knucklebusted
Contributor
Kinda long but I am one for details. Hopefully it will avoid lots of minor questions.
I was recently certified and had some very minor issues with buoyancy. I think I got it all sorted out but I'm really curious and want to understand what was going on.
First, when we arrived at the resort on Maui, I started the cert with the first dive and I used a 3mm shorty with 10lbs of weight. It was all sort of a blur but I didn't have any trouble getting down and staying down. Came back with 500PSI in an AL63
Second dive one day later, same weight and suit but I couldn't get off the surface without forceably having to swim down. My BCD was completely deflated and I could not vent any additional air from any of the vents. None from the hose, none from the shoulder and none from the kidney. The instructor stuck 3lbs more (total 13) in my BCD and I was fine. Had 700psi in an AL63.
Third dive with 12lbs and 3mm shorty was great. No buoyancy issues. Had 1000PSI in a AL63.
Fourth dive next day, 12lbs since it worked, same 3mm shorty suit. Couldn't get off the surface without trying to swim down and constantly rose. I had to completely expel all the air from my lungs to get neutral. Any breath in and I'd start rising. Instructor clipped another 2lbs on me and it was good. Returned with 1000PSI in the AL63.
I was certified after the fourth dive. I was also on vacation and eating a good bit. I gained 3-4 lbs in the first week. From my 5'10" 157lbs I got up to 162lbs. Would 5lbs make that much difference?
Fifth dive was a scooter dive and weight was the same 14lbs. Scooter sort of threw it all off. Lots of air left, too.
Sixth dive was a night dive and the light added negative to me. 14lbs and a 3mm shorty worked fine.
Seventh dive was a day dive and with 14lbs and the 3mm shorty, I sunk like a rock and finally felt my weight was right on. Fin pivot was good on the bottom and I could control up/down simply by breathing. Came back with 1500psi in an AL80 for a 45 minute dive. Instructor said my trim was good and it felt right.
Eighth dive was a carbon copy of dive 7. Had to swim around a bit more, trying to stay out of the way of a bunch of kids on intro dive so I burned a little more air but still had 1200psi in an AL80 for a 45 minute dive.
So, I'm feeling good about my trim and air consumption but I'm just wondering why lighter weight was good at first and I slowly over the week I needed more?
Thanks
I was recently certified and had some very minor issues with buoyancy. I think I got it all sorted out but I'm really curious and want to understand what was going on.
First, when we arrived at the resort on Maui, I started the cert with the first dive and I used a 3mm shorty with 10lbs of weight. It was all sort of a blur but I didn't have any trouble getting down and staying down. Came back with 500PSI in an AL63
Second dive one day later, same weight and suit but I couldn't get off the surface without forceably having to swim down. My BCD was completely deflated and I could not vent any additional air from any of the vents. None from the hose, none from the shoulder and none from the kidney. The instructor stuck 3lbs more (total 13) in my BCD and I was fine. Had 700psi in an AL63.
Third dive with 12lbs and 3mm shorty was great. No buoyancy issues. Had 1000PSI in a AL63.
Fourth dive next day, 12lbs since it worked, same 3mm shorty suit. Couldn't get off the surface without trying to swim down and constantly rose. I had to completely expel all the air from my lungs to get neutral. Any breath in and I'd start rising. Instructor clipped another 2lbs on me and it was good. Returned with 1000PSI in the AL63.
I was certified after the fourth dive. I was also on vacation and eating a good bit. I gained 3-4 lbs in the first week. From my 5'10" 157lbs I got up to 162lbs. Would 5lbs make that much difference?
Fifth dive was a scooter dive and weight was the same 14lbs. Scooter sort of threw it all off. Lots of air left, too.
Sixth dive was a night dive and the light added negative to me. 14lbs and a 3mm shorty worked fine.
Seventh dive was a day dive and with 14lbs and the 3mm shorty, I sunk like a rock and finally felt my weight was right on. Fin pivot was good on the bottom and I could control up/down simply by breathing. Came back with 1500psi in an AL80 for a 45 minute dive. Instructor said my trim was good and it felt right.
Eighth dive was a carbon copy of dive 7. Had to swim around a bit more, trying to stay out of the way of a bunch of kids on intro dive so I burned a little more air but still had 1200psi in an AL80 for a 45 minute dive.
So, I'm feeling good about my trim and air consumption but I'm just wondering why lighter weight was good at first and I slowly over the week I needed more?
Thanks