Weight distribution

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2degrees

Contributor
Messages
149
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Location
Central Ga
# of dives
50 - 99
Here is the situation. In the past I have been using a 2/3 with 12 pounds of weight and sinking with out any problem. I also have a farmer john 3mil wet suit. Today I tried the 3mill at the pool and it took 20 pounds to sink. All of the weight was in the pockets and once I got down my feet kept wanting to float to the top. I went to the surface and rearanged my weight. I put 14 lbs in my pockets I put one two pound weight in each of the legs of my suit and one 2 lbs up near my chest in the neck of my suit. This felt good.

Do any of you guys have the same problem and how do you handle spreading the load?
 
That is ALOT of weight for freshwater in a 3mil! How is your breathing? In a pool, it should take less than 10lbs of weight total to get you under. How deep is the pool? Are you able to maintain neutral buoyancy horizontal? There might be some issues with getting you trim, and in control of your breathing to get you under and to maintain that. You may need to work with someone to get you straightened out first, then you can start ditching all that weight!

Carolyn:shark2:
 
How long have you been diving? Your weight requirements will change as you become more comfortable in the water.

What did you have in your tank? A tank that is close to empty will become more buoyant. This is more evident when making shallow dives (less than 30 feet).
 
How long have you been diving? Your weight requirements will change as you become more comfortable in the water.

What did you have in your tank? A tank that is close to empty will become more buoyant. This is more evident when making shallow dives (less than 30 feet).

Good point about the tank. As it empties it becomes positively buyouant and the butt end tends to go up. I usually compensate for that by adding a cam strap with a 2lb weight at the bottom of the tank if I am diving aluminum. Steel tanks are neg 6lbs empty and full.

Carolyn:shark2:
 
I have been diving just over a year and I have about 24 dives. Without a suit I can stay down with about 2lbs of weight. With the 3/2 it takes 10 to 12 pounds. Then when I put the other suit on it all changes. I have taken the top part of the suit off and let it float on the surface. It took over 7 lbs of lead to make the jacket part sink. In the past when I dove with this same suit once I hit about 30 feet it seemed to squeeze out the air and sink better. The problem is getting down to 30' or enjoying a dive at less than 30'. I guess it is like wearing a 6 mill suit on the upper body and a 3 mill on the legs.

Air use I do good at until I get cold, then I enjoy sucking in that nice warm air.
 
It is a lot of weight. We dove together recently (few weeks ago) I believe. For a 7mm jumpsuit with hood with steel tank the 5 pound ss backplate that I use is a bit much. I really only need about 3.5 lbs. I believe that you are diving al, so add 4 pounds for a 7mm fullsuit. Yes, some wetsuit materials are better than others, some are a bit more bouyant. Too much weight means that the weight pulls the lower part (weight belt/weight pockets) of your torso down while the added air to your bc pulls the front end up. You end up moving too much water out of the way as you swim. You need enough weight to do a safety stop at 15' with 500 PSI in your tank. This results in increased air consumption. Next time you dive, when you get down to about 500 psi in your tank, discover what weigtht you need to hold at 15'. Remember, neutral bouyancy does not mean that you stay at the same depth. When you inhale, you rise a bit and when you exhale you descend a bit. Neutral bouyancy is not about staying at the same depth.
 
I dive a 5mm farmer john and am a big guy, 6'1" and 295m steel tank, and I have to use 24 pounds to hold my safety stop with 500psi. I am still new and hoping to drop some of the weight as i get better, I also have a trim problem of light feet, I am getting better and a couple more dive will have trim fixed.
 
Do any of you guys have the same problem and how do you handle spreading the load?

Spreading the load... looks like you've already figured the gist of it out. If your feet are too light in the water, you need to somehow get your weight closer to your feet. If your feet are too heavy in the water, the weight needs to be moved up toward your head. Your tank position can effect how you sit in the water too- a tank low on your back can help keep your feet and butt down... but when the tank gets light its going to lift your butt and legs up. So keep in mind how your position (trim) in the water is at the beginning and end of dive.


Good point about the tank. As it empties it becomes positively buyouant and the butt end tends to go up. I usually compensate for that by adding a cam strap with a 2lb weight at the bottom of the tank if I am diving aluminum. Steel tanks are neg 6lbs empty and full.
Carolyn:shark2:

Not entirely true. Yes, a steel tank will be negative both at the beginning and end of the dive, but it will be not as negative at the end as it was to begin with because because it is not full. Air weighs the same no matter what kind of tank it's in.

The cam strap weight is a great idea for getting weight lower. A weight belt would probably get some weight lower too but who likes those?

Next time you dive, when you get down to about 500 psi in your tank, discover what weigtht you need to hold at 15'. Remember, neutral bouyancy does not mean that you stay at the same depth. When you inhale, you rise a bit and when you exhale you descend a bit.

Well said. I modify it a little by breathing my tank to 500 then add only enough weight to sink at the surface. This is in case for whatever reason I've got less air in my tank then 500 psi when I'm trying to hold that safety stop or if I'm stressed and breathing a lot (which will make me more bouyant.)

Whatever you do, document it so you have a record of what worked and what didn't. It'll come in handy later.
 

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