weighting

[robz]

I was just certified and was wearing 10 lbs in salt water, just wearing a dive skin. I never once had to put air in my BC and felt fairly neutral. All I did was let it all out to start to descend then after ascending I inflated on the surface. Is this a good thing? I am about 6'2" and weigh about 210 lbs.

 

[Bob3]

Is this a good thing?

BCs are meant to compensate for suit compression (you had none) and buoyancy change of the air sucked out of your tank.
There's going to be about a 6 lb weight swing in the buoyancy of a single tank, normally less.
As long as you could maintain your depth at the safety stop with little or no air in your BC, it sounds like you're dialed in.

 

[sheck33]

what tank were you using?
10 lbs seems a bit much for just using a dive skin.

 

[greg somers]

It depends on your body fat level. As fat is lighter it can make you more buoyant so the weights are needed to compensate. A dive skin is for abrasion protection and not really for heat so it just means that you compensate the weights to suit your body type. If it works then don't worry.
Cheers Big Ears,
The Gasman

 

[robz]

I was using an AL 80 tank.

 

[Rick Murchison]

For someone your size, (210 + tank + BC + regulator + any accessories + 13 CF (500 psi) air = about 260 pounds) if you are perfectly neutral in your gear with 500 psi in fresh water with no weight, you'd need 6.5 pounds in salt water. Most men your size are a few pounds (3-5) positive in fresh water, so you'd expect to need about 10 - 12 pounds in salt water.
Looks to me like you've hit it perfectly right off the bat.
Good job!
Rick

 

[seaangel]

I just completed my stress and rescue course and weighting seems to be a major concern for most divers. Our basic OW we did not spend much time with the instructor trying to find the right weighting. We looked for what would get us down fot the check out dives. One year and many pounds lighter, LOL, not off my hips and thighs, I still have to adjust for the various conditions in which I dive. Moral of this story, how much weight is going to vary with wetsuits, steel vs alumunium tanks, and the water you are in, fresh or salt water. Oh yes, how heavy the salt water is also will affect your bouyancy factor. Be sure you write down what works and what does not so in future dives you can refer to that for making your decision.

 

[Butch103]

Rick Murchison once bubbled...
For someone your size, (210 + tank + BC + regulator + any accessories + 13 CF (500 psi) air = about 260 pounds) if you are perfectly neutral in your gear with 500 psi in fresh water with no weight, you'd need 6.5 pounds in salt water. Most men your size are a few pounds (3-5) positive in fresh water, so you'd expect to need about 10 - 12 pounds in salt water.
Looks to me like you've hit it perfectly right off the bat.
Good job!
Rick

Did that just roll off your tongue, or did you have to think about it...... You seem to have the formula ingrained somewhere in your brain.......I have read your weighting explanation before and I am still baffled........

 

[donacheson]

robz once bubbled...
I was just certified and was wearing 10 lbs in salt water, just wearing a dive skin. I never once had to put air in my BC and felt fairly neutral. All I did was let it all out to start to descend then after ascending I inflated on the surface. Is this a good thing? I am about 6'2" and weigh about 210 lbs.

As you gain experience, I suspect you'll become more sensitive to your buoyancy and start to use your BC more. However, it is possible to accomodate some change in buoyancy (which always occurs during a dive as gas is consumed from your tank) by changing the average air volume in your lungs - the average being taken over a full inhale/exhale cycle.

In any case, your objective should to carry just enough weight to be neutral at about 10 or 15 feet with a near empty (about 500 psi) tank so you can do a safety hang in comfort at the end of a dive.

 

[sheck33]

Rick Murchison once bubbled...
For someone your size, (210 + tank + BC + regulator + any accessories + 13 CF (500 psi) air = about 260 pounds) if you are perfectly neutral in your gear with 500 psi in fresh water with no weight, you'd need 6.5 pounds in salt water. Most men your size are a few pounds (3-5) positive in fresh water, so you'd expect to need about 10 - 12 pounds in salt water.
Looks to me like you've hit it perfectly right off the bat.
Good job!
Rick

i am assuming you mean an aluminium 80 for a tank?
this is very generalized. It depends on what BC you are using and what tank and exposure protection is used.
There is a big difference in bouyancy between a simple back inflate wing like Halcyon's and say a Zeagle ranger BC.
A regulator isnt even in the equation. Also someone's weight is NOT a very relevant factor. The MAIN things that are bouyant are the exposure protection, BC (if wearing something bulky like a Zeagle) and the difference full/empty tank one has to account for.
And of course 500 psi only equals 13 CF when using a 80 CF tank with a WP of 3000 psi