Weight Question

[JamesBon92007]

I'm assuming that "with rainbow reef" is a dive op. In my experience, if someone tells the DM on a dive boat that they are not sure about how much lead they need, the DM will often give them what he thinks they need and possibly carry an extra couple of pounds of lead just in case. You can also figure that with a steel tank you'll need (generally speaking) about 4-5 pounds less lead than with an AL80. I'm a medium-sized guy and with my 5mm super-stretch suit I need about 26 pounds of lead with an AL80 in salt water. So far I've always needed a little more than what they think I should need and a few times they gave me less than I told them I needed and I had a hard time doing the safety stop (3 minutes with empty lungs etc). Given the choice I'd much rather start out a little bit overweighted than underweighted and adjust as needed for the next dive. For comparison, in my 2.5mm full suit I need 17 pounds of lead with an AL80 in salt water. Needless to say, I always add up the weights now before I jump off the boat

 

[Steve_C]

Be sure to check the kinds of tanks. In the keys I have dove AL80s, High density ALs, and steels. Weighting varies with the tank.

 

[NAM001]

get on a scale rigged to make the plunge and add 1 for every 30-40# of scale weight. use the 1 for 30 and then you will not fall short. this all assumes you make no changes from where you are at now like changing wet suit to no suit.

 

[ScubaSquatch]

So a little update. I got in the pool last weekend with all my gear and at 28lbs I was able to get down and stay down with relative ease. I'm estimating that in the salt I'll be around 36lbs. I'll ask the pros for their input when I get down there.

 

[JamesBon92007]

So a little update. I got in the pool last weekend with all my gear and at 28lbs I was able to get down and stay down with relative ease. I'm estimating that in the salt I'll be around 36lbs. I'll ask the pros for their input when I get down there.

Which kind of tank and how much air was in it? I use an AL80 with 500 psi for that particular test.

 

[johndiver999]

you and your gear are well over 400 lbs, so you will need 10 -11 lbs extra lead for saltwater. Saltwater makes you add about 2.5 lbs of lead for every 100 lbs of diver and gear (and lead) you enter the water with.

 

[Barnaby'sDad]

So a little update. I got in the pool last weekend with all my gear and at 28lbs I was able to get down and stay down with relative ease. I'm estimating that in the salt I'll be around 36lbs. I'll ask the pros for their input when I get down there.

I would ask them about using a steel tank. They’ll rent you aluminum 80’s or steel HP100’s if you ask.

I’m down in FL at the moment (diving with Rainbow Reef for the first time tomorrow). I settled on needing 10 lbs less weight to use my steel HP 100 (14lbs) in salt water vs. my AL80 (24lbs).

Oh...and I was miserably hot (prior to splashing) in my 5mm in FL. It was bad enough that I ran out and got a 3mm.

 

[Skulmoski]

Set up your rig for 10% of your body weight for 5mm as a starting point. Bring extra weight. Do a buoyancy check.
Best, GJS

 

[kelemvor]

Being that I've never gone out on a boat dive, do they give you time to hop in and check your buoyancy? Do they have weights to use on the boat? I'm planning on doing shallow reef dives < 50'

1. Most dive ops will give you time to do a weight check. Frequently, they're done while the boat is still docked. Mention it to the person you're talking to when you're booking.
2. Dive boats generally provide weights and tanks (air, not nitrox). I've never encountered one that didn't provide both. Unless you want to go shore diving (like a spring dive or something) or if you have your own boat you probably won't need to own weights.

When I call to book a spot on a boat, I tell the person about anything I might need. Even if it's common and expected like tanks and weights. I figure it can't hurt to be sure. This way there's no surprises or disappointments when you show up to dive.

 

[Barnaby'sDad]

OP...Rainbow Reef has AL80’s and AL100’s...not steel 100’s. I’ve never used AL100’s before...we’ll see how that works out for me.