unbelievable buoyancy of farmer john 7mm wetsuit

[Artimas]

Is it possible that a new 7mm farmer john suit could be over 40# buoyant?

I tried a new suit and had trouble sinking me, my suit, bc, hood, gloves, boots, bc, and Al80, even with well over 40# of lead.

Seems unbelievable, but that's what it took.

 

[redacted]

40 seems high for just the suit buoyancy but 40 total for you, the suit, and the r4est of your gear is not really surprising. I have seen 7mm F/J that tested out as 34# buoyant all by itself. Plus they tend to trap a good bit of air so it may take some wiggling around on the surface to get rid of it and get down even when your weight is right.

 

[Colliam7]

Is it possible that a new 7mm farmer john suit could be over 40# buoyant?

Yes, quite possible. You mention a farmer john. Are you referring only to the farmer john (bottom), or to a two piece suit that includes the shorty that goes over the farmer john? If the latter, and if the shorty was 5 - 7mm, then 40 lbs is not at all surprising.

I ...had trouble sinking me, my suit, bc, hood, gloves, boots, bc, and Al80, even with well over 40# of lead.

Not necessarily unusual. The hood, boots, and gloves are all positive, so that addes to the weight obligation. Depending on the BC, it could also be (very) positive - something like a Zeagle Ranger, for example, with lots of material and some padding.

 

[lowviz]

Is it possible that a new 7mm farmer john suit could be over 40# buoyant?

Yes.

Let me guess, you're in the 200-220# range. (feel free to give me an indignant reply if I'm out of line here...)

AL80---->HP steel 120 will help in more ways than one.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

It is also common for a really buoyant wet suit to lose a lot of that buoyancy after several dives, particularly deep dives, as some permanent crushing will occur in very soft and buoyant neoprene.

So be sure to check your bouyancy every half dozen dives or so until you stop having to remove weight to be neutral at the end of the dive with 500 psi in the tank and no air in the BC.

 

[diver 85]

Is it possible that a new 7mm farmer john suit could be over 40# buoyant?

I tried a new suit and had trouble sinking me, my suit, bc, hood, gloves, boots, bc, and Al80, even with well over 40# of lead.

Seems unbelievable, but that's what it took.

Dang, I'd find warmer water........

 

[DiverDAD!]

I use a suit that is a 2-piece and both are 7mm (total of 14 on trunk), a "farmer john" underneath a long sleeve/short leg jacket. It's almost like wearing two 7mm suits, the only place it's not 14 mm is the arms and calves.

I needed almost 50# total to sink me and all of my stuff. In an effort to get weight off my belt, I'm going to get me a SS backplate and wing and add weight to the STA. I may also consider some weight on the camband. In any event, it sucks carrying all that weight (going on 100# total) on a pitching boat deck, and climbing the ladder is no fun.

All in all very frustrating and not fun. I wish there was an easier way...

 

[fisheater]

I dive with 38# and a steel HP120.

Today, I tried going with 34# and had to REALLY fight my way down. I must have looked rather silly with virtually my entire legs out of the water finning the air.

If you put your wetsuit in a tub to rinse, you'll be surprised by all the weight you have to pile on top to keep it under.