Well, the good news is I finally got back underwater.

[cummings66]

I know it's been mentioned, but I'll do it again since the strap was brought up. A BP/W setup will most likely be as close to perfect fit you'll ever find. You won't have any issues with the fit as you grow, or shrink. It's not much more in cost than a good BCD is, and it's a lot easier to take care of. If you know of a shop that rents them out, do yourself a favor and rent one and see if you like it. I suspect you'll find it's the most comfortable thing you've ever worn in diving. I feel almost like I've got nothing on when I dive mine, the freedom of movement is very nice.

I am of the opinion that you should be able to reach the tank valve so if you want the tank lower IMO don't make it so low you can't reach them. Hitting your head isn't fun and could be bad, as in you roll of a boat backwards and slam the valve into your head and start bleeding and have to end your diving for the day, not good.

 

[spectrum]

I'm a bit short for an AL-80. I have a PST 80, which is tiny (but wider), and so I don't have that problem much anymore.

Wider? they're both 7-1/4 diameter cylinders.

 

[Marek K]

Steel 100 filled in water weighs -8.9 lbs negative bouyancey, and empty negative -1.4 pounds. which is a swing of +7.9 lbs.

Aluminum 100 is -3.9 pounds filled and +3.5 pounds empty. This is a +7.4 swing.

This information came from the Luxfer site and I can not account for the difference in swing but that is their published information.

I'm by no means a tank expert, but maybe the difference is because the two nominally-same-volume tanks actually aren't quite?

And now ... Back to the unhijacked thread

Not really hijacked... Lisa mentioned she had trouble sinking, but that was at the beginning of her dive... I think she just didn't have her amount of weight dialed in right -- her first salt-water dive? Then the discussion started about aluminum tanks and their buoyancy, and the point that if she had to be "tugged down" at the beginning of her dive she'd probably have a tough time maintaining buoyancy at the end.

Lisa the Texas Diver who visited Florida and missed one of the greatest attractions in the state.. Diving with ME!

Eric

Hey, it was nice try!

And, Lisa, I admire your determination. Don't let it get you down... you had an awful lot of new stuff to contend with on that dive.

--Marek