Weighting question... slightly too heavy or light?

[Diver0001]

With 4 weights (6kg), I had tons more control

You answered your own question right there.

R..

 

[Jack Hammer]

For easy math, the gas in a full al80 weighs about 6 pounds/2.75 kilos. So every 500psi of gas remaining weighs about 1 pound or every 75bar weighs about 1 kilo. You can use this to determine how to adjust your weight if the tank is full or not closer to empty.

 

[stuartv]

When I started diving, one of the guys at the shop told me that a lot of dive operators do not have 1# weights. So, when I travel, I usually carry 2 x 1# weights with me, just for situations like the OP described. 2 # of extra weight in my bag just isn't that big a deal. Especially since they're small and I usually put them in my carry-on bag.

@OP: A 1.5kg weight is 3.3#. If 3 of those 1.5kg weights was a little too light, then 4 of them means you were, at MOST, 2 - 2.5# heavier than you needed to be. And that just is NOT that big a deal. I'd take 2 # extra over 1# too light any day of the week.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

A few 2 and 3 lb weights allow you to add and subtract weights to make 1 lb adjustments. However as others have said, having a little extra lead is no big deal especially if you can drop it quickly in an emergency.

 

[dmaziuk]

Remember that the Safety Stop is not a Deco Stop.

I wish people quit saying that...

To the OP: I think you'll find "slightly heavy" is the general preference, "dangerously overweight" is a no-no. The difference? -- My personal take is if I can swim in the pool in my speedos carrying that much weight, then it's not that dangerous. YMMV.

 

[Dish]

Deleted. Will only derail the thread.

 

[ls1dreams]

When I started diving, one of the guys at the shop told me that a lot of dive operators do not have 1# weights. So, when I travel, I usually carry 2 x 1# weights with me, just for situations like the OP described. 2 # of extra weight in my bag just isn't that big a deal. Especially since they're small and I usually put them in my carry-on bag.

@OP: A 1.5kg weight is 3.3#. If 3 of those 1.5kg weights was a little too light, then 4 of them means you were, at MOST, 2 - 2.5# heavier than you needed to be. And that just is NOT that big a deal. I'd take 2 # extra over 1# too light any day of the week.

That was my thought too, but the dive instructor kept pushing me to use only 3 weights to keep improving. It didn't seem to bother her at all that I blew through a safety stop and struggled on the following dive as well.

 

[Neilwood]

The instructor is trying to get you to the "better" place of less weight but I suspect too quickly for you. Over time your weight requirement will reduce but that only comes with time and experience. In time you might be able to use that weight but for now if you need it you should use it.

Blowing through a safety stop is not a disaster so long as you are diving fairly conservatively but the instructor should be listening to you if you are telling them that you can not maintain stop depth with no air in your BCD.

 

[Steve_C]

Repeat the statement about checking log for air consumption. When I get a new wetsuit I eventually do a quarry dive where at the end I run my tank down to 300 psi. (HP100) There is, for me, a very noticable difference toward the end. I weight for 300 psi. Usually end up with more than that after dives but if I am coming up I want complete control at the end on every dive no matter what has happened.

 

[Scuba Legends]

Many things have been said so there is not much i can add. But as an instructor, i would like to remind you that the amount of weight that you need doesn´t depend only on your wetsuit and your own weight. Do you breath relax? do you stay quiet in the descent or you move your legs and hand On your safety stop? did you proper deflate your bcd? As an instructor, many times i see divers totally overweighted asking me for more weight when their problem is diving skills. Countless times i had divers at the surface asking for more weight with a half full BC or swimming nonstop in vertical position which makes them, obviously, go up.

Buoyancy is a matter of time and practice, but i believe that when an instructor is telling you to go less weighted is because knows that you are overweighted. Think that your instructor was a good one. Normally most of them would just overweight you because that is many less troubles for them.

I recommend you this articles, they might be very useful in your case:

Buoyancy Session 1 - The Buoyancy Check - Scuba Legends

Buoyancy Session 2 - The Descent - Scuba Legends

Happy Bubbles

Gery @ScubaLegends

www.scuba-legends.com