Weight - Cold 7mm Fresh to Warm 3mm Salt

[enduser]

I'm 70ish dives in. Most in mountain lakes here in Utah and left coast ocean out of San Diego. Always in a 7mm water temps range from 55-65 degrees.

Playing hookie this weekend for one day of a business trip to dive with Jupiter Dive Center in FL where current water temps are around 87. I may rent a 3mm while I am there but may just wear shorts and a rash guard. Shoot water that warm why wear anything at all.

Anyways question on weighting.

In Utah I dive a medium SS DSS BPW with the weight plates attached. The plate itself weighs 4.7lbs the plates are 8.1lbs = 12.8 let's say 13. I do not need any other weight, have no ditchable weight and feel like I am pretty perfectly weighted.

We have an oddity here in Utah called the Homestead Crater. Geothermal heated. Water temp is always 95ish year round. When I dive there I just take the weight plates off and use only my SS plate, again no ditchable and no other weight.

I am bringing my DSS rig with me to Florida. But I am trying to figure out:

How much weight to use as a starting point (maybe the 4.7 that I use at the Crater) and then how much difference do I need for Salt and the possible 3mm? My guess is maybe 6lbs for Salt does the 3mm need a lb or two?

Should I just bring my weight plates and maybe be a few lbs over? Or just throw a couple pounds on a belt and call it good? Or do you think I can get by with no weight and just my SS similar to the way I dive the Crater?

Thanks for the help!

 

[rsingler]

I may rent a 3mm while I am there but may just wear shorts and a rash guard. Shoot water that warm why wear anything at all.

Anyways question on weighting.

In Utah I dive a medium SS DSS BPW with the weight plates attached. The plate itself weighs 4.7lbs the plates are 8.1lbs = 12.8 let's say 13. I do not need any other weight have no ditchablditch able and feel like I am pretty perfectly weighted.

13# in f.w. in a 7 mm sounds about like me.
I'd lose 4-6# going 7mm to a 3 mm and add 4# going f.w. to salt. So, taking off 2# would be my guesstimate. If you dump your plates with a 3mm, you'd need a small weight belt. With just a rash guard, you'd be more even.
But I didn't see that you specified tanks. My comparison calcs are based on my steel tanks. If you are switching from steel at home to aluminum in FL, you'll be 3.5# lighter, and may need a plate or a bigger weight belt with your 3mm. You might be perfect with a rash guard and one plate, but then your trim is off. If your tanks aren't changing, then you will be fine.

 

[enduser]

Aluminum 80 at home. Whatever I can rent in Jupiter. (On Jupiter sounds cooler).

 

[2airishuman]

I take off 16 pounds going from 7mm to 3mm and add 8 pounds going from fresh to ocean.

Going from 3mm to a rasher I take off 10 pounds. Both my 7mm and 3mm suits are two piece suits with hoods, size 3XL.

Hard to say for sure without experimenting, but I would guess that with your backplate alone you'll be overweighted with a rasher and about right in 3mm.

 

[rsingler]

First reply corrected

So, Al to Al rental and 3mm - small weight belt.
Al to rental steel, you're fine with backpack and no plates.

With a rash guard you're slightly heavy w/Al.
With rental steel tank, rent a BCD

 

[NorCalDM]

Some is going to depend on you not your gear. In warm salt water I use a full 3mm suit with my aluminum plate and aluminum tank and 0 lead if I used my SST plate I would sink like a lawn dart. I’m 6’ 185lbs.

 

[Scott]

With an AL plate, AL80 and 3mm in the ocean I add an additional 4 lbs.
In our lovely Crater I use no additional weight with an AL63

 

[enduser]

Thanks everyone. My dive in Jupiter got blown out today because of weather. I drove up to Blue Grotto and dove with a 3mm and no additional weight.

Thanks again.