Weight drop cold water to tropical?

[billt4sf]

We've been diving in Monterey (55 degrees) and next week we're heading to the Keys and the Caribbean, where the water temp is about 80. Approximately how much weight should we expect to drop?

I am 6'6", 235, and I have a 20 lb backplate plus 14 lbs with a drysuit (so 34 lbs total). We'll probably wear 3mm shorties there. Emily is 5'2" 125, and wears 22lbs including her backplate with a drysuit. We use AL 80's here and assume we will do the same there.

We'll do a weight check when we arrive, I would like to get an idea of what to start with.

Thanks,

Bill

 

[UforSCUBA?]

I'm close to your wife's size and my backplate weighs 5 lbs. With a full 3mm and an AL 80 tank, I use 4 additional lbs in my trim pockets.

My boyfriend is close to your size and his backplate weighs 6 lbs and he dives steel 100's with no additional weight. He wears a 3mm full suit as well.

Have a great trip!

 

[TMHeimer]

With jacket BC, body suit only and AL80 tank I need 12 pounds (with 7 mil farmer john, 41 pounds--yes, 41 pounds).

 

[Quero]

Are you taking your own BCs? In other words, do you plan to dive those backplates? If so, Emily will certainly be overweighted and you will probably be as well. If the two of you showed up here (we rent 3 mm shorties and jacket BCs to visiting divers, and we use alu 80s), I would start Emily with 4-6 pounds. For you, I'd probably start you with 12-16 pounds. As you say, the weight check is critical since eyeing somebody and guessing weight gives us nothing better than a ballpark figure, and as we know, some times we get a hit, and sometimes a foul!

 

[windapp]

I would recommend going with a 3 mm full rather than a shorty. Half length exposure protection has a tendency to throw off trim. You will probably want to buy a lighter back plate, or even a soft back plate. There is no way you are going to need 20 lbs. I weigh about as much as you, and I only need 16 lbs in a 3 mm full suit. You may actually find that your wife needs as much or more weight than you do (by the way, shame on you for revealing her weight on a public website).

 

[fisheater]

Here's what I did.

I asked my LDS to keep an AL80 out from a class and not fill it.

Later, I hopped in their pool with my tropical gear and a 1/2 full AL80 (which is what I'll be renting on warm water vacations) and my best guess of what weight I would need. I dumped all the air from my wing and tried to hover a few inches of the pool bottom. I removed weights and set them on pool bottom until I was neutral. Then, I purged the tank to 500 psi and perfected the weight.

To convert this for salt water, I added my total gear weight to my weight and multiplied by 2 1/2%. The result was the extra weight I needed for salt water.

 

[idive2]

Disclaimer: A proper weight check should be done before diving and required weight can vary greatly from
person to person !

Many divers with 3mm full wetsuit, jacket style BC, and aluminum 80 tank will be in the 12 to 14 pound range for their weighting.
I use 10 lbs with this same gear but this would probably be on the low side for many.

When diving a steel tank I reduce my weighting by 6 to 8 lbs and will use maybe 2 to 4 lbs when wearing a jacket style
BC and full 3mm wetsuit. This is with a steel tank.

 

[redacted]

With that 20 lb plate, you will need a 5mm full suit and you might still be a little too heavy. I am 5'11" and weight 225 (fat). I use about 6 lb with an Al 80 and no exposure protection. Your 3mm shortie is about 5 lb positive. You need a much lighter plate for both diving and for flying (packing).

 

[tracydr]

When I dive tropical with my 3 ml, I usually need about 6 pounds. Here in AZ I need just my 4 pound short backplate when I use my 3 ml in freshwater.
but, it really depends on each individual's fat percentage, along with their wetsuit brand,BC brand as well as a lot of other things.
My husband is thinner than me, uses a shorty and uses 4 pounds in tropical water.

 

[billt4sf]

Are you taking your own BCs? In other words, do you plan to dive those backplates? If so, Emily will certainly be overweighted and you will probably be as well.

Oh, I forgot to mention -- I plan to remove 10 of the 20 lbs from my backplate. Maybe I should have said "weight drop from drysuit to 3mm shorty".

No, we're not buying new equipment for this trip! No way!!!