Weights and Trim

[Addicted2H2O]

I'm certainly no heavily experienced tec diver or anything, but just basing your question on size and weight won't give you a definitive answer on weight. There are so many different body types and compositions and the bottom line is usually....muscle is negatively buoyant and fat is positive. So someone the same size and weight as you could still require quite a bit more/less weight because of their body makeup. Don't know if that really helps much but it's at least something to think about.

 

[goldenwar]

Try the Deep Six Eddy fins or the Dive Rites. Stiff enough for any of the kicks, but quite a bit lighter than the Jet fins. The Jets or similar heavier fins come into their own when you're diving doubles, which tend to put you head down in the water.

thank you, i will look into those fins. investing seems to be the never ending process for diving!

 

[BlueTrin]

I checked for you, in PADI AOW, peak performance buoyancy page 266 for me has eye level method and as well the guidelines to estimate the weight.

So using their guidelines I should have dived with 10% of my body weight (in a 5mm wetsuit) so that’s 9kg. But after doing weight check I dived with 3kg during my last holiday, so the estimate can be quite off depending of your body composition.

 

[goldenwar]

I'm certainly no heavily experienced tec diver or anything, but just basing your question on size and weight won't give you a definitive answer on weight. There are so many different body types and compositions and the bottom line is usually....muscle is negatively buoyant and fat is positive. So someone the same size and weight as you could still require quite a bit more/less weight because of their body makeup. Don't know if that really helps much but it's at least something to think about.

thanks i guess only way to figure out is to try it out in the ocean

 

[Jim Lapenta]

The only way to be sure of how much weight you need is to do a proper check. This is how I do it. This is an excerpt from
chapter 2 in my first book
"Doing a proper weight check is not difficult, but it does take a
little time. There are numerous formulas used by different
agencies and instructors for initial weighting. My usual method
is to take 5% of the student’s body weight in just a swimsuit
and start there.

I also prefer to use weight belts even with a
weight-integrated BC, using the integrated pockets or the
pockets of the BC itself to add weight. We then start in the
usual manner by having students move into deeper water so that
they cannot stand, asking them to take a full breath from the
regulator, hold it, and dump all the air from their BCs.
Everyone should float at approximately eye-level.
At this point, they are asked to exhale and should begin to slowly
descend. If not, we will add weight in two-pound increments
for anyone who needs it until they do. If anyone sinks like a
rock I will not stop there, because divers should be able to
descend in a controlled manner, and sinking like a stone is not
controlled. I will stop the descent of any over-weighted student
and remove two pounds, repeating the process until the proper
weight is determined.
Once proper weighting has been roughly established, we will
move back into shallow water and work on equalizing and
descending in a horizontal position. In this way, we introduce
the idea of trim while working on buoyancy. Trim is used to
describe the orientation of a diver; the ideal orientation is
horizontal because this presents the least amount of drag on the
diver. Reduced drag results in less resistance so propulsion is
more effective; because less work is required to move through
the water, air consumption is reduced."

There's a bit more we do since I work on weighting every pool session because the needs will change and the student needs to be able to do this without my help when it comes time for checkouts. Between checkouts, they are expected to check and if necessary adjust the amount of lead they need between day one and day two.

 

[goldenwar]

The only way to be sure of how much weight you need is to do a proper check. This is how I do it. This is an excerpt from
chapter 2 in my first book
"Doing a proper weight check is not difficult, but it does take a
little time. There are numerous formulas used by different
agencies and instructors for initial weighting. My usual method
is to take 5% of the student’s body weight in just a swimsuit
and start there.

I also prefer to use weight belts even with a
weight-integrated BC, using the integrated pockets or the
pockets of the BC itself to add weight. We then start in the
usual manner by having students move into deeper water so that
they cannot stand, asking them to take a full breath from the
regulator, hold it, and dump all the air from their BCs.
Everyone should float at approximately eye-level.
At this point, they are asked to exhale and should begin to slowly
descend. If not, we will add weight in two-pound increments
for anyone who needs it until they do. If anyone sinks like a
rock I will not stop there, because divers should be able to
descend in a controlled manner, and sinking like a stone is not
controlled. I will stop the descent of any over-weighted student
and remove two pounds, repeating the process until the proper
weight is determined.
Once proper weighting has been roughly established, we will
move back into shallow water and work on equalizing and
descending in a horizontal position. In this way, we introduce
the idea of trim while working on buoyancy. Trim is used to
describe the orientation of a diver; the ideal orientation is
horizontal because this presents the least amount of drag on the
diver. Reduced drag results in less resistance so propulsion is
more effective; because less work is required to move through
the water, air consumption is reduced."

There's a bit more we do since I work on weighting every pool session because the needs will change and the student needs to be able to do this without my help when it comes time for checkouts. Between checkouts, they are expected to check and if necessary adjust the amount of lead they need between day one and day two.

thanks a lot, i will review your comment and apply!

 

[Marie13]

How is your weight distributed - how much in waist pockets and how much in trim pockets? I can be leg heavy as I need to carry a lot of weight diving dry. It improves when I move some weight to trim pockets from waist pockets.

 

[goldenwar]

How is your weight distributed - how much in waist pockets and how much in trim pockets? I can be leg heavy as I need to carry a lot of weight diving dry. It improves when I move some weight to trim pockets from waist pockets.

all my 12lbs of weights are on my back(steel backplate + weight that goes between backplate and bcd bladder). as a rec diver i should have ditchable weight but i don't.

 

[CT-Rich]

Diving wet (5mm), I keep half the weight in my BCD and half on my belt. That keeps the bulk of the weight on my hip and upper torso. I am also diving a steel 120, so heavy feet have no been an issue.

The problem with trim is you want to be over weighted at the beginning of the dive so you are properly trimmed out at the end of the dive. I you use a flag, hang a couple of weights on the line so you can trim out before heading to shore.

 

[goldenwar]

Diving wet (5mm), I keep half the weight in my BCD and half on my belt. That keeps the bulk of the weight on my hip and upper torso. I am also diving a steel 120, so heavy feet have no been an issue.

The problem with trim is you want to be over weighted at the beginning of the dive so you are properly trimmed out at the end of the dive. I you use a flag, hang a couple of weights on the line so you can trim out before heading to shore.

good idea!i should take some extra weights and play around with it.