SA-Diver
Contributor
10kg down to 3kg.
That is for salt water with 3mm wetsuit.
That is for salt water with 3mm wetsuit.
Useless Statistic of the Day
- Thread starter wetman
- Start date
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danw2002
Contributor
must be nice, with full dry suit and twin 50's i dive with about 48lbs , but it is spread all over me, and so only 10lbs on a belt. i know as my weight continues down, i will get rid of some, i got as high as 300lbs. now about 290, on the way to 220 or so. :bonk:
When trying to achieve perfection ... don't diet like I do. If I work-out and trade fat (more buoyant) for muscle ... or if I just put on some pounds ... things change again.
If I'm working with students I have to bring more to contingency plan for assisting them at depth. I have comfortably dove as low as 8 lbs ... however descending is a very slow process and I might have to work a little at staying down (finning) when I get into 15 feet of water with 500psi. I dive most comfortably between 16-20 lbs. This variance is due mainly to the pressed steel tank changes I make. Especially switching between my 65cf (rust bucket jr) and my 100cf (rust bucket sr.). If you apply the standard divide your weight by 10 and add 5-6lbs to me, it puts me at 24 lbs but this is way too much.
I've learned to dive comfortably and compensate with 6-10 lbs of variance. Just today I took 2 more lbs out of the rear pockets of my jacket, now that my not so new semi-dry is getting less buoyant. Bottom line find a weight range that you can comfortably compensate for, be familiar with the pre-dive check changes you can make for gear changes. Be sure to plan for contingency - especially air depletion/tank weight.
When I do a weight check at the surface it puts me at 18lbs - which is right in between my comfort zone of 16-20. And all is well until .... I change another part of my gear configuration <sigh>. Adding or subtracting any part of your configuration such as tanks, wetsuit, mask, new bc, glove, booties, gear back, bigger dive light, negative or positively weighted fins ... can force another weight check and possibly another weight change. If you are trying to target perfection remember perfection can be a moving target.
If I'm working with students I have to bring more to contingency plan for assisting them at depth. I have comfortably dove as low as 8 lbs ... however descending is a very slow process and I might have to work a little at staying down (finning) when I get into 15 feet of water with 500psi. I dive most comfortably between 16-20 lbs. This variance is due mainly to the pressed steel tank changes I make. Especially switching between my 65cf (rust bucket jr) and my 100cf (rust bucket sr.). If you apply the standard divide your weight by 10 and add 5-6lbs to me, it puts me at 24 lbs but this is way too much.
I've learned to dive comfortably and compensate with 6-10 lbs of variance. Just today I took 2 more lbs out of the rear pockets of my jacket, now that my not so new semi-dry is getting less buoyant. Bottom line find a weight range that you can comfortably compensate for, be familiar with the pre-dive check changes you can make for gear changes. Be sure to plan for contingency - especially air depletion/tank weight.
When I do a weight check at the surface it puts me at 18lbs - which is right in between my comfort zone of 16-20. And all is well until .... I change another part of my gear configuration <sigh>. Adding or subtracting any part of your configuration such as tanks, wetsuit, mask, new bc, glove, booties, gear back, bigger dive light, negative or positively weighted fins ... can force another weight check and possibly another weight change. If you are trying to target perfection remember perfection can be a moving target.
I see some number here that are likely misrepresetitive
example, switching to a SS back plate (count the plate weight 709 lbs depending on size and thickness)
2nd example switching from an aluminum tank to lp steel (6 lbs neg) you have to count the tanks and backplate and cannister lights too guys/gals.
These aren't a reductiuon in weight, mearly redistribution.
MikeD
:blfish:
example, switching to a SS back plate (count the plate weight 709 lbs depending on size and thickness)
2nd example switching from an aluminum tank to lp steel (6 lbs neg) you have to count the tanks and backplate and cannister lights too guys/gals.
These aren't a reductiuon in weight, mearly redistribution.
