moving, you'll see what your natural position in the water is. Unless you're properly balanced, you'll either go head down or feet down or you'll roll to the left of right.

My trim has improved greatly, but time to time I would roll left or right. How or what could I do to correct this. Thanks, Ronnie