What % of your weight should be ditch-able?

[AfterDark]

The only weight I can't drop is my SS B/P so I'd guess no less than 90%.

 

[Bob DBF]

The way I was taught, the weight belt is ditch-able, and so is your rig should the conditions require it, that would make 100% total.

However, I agree that "In a rec dives, zero is needed if your weighting correct". as herman points out.



Bob
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"If you don't like it, go on the internet and complain." Brian Griffin

 

[AfterDark]

The way I was taught, the weight belt is ditch-able, and so is your rig should the conditions require it, that would make 100% total.

However, I agree that "In a rec dives, zero is needed if your weighting correct". as herman points out.



Bob
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"If you don't like it, go on the internet and complain." Brian Griffin

That was in the days before the wing. If a wing is functional there is little sense in ditching it. It is buoyance control after all. The type of diving I do my exposure suit is my final flotation device and would get to and keep me on the surface by itself.

 

[fdog]

Although it's easy to say "ditchable weight should equal gas weight", I believe there's two potential gotchas in this statement:

Bladder failure
When diving a wetsuit and fairly deep, the wetsuit stops contributing lift. Thus all the lead load becomes a boat anchor. Here, ditchable weight should be enough to allow the diver to swim up despite a complete loss of BC lift; this ditchable amount, depending on the fins worn, leg strength, etc, can easily exceed the gas weight.

Incorrect weighting
When wearing a full cylinder, ditching a belt loaded with the gas weight will only return you to neutral buoyancy if your weighting was correct to begin with. If you were overweighted...weeeelll... oof.



All the best, James

 

[dumpsterDiver]

The whole idea that you can develop some kind of cook book, number that pertains to all recreational diving and all people shows a significant lack of understanding and common sense. The variability's associated with body type, exposure suit and type of tank(s) and BC dictate that any answer that is generated is no more valid than the answer to the following question: "how much lead should a 200 lb man use when scuba diving"?

The answer is rather simple, you need to be able to ditch enough lead to allow yourself to swim to the surface after a complete BC failure and from your maximum depth and with full tank(s). Whatever the hell that number is...I can tell you that a diver wearing a full 7 mm suit with a hood, boots, thick gloves a vest may need to drop 15-20 lbs.

 

[Darnold9999]

In a dry suit I add 2 - 4 lbs to the "ideal" for warmth depending on temperature of the water - add to that if your dry suit floods you have lost some amount of lift, I want minimum 4 - 6 pounds of ditchable weight.

In a tropical situation in a wetsuit don't need any and usually only have a pound or two of lead at most anyway so would make no difference.

 

[tkdgodess]

Diving dry with steel tank, ss bp and sta, the lead i do need is split between weight pockets, loose one and im floating to the big air pocket called land.

 

[swimmer_spe]

I have 12lbx2 in BCD pouches, 2lbx2 ankle weights, 2lb ankle weights on my tank, and another 8lbs in pouches on my tank.

Of the 38lbs, 24lbs is definitely ditchable. 4lbs are ditchable, 2lbs are kinda ditchable, and 8lbs are not easily ditchable. However, about 4lbs less and I will surface. So, I think I am set up well.

 

[Bob DBF]

That was in the days before the wing. If a wing is functional there is little sense in ditching it. It is buoyance control after all. The type of diving I do my exposure suit is my final flotation device and would get to and keep me on the surface by itself.

If the wing is functional there is no need to drop any weight, you would already be neutral, just kick up and away you go empty tank or full.

In the days before the wing, or other BC, a lot more attention was given to buoyancy and weight. Flashbacks and doing a bit of free-diving keeps the basics fresh for me.



Bob
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Oh, oh it’s a dangerous world. Jimmy Buffett