Tropical diving: correct amount of weight versus trim (correct weight distribution)

[berndo]

I'm confused. Are you saying the center of mass and center of buoyancy relationship doesn't relate to trim?

If I hang 40 pounds of lead on my ankle it will 'relate to trim' but shifting a couple of pounds does not. Not if you have an ok skill level anyways.
I've given a bunch of real life examples.
Please go back and read what I wrote and watch the dude in the poodle jacket.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

I'd bet on Achim. As he says in one of the comments on his video where he demonstrates technical kicks using Seawing Nova fins:

So? I've done technical kicks with split fins for the heck of it. I could do them, but not to the proficiency of good blade fins. That doesn't prove anything regarding the top that I'm trying to discuss here.

I wanted to make divers aware that it is not their gear which makes them perform good or bad but it is their skills and nothing else.

Great! I'm going to show up to a Basics of Exploration class with split fins and a poodle jacket! As gear doesn't matter.

 

[Billg68bg]

I’m a novice recreational diver trying to learn all I can. Can someone explain trim and it’s importance in diving, beside the air consumption? I tend to remain relatively prone in motion and just a hair bottom heavy when not. Feet dip somewhat when stationary. Is this an issue to be concerned about? Only weights I’ve used thus far have been a basic weight belt.

 

[FishWatcher747]

I’m a novice recreational diver trying to learn all I can. Can someone explain trim and it’s importance in diving, beside the air consumption? I tend to remain relatively prone in motion and just a hair bottom heavy when not. Feet dip somewhat when stationary. Is this an issue to be concerned about? Only weights I’ve used thus far have been a basic weight belt.

If you are foot heavy move weight higher until you are not foot heavy.

 

[lexvil]

[Mod edit due to thread cleanup]

I find the thought of warm water travel without my own gear inconceivable but I’m not standard size.

the “average” jacket b/c is pretty floaty, couple that with the normal AL 80 found in warm water areas and getting proper weight is easy but getting proper trim not so much, a head up feet low is a product of the physics of the buoyant b/c and weight need to sink it, now add the tank buoyancy change becoming tail light and it all changes. Trim weight matters but you need to decide where you want the balance, beginning or end of the dive. A few pounds placed properly can make a world of difference but is counter productive at either the beginning or end of the dive.

everyone is an individual and while these “discussions” can feed the thought process each person needs to find what works for them and avoid locking into someone else’s “thinking” process.

the “vacation” diver will never know the difference.

 

[berndo]

I’m a novice recreational diver trying to learn all I can. Can someone explain trim and it’s importance in diving, beside the air consumption? I tend to remain relatively prone in motion and just a hair bottom heavy when not. Feet dip somewhat when stationary. Is this an issue to be concerned about? Only weights I’ve used thus far have been a basic weight belt.

When you want to move efficiently you wanna be in a horizontal position to reduce drag. When you have to swim against or with current from the side that's imortant.

Make sure you only have enough weight so you can go under when you exhale and stay far enough away from any coral or other stuff to avoid breaking stuff by accident and you're good. Having your feet dip some is only a problem when you're too close to stuff.
Weight belts are fine.
And go dive a lot and don't worry about air consumption.

 

[FishWatcher747]

the “vacation” diver will never know the difference.

If the vacation diver ever experienced proper weight distribution and realized how to reproduce the experience they would never dive the same again.

 

[Billg68bg]

When you want to move efficiently you wanna be in a horizontal position to reduce drag. When you have to swim against or with current from the side that's imortant.

Make sure you only have enough weight so you can go under when you exhale and stay far enough away from any coral or other stuff to avoid breaking stuff by accident and you're good. Having your feet dip some is only a problem when you're too close to stuff.
Weight belts are fine.
And go dive a lot and don't worry about air consumption.

I always keep a reasonable safe distance. Don’t want someone showing up and smashing my house, so I try to avoid smashing theirs. Wish everyone thought that way.

 

[berndo]

the “average” jacket b/c is pretty floaty, couple that with the normal AL 80 found in warm water areas and getting proper weight is easy but getting proper trim not so much, a head up feet low is a product of the physics of the buoyant b/c and weight need to sink it, now add the tank buoyancy change becoming tail light and it all changes.

When I'm driftng along a reef for an hour without moving or hardly moving. I also have my head up and feet low because it's more comfortable. People just repeating 'it's physics' over and over again is really saying nothing.
The OPs point about not being able to dive properly and in trim because of bad gear is just objectively not true. That's not semantics. We even had someone post video of someone explaining it and doing a demo.

 

[berndo]

If ya'll wanna believe it's the bad gear and a pound in the wrong place that's causing you trim or whatever else issues, so be it. I tried.