Trouble w/ inversion at Safety Stop

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

Kyle0692

Contributor
Messages
78
Reaction score
85
Location
NE Florida
# of dives
100 - 199
Hi all!

My name's Kyle and I'm a new member to ScubaBoard and also still new to diving (PADI OW in March of this year and now AOW in November after 45 dives - I'm hooked!)

I wanted to see if I could get some help from the knowledgeable folks on this forum about a problem I am having when making my safety stops in the ocean. Specifically, at 15' laying flat, knees bent, arms out in front of me with hands crossed my tendency is to start rolling forward putting my head down and feet up. When doing my stops I have ~700 PSI in my tank (AL80) and have vented all the air in my BC (I believe). I don't have trouble staying at 15', +/- 1 ft, I'm having trouble with my overall balance at the stop and when I have a fuller tank I don't have the tendency to roll. Since I started diving, I've slowly worked down from 20 lbs of lead at certification to diving with 12 now. All 12 of the pounds are in my integrated waist pockets, none in my trim pockets and I am diving with a Hydros Pro BC, 5 MM wet suit, and Mares Avantti Quattro fins. Currently, to compensate I have to struggle to get vertical once tilted and then sort of lean back slightly while I do my stop which I can do without much trouble.

An idea I had to try on my dive is to try and adjust my tank band so my tank is lower on my bank to help shift some of its' weight towards my feet. Beyond that maybe some ankle weights? This is definitely something that has to do with my tank being low on air because in the pool at 15' I can stay flat without any issues 2000+ PSI (have not tried a low tank in the pool yet).

Thanks in advance and look forward to chatting with everyone,

Kyle
 
Sounds like you are on the right track. Aluminum cylinder? Own or rent?
Yes, the cylinder becomes more buoyant as you breath it down, which means for what you are describing you need LESS cylinder below the cam band, not more. Buoyancy is pulling up rather than weight pullng down.

But do triple check you have no air left in BCD. Maybe a buddy can confirm for you.
 
Sounds like you are on the right track. Aluminum cylinder? Own or rent?
Yes, the cylinder becomes more buoyant as you breath it down, which means for what you are describing you need LESS cylinder below the cam band, not more. Buoyancy is pulling up rather than weight pullng down.

But do triple check you have no air left in BCD. Maybe a buddy can confirm for you.

Thanks for the reply Jack. Yeah, it's an aluminum cylinder. When ascending I lay flat, keep my lungs more full and slowly ride the air in my BC up to the surface staying slightly positive/neutral and vent the air from my shoulder. At about 20 ft or so I lean up and vent the rest out and then slowly rise to 15' where I stay. I'm taking a deep/wreck diver specialty class in January and will have my instructor look me over good then.
 
Tank position, foot position. Are your knees at 90 or are they bent closer to your butt? If you're pitching forward, extend your feet back some and see if that helps.
 
Close to 90, not more. I will try stretching out next time and see if that helps me. Thanks! Scuba somersaults aren't fun :D
 
Thanks for the reply Jack. Yeah, it's an aluminum cylinder. When ascending I lay flat, keep my lungs more full and slowly ride the air in my BC up to the surface staying slightly positive/neutral and vent the air from my shoulder. At about 20 ft or so I lean up and vent the rest out and then slowly rise to 15' where I stay. I'm taking a deep/wreck diver specialty class in January and will have my instructor look me over good then.
Ride your air? Slightly positive/neutral? Was that part of your training, or are you doing that on your own? All the training I know is to stay in control by being slightly negative/neutral, and to slowly swim up rather than ride up. Curious if something different is taught in some other context.
 
I use about the same weight with a 3/2 but I have weight in my trim pockets (I either do 3# in each or 2,2,4,4), same BC and tank.....

Maybe the tank is too low? I can almost tilt my head back and hit my valve.

Another thing, like Johnny said, feet back some and even pull your arms in closer to your body
 
Another thing - I put my head down and blow air from my BC at the bottom, for me it's easier to empty from the bottom, I don't feel I ever get it all out from the top - I have no air in my BC when I start ascending, I'm slightly negative at depth.
 
Ride your air? Slightly positive/neutral? Was that part of your training, or are you doing that on your own? All the training I know is to stay in control by being slightly negative/neutral, and to slowly swim up rather than ride up. Curious if something different is taught in some other context.

It's something I've been doing on my own for a little while as it takes less effort to ascend and I maintain good control. I was taught like you mentioned, to slowly fin and stop finning if I start ascending too rapidly/dump air as needed. Just been trying different things out is all. Both methods work well for me.
 

Back
Top Bottom