MikeD
:blfish:
should read: (count the plate weight 7-9 lbs)
also a change in suit type accounts for weight change as well.
Switching the types and contruction of your gear will change your ballast requirments as well as you confort level.
A stream line Halcyon backplate harness and wing doesn't trap much air, but a Zeagle range does.(pockets and padding)
It is not unusual for novice divers to loose between 4 - 8 lbs of total ballast after a couple of seasons diving.
Different types of gear have different enherent bouyancys.
Wetman you didn't mention you also changed suits, BC's even fins. Your Turtle fins and SS spring straps are negative, but your old Volos or quattos are almost neutral in fresh water.
Your back plate is about 7 lbs, and your steel tanks about 6.
Your compressed neoprene dry suit, I don't know about.
But I found between 8 and 13 lbs , and I believe your old BC (Zeagle Ranger) was about 4 lbs bouyant to start with.
Mike D
:blfish:
also a change in suit type accounts for weight change as well.
Switching the types and contruction of your gear will change your ballast requirments as well as you confort level.
A stream line Halcyon backplate harness and wing doesn't trap much air, but a Zeagle range does.(pockets and padding)
It is not unusual for novice divers to loose between 4 - 8 lbs of total ballast after a couple of seasons diving.
Different types of gear have different enherent bouyancys.
Wetman you didn't mention you also changed suits, BC's even fins. Your Turtle fins and SS spring straps are negative, but your old Volos or quattos are almost neutral in fresh water.
Your back plate is about 7 lbs, and your steel tanks about 6.
Your compressed neoprene dry suit, I don't know about.
But I found between 8 and 13 lbs , and I believe your old BC (Zeagle Ranger) was about 4 lbs bouyant to start with.
Mike D
:blfish:
DennisW
Contributor
My instructor weighted me perfectly when I was learning. There was no 10% of your body weight stupidity when I learned how to dive. A good instructor is worth their own weight, meaning you don't have to use too much before you get comfortable in the water. I would bet that if you all had been weighted properly when you were in class, you would have been more comfortable to start with.
My 2 cents.
My 2 cents.
Although following the 10% body weight rule I would have only needed 8 kgs (or 16 lbs) I would never have been able to go down and stay there.
No, I can't really agree with you: either you are very lucky and very good at diving right from the start, or, just like the majority, you'll shed weight the more experience you get.
greenalien
Guest
I agree with Dennis...
I guess my instructor started us on the light side then gave us more until we were properly weighted. I've never been overweighted mostly too light. Although a little overweighted would be perferable of the two because you could at least get down.
I guess my instructor started us on the light side then gave us more until we were properly weighted. I've never been overweighted mostly too light. Although a little overweighted would be perferable of the two because you could at least get down.
ElectricZombie
Contributor
When I myself was first certified, I think I had about 20 or so pounds. That was waaaaaaaaaay too much.
Seems like most Instructors overweight their students considerably. I have yet to determine why.
One of my students was told by another Instructor to use 16lbs of weight in the dive well with no suit of any type on. That's insane! Turns out she only needed maybe 4lbs or less.
Now I just dive with a BP, no weightbelt. I can swim the rig up from any depth that I dive to, so ditchable weight is not quite as important.
Seems like most Instructors overweight their students considerably. I have yet to determine why.
One of my students was told by another Instructor to use 16lbs of weight in the dive well with no suit of any type on. That's insane! Turns out she only needed maybe 4lbs or less.
Now I just dive with a BP, no weightbelt. I can swim the rig up from any depth that I dive to, so ditchable weight is not quite as important.
lisacats
Guest
I dive wet. I started out needing 43 lbs. with aluminum 80's. I got comfortable enough over time and got down to 33 lbs. I still must have been overweighted though, because now that I have switched to a steel 71.4, I only need 21 lbs. One of the many things keeping me from seriously thinking about a drysuit is not wanting to add weight back on!
Cheers,
Lisa
Cheers,
Lisa
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