Women and everything being heavy in scuba diving

[yle]

How do women view scuba as it involves weights, heavy tanks, etc..?

I think most of the answers to your question will be that women view scuba as an activity that involves weights and heavy tanks.

My mom is 68 and shore dives regularly in So Cal water with a 7mm wetsuit, hood, gloves and 26 pounds of lead. Usually postdive I'll pull one of her weight pouches to slightly lessen the burden for the long march back up the stairs. But she gets it done.

 

[BreeAbyss]

I view it as a fun activity. I use steel doubles and the weight has never made me think twice.

My other hobby, mountain snowmobiling, is much more challenging weight wise, and I definiately am at a disadvantage being a bit smaller. It takes much more effort for me to move the machine when I'm side hilling and when I roll, I need help flipping my machine upright. It's 500lbs though. Everything is relative though, there are guys who are smaller than me.

 

[_Ralph]

I don't think anything of certain genders not being able to handle it.

Individuals however, on both sides may not be fit enough, or have prior injuries that limit what they can do.


btw, those are 104's .... Heavy stuff is heavy stuff regardless of who you are ...



_R

 

[Dan]

How do women view scuba as it involves weights, heavy tanks, etc..?

Job security for the Balinese women in Tulamben. They have union to keep out the guys from doing their job.

 

[Bert van den Berg]

The wife is 68 (almost 69) and has no problem allowing the crew to help her. She let's them take her BCD/tank off her before trying to board the dive boat and they are happy to help her.

I'm a year older and still able to get up the boat ladder with full gear on, but barely.

 

[Kharon]

I don't think anything of certain genders not being able to handle it.

Individuals however, on both sides may not be fit enough, or have prior injuries that limit what they can do.

Amen. I'm 70 - heavy tanks, lead, and insulation (cold water here) wear me out. I no longer dive from boats here and cut down to diving with a 50cf and 27cf steels instead of Al 80's. I get about 45 minutes from the 50 and 30 minutes from the 27. With my current health issues I'm looking to sell my 50cf and get a 30. The vis is poor and there is little to look at other than mud, rocks, and a few fish (upstate NY & definitely not into wrecks) so there is little reason for big heavy tanks to extend my bottom time or depth.

In warm water (Bonaire for example) I find I can still deal with the Al 80's, though not for two weeks of diving 3-5 times a day. The coming trip is a single week and I'm staying on the water this time. I'll be doing snorkeling as well as diving - though I'll still attempt 3-4 dives a day.

Weight can be an issue for men as well. Especially as we get older.

 

[Jack Hammer]

I really haven't noticed much of a difference overall. I'd say it averages out pretty well among the people I've seen having difficulty with equipment weight.

 

[RyanT]

@Dan_T, drop the mike. Nothing more needs to be said after seeing those pictures of women balancing tanks on their head. I'd have a broken neck...and tank valve!

 

[rivers]

I seem to cope pretty well with a twinset (twin 12s/hp100s) and two stages, which come in around 75kgs when full. I can just about walk across the boat with it on and plop into the water. I can move around a bit more easily with just one stage. I weigh somewhere around 58kgs and am 5'2" so.....

 

[Dan]

@Dan_T, drop the mike. Nothing more needs to be said after seeing those pictures of women balancing tanks on their head. I'd have a broken neck...and tank valve!

It's normal thing over there to use their head for carrying things. They grow up doing that all their life. Practice makes prefect. I see one carrying 2 tanks in a cross configuration on her head. Too bad I didn't get a chance to take a picture of her. The guys usually work as dive guides or driving the trucks carrying diving gears to the sites. All you need to do is to don your gear in the water and dive.