Trim

[prthd9]

I recently purchased a DSS BP/W. It took me roughly three dives to have the harness tuned and now I love the setup. I have dove the rig about five times, since purchasing and am still working on my trim. I'm hoping someone can assist me alittle. I have found that, at times (two dives only), when laying horizontal and stopped (not swimming just hovering) I have tipped forward or my head drops and if I wait long enough I am upside down. I am not over weighted, so I am wondering three things.

Am I just not fully use to the rig yet?

Is my weight placement off?

Or both?

 

[runamonk]

I'm no expert and I'm sure someone will pop up with better advice and questions but here goes.

1. Are you relaxing your back? I do this and I tend to roll one way or another if I stop arching my back.

2. Have you tried moving the BP down just a little so it sits just a little lower on your back?

3. Have you tried moving your tank just a little lower so it sits down just a little lower?

Anyone of those things could easily cause you to roll hehe.

 

[dhampton82]

Are you using any other weight besides just the bp?

How and where are the weights mounted?

Just be glad you dont have the "lead feet" problem that I have.

Good luck, I have to wait for Christmas for my DSS set-up

 

[Walter]

Lower your feet, raise your head..

 

[*Floater*]

I recently purchased a DSS BP/W. It took me roughly three dives to have the harness tuned and now I love the setup. I have dove the rig about five times, since purchasing and am still working on my trim. I'm hoping someone can assist me alittle. I have found that, at times (two dives only), when laying horizontal and stopped (not swimming just hovering) I have tipped forward or my head drops and if I wait long enough I am upside down. I am not over weighted, so I am wondering three things.

Am I just not fully use to the rig yet?

Is my weight placement off?

Or both?

That's not unusual. First, you can use your legs, feet and lungs to help control trim. Pull your feet back as if to touch your butt with them and exhale to shift your the weight (using the term loosely) forward causing head down tilt. Alternatively, push your feet back or straighten your legs and inhale to shift your weight down causing head up tilt. This works better with heavy fins (like scubapro jetfins) or ankle weights.

If despite pushing your feet out you still go head down, then it means you have too much weight high up, so loosen the shoulder straps and drop the rig down a little or move some weights down.

As for the wing, you should be able to trim out perfectly both with the wing and tank/s empty, as well as with them full* (hopefully you won't ever have full wing with near empty tank underwater), so move it up or down to achieve that effect. In your case you might want to move it up.

* edit: by full wing I meant as full as it needs to be at the start of the dive with the heaviest tank/s you'll use and max suit compression (if using a neoprene). Most people probably never need to have the wing completely full, except maybe on the surface.

 

[prthd9]

Thanks I think you all have given me some things to try.

To answer some your questions incase you have more advice.

I have the weight plates, so all the weight is on my back.
I have not moved the BP down, but I think I will try that now.

Thank you all........