What are the most buoyant fins

[Ayisha]

On my last dive I
- moved my tank higher
- used more buoyant fins
- had my arms out in front of me - I worked that out for myself
And I had much better control, feet didnt feel as heavy but were still weighing me down

I have a BCD with integrated weight pockets around my waist but no trim pockets. I was considering trying to attach a 1kg weigh to the very top of the tank.
I have a 5mm wetsuit and not sure how thick my boots are

I have never tried to just stretch out and relax to see if I rotate, but when diving I do often find my body is trying to flip on to my right side.

Great work! It sounds like the weights in your pockets near your waist are too low to allow you to trim out easily, and that's quite common.

Trim weight pockets that slide onto your tank cam bands can help move some or all of your weight higher up your back to help you stay in trim. You can place two weight pockets on one or both cam bands (if you have two cam bands), right beside your tank on both sides.

When there's a lot of weight in one pocket, even if there's an equal amount on the other side, if you start leaning a little to one side, especially if your jacket's not snug, you'll easily go off right-left balance. Added to the instability of a jacket that allows a tank to roll, especially with a BCD that might not have a crotch strap, and it's not that hard for a tank/weights to roll you a little off-balance. Keeping your cummerbund/straps snug, using both tank cam bands if you have them and splitting up weights in closer positions to the body might help.

Stretching out while hovering in trim and seeing if you rotate is very useful to see what actually happens to your trim if you don't correct it. If not to confirm whether the changes you try end up making you more foot heavy or head heavy, but also to figure out when you actually become balanced.

 

[lexvil]

Well you have many answers here, trim seems to be the issue and with more time in the water you’ll get it figured out, try moving weight around and dive. Fins can be part of this but try moving the weight before resorting to bubble wrap

 

[rambojambo]

Great work! It sounds like the weights in your pockets near your waist are too low to allow you to trim out easily, and that's quite common.

Trim weight pockets that slide onto your tank cam bands can help move some or all of your weight higher up your back to help you stay in trim. You can place two weight pockets on one or both cam bands if you have two cam bands, right beside your tank on both sides.

When there's a lot of weight in one pocket, even if there's an equal amount on the other side, if you start leaning a little to one side, especially if your jacket's not snug, you'll easily go off right-left balance. Added to the instability of a jacket that allows a tank to roll, especially with a BCD that might not have a crotch strap, and it's not that hard for a tank/weights to roll you a little off-balance. Keeping your cummerbund/straps snug, using both tank cam bands if you have them and splitting up weights in closer positions to the body might help.

Stretching out while hovering in trim and seeing if you rotate is very useful to see what actually happens to your trim if you don't correct it. If not to confirm whether the changes you try end up making you more foot heavy or head heavy, but also to figure out when you actually become balanced.

What you say about the weights makes total sense!! Thanks

I do find my BCD seems to move around, it doesnt have a crotch strap and only has one tank cam band, it's a cheap one I bought in Spain. i do feel like my BCD does move around, many times on dives I have undone and redone the cummerbund tighter, then its too tight so I loosen it and then it moves up again, rinse and repeat.
After the course I am now diving with 7.5-8kg, whereas before I was at 10kg. My BCD has 2 weights pockets that do seem to slide forward and hang down a little as I swim along horizontally

I bought some Hollis F2 fins today so will see how they go at the weekend hopefully and will definitely try the

I totally understand that an experienced diver can jump in the water with any equipment and still get it to work perfectly but I am just trying to fast track my progress to be a good diver by having the best equipment for me so I dont spend half the dive sorting myself out

 

[FishWatcher747]

Also, wetsuit pants without pockets have made my long distant swim training much easier and I use almost 20% less energy with my body in trim to the surface, again, no more sinking legs.

Dirtfish, what thickness wetsuit pants are you using for swim training? I have similar build, heavy legs.

 

[Cheizz]

A moving BCD doesn't help with balance and stability, surely.

 

[FishWatcher747]

OP You may be interested in this thread from about one year ago.

Buoyancy question how do you maintain a sitting hover?

So I have been boat diving with a guide in the water with 2-8 customers quite a bit recently. The guide will often stop, turn around in a sitting position to count their customers and see if anyone needs help, ask for a gas check, point things out etc. Now I have tried this position and find...

scubaboard.com

 

[DirtFish]

Dirtfish, what thickness wetsuit pants are you using for swim training? I have similar build, heavy legs.

I use a 3mm wetsuit pant. Less than $30. on Amazon. Fits tight and keeps my feet at the surface. The problem with these is they are made in China and run very small in size.

LuDa Mens Wetsuit Pants Neoprene Warm Scuba Snorkeling Surfing Diving Trousers​

 

[boat sju]

I was considering trying to attach a 1kg weigh to the very top of the tank.

Quite often I attach a 1 lb ankle weight around my tank valve, Being high on the body, it makes a big difference. 1kg would probably be a lot.

 

[TheScubaPanda]

I would seriously question the knowledge of your instructor... That doesn't exist a diver which needs some extra buoyancy in the legs...

In scuba you need to shift your weight down as much as you physically can. Becomes even more critical in drysuit.

Anyway to explain it simply, the reason you are angled backward and have your legs low (part of it is posture) is that your weight is too high. And it's very easy to prove it to you: try to get flat if you raise your legs and try to be flat, you will have a sensation that you flip forward. So the natural reaction is to stay backward.
It's counter intuitive but try to picture a pencil in balance. If it's stable not flat it means there's too much weight on the high side.

Look up
Contract your glutes
Shift your weight down

And change your instructor

@boat sju CC

 

[boat sju]

Anyway to explain it simply, the reason you are angled backward and have your legs low (part of it is posture) is that your weight is too high.

What?