working on my trim

[olmic]

Hi

I'm wondering why I'm using more air than everybody else I know. While swimming next to the divemaster today, he counted that I breathe 1,5 times every time he breathes 1 time. I'm younger, in better physical shape and I don't smoke. He things I'm not lying horisontally enough in the water - that I have the head up and the feet down. But I'm in a drysuit, w/o ankle weights, with a wing BCD, and even with 2 kg on the upper tank strap (10 kg total). So I fail to understand what it is which is keeping my feet down! Maybe I just want to look forwards while swimming, then the head goes up automatically?

I *am* in relatively new equipment (8 dives in wing BCD and drysuit as opposed to vest BCD and wetsuit) so that makes me more nervous/stressed I guess, but still? At 15 meters I go from 200 to 50 bar in around 30 minutes.

Does anybody have any ideas?

thanks

 

[www.scubamazing.com]

How's your weighting? Any possibility you're kicking harder to keep yourself from sinking?

 

[TSandM]

Did the divemaster say anything about your overall posture? If you are flexing at the hips, your knees will be down even if your feet are up.

I know when I started out, I only felt comfortable if I was about 20 degrees feet down. If I got horizontal, I felt like I was tipping on my head. You have to play with it enough to get used to the new position.

One thing that helps is to stop in the water and hold perfectly still -- no finning at all. See where you tip. If your feet go down, you still need to move weight up -- move the tank up, or put more weight on the plate or bands. If you tilt head down, you have to move weight down (unlikely, if you are maintaining a feet down position). If you are balanced, then your posture in the water is due to what you are doing with your body parts. Remember that you can also affect your center of gravity by lengthening the moment arm on one end or the other. Clasping your hands in front of you will increase the weight in front, and bending your knees up will shorten the moment arm in back. The combination will tend to bring your chest down and feet up.

If you have somebody who has an underwater camera, having some pictures taken of what you are doing is VERY helpful.

 

[Dean810]

Swimming in the posture you are talking about is often a classic symptom of being overweighted. I know, I've been there. I really can't say much more, because I don't dive with a wing. Many newer divers put on too much weight because they have issues decending. I still need work in that department in a drysuit, but once you are at depth, it makes a great deal of difference in your trim.

 

[olmic]

Some good tips, thanks everybody. I will try to go with even 1 kg less today to see if it helps, and focus on the hip. And yes, I see that camera would be a great thing. I'll ask them about it.

Cheers

/Ole, Lagos, Portgual

 

[Wildcard]

Also make sure your not using your hands to scull with. If they are not being used for holding on to something, even each other, it's very easy to find yourself using your hands to change you attitude in the water. Good luck!

 

[hopeitsapar]

Some good tips, thanks everybody. I will try to go with even 1 kg less today to see if it helps, and focus on the hip. And yes, I see that camera would be a great thing. I'll ask them about it.

Cheers

/Ole, Lagos, Portgual

I have had the same problem, and am still working on it. I have tried to shift my weights to the trim pockets, and back to the front pockets in the wing. Not sure yet works best, but considering some ankle weights to put on the tank to shift the moment arm forward. The above post about arching the back is so true. Trying to break that habit as well. Also a new diver!

 

[olmic]

Today went fine wrgds both to position in water and airconsumption. I took a shorter tank and moved it up on the back to move the center of gravity up. And went with 8 kgs only. And think: Monday I was carrying 13 kg!!! No wonder I used air like a mad man trying to push those extra 5 kg forwards! Bad thing about today was that my suit was leaking at the neck - so I got a bit cold at the end of the second dive (first one 18 meters, second one 9 meters) - and soaking wet socks and underwear.

 

[Dean810]

Today went fine wrgds both to position in water and airconsumption. I took a shorter tank and moved it up on the back to move the center of gravity up. And went with 8 kgs only. And think: Monday I was carrying 13 kg!!! No wonder I used air like a mad man trying to push those extra 5 kg forwards! Bad thing about today was that my suit was leaking at the neck - so I got a bit cold at the end of the second dive (first one 18 meters, second one 9 meters) - and soaking wet socks and underwear.

Well, at least you got your trim!

 

[H2Andy]

Bad thing about today was that my suit was leaking at the neck - so I got a bit cold
at the end of the second dive (first one 18 meters, second one 9 meters) - and soaking wet socks and underwear.

see, that's the great thing about scuba diving

if one thing doesn't get you, something else will

eyebrow