Worried about weight & wetsuit choice with Aldora's steel tanks

[Zman96]

Dove this week with Aldora again and I use a 3mm suit and have a steel backplate, I am 6'5" and weigh 215 lbs and I am a bit negative. I feel too heavy until my tank is down under 2000, my breathing and trim becomes much better as the dive goes on. That being said I still, besides this week due to crazy currents, do the normal 75-90 minute dive and always come up with close to 1000 left. I am considering after this trip switching to an aluminum setup as my body has changed a felt more negative than previous trips. My point is, you should be fine, likely a bit overweight but not grossly.

 

[divingjd]

Of course, wetsuit preference varies, but I am diving with Aldora right now and wearing a 5 mil in 82 degree water. I am totally comfortable. You may be OK with the 5 mil. Aldora now has some steel 117s. Shorter than the 120s, but larger diameter. Those are working well. I don’t know the details on brand and buoyancy characteristic, but I could ask. BTW, I dive with an aluminum plate and no lead.

 

[ChuckP]

Relax, just go dive - you'll be a few pounds overweighted........

 

[divingjd]

I switched to my 3mil today. A little easier to descend and hold the safety stop, but not really a big difference. YMMV.

 

[Alaskan Scuba Dude]

Have you considered hiring a 5mm shortie for the duration? How does the buoyancy characteristic weigh up when the steel tank is close to its minimum reserve? Have you considered using two AL80s instead, or one AL80 and one AL40?

 

[lowwall]

I've dived those Aldora 120s with a steel bp and 3mm. Yes, I was a few pounds heavy. No it wasn't a problem. I could still swim it up at the start of the dive (I tested it out, all that extra gas gives you leeway to play around) and anyway you'll have a DSMB if you need a redundant lift source.

It was nice to have the steel bp when some dives got blown out and we did a day in the cenotes.

 

[dflaher]

It was nice to have the steel bp when some dives got blown out and we did a day in the cenotes.

Wouldn't you be more negative in the fresh water...or did you switch to a 5 mm there?

 

[lowwall]

Wouldn't you be more negative in the fresh water...or did you switch to a 5 mm there?

The op I used only offered AL80s. I think that's standard for rec dives in the cenotes which are relatively shallow and short compared to Aldora's reef dives. I also added a rental 3mm shorty on top of my 3mm full as they didn't have a 5mm that fit me.

IIRC, I used 4lbs of lead.

 

[halocline]

With AL80 and 3mm suit, I use zero lead. I'm not sure of the buoyancy specs on Aldora's tanks, although from my last trip I remember they had 2 different types (Faber & Worthington?) and they told me one of them was about 2lbs more negative than the other.

You will definitely be overweighted, probably about 6 lbs, maybe more. Sure you could tolerate that, but if I were in your position, I would definitely get an AL plate. You mentioned that your trip is in early-mid June; that is plenty of time to mail order a plate (piranha is good) and rig a new harness. A week would probably be enough time.

It's obviously your decision, and I'm sure you would enjoy your trip regardless. But personally I would make some effort to avoid being that much overweighted for a week of diving. Since you said you were eventually planning on getting an AL plate, why wouldn't you just do it now when you know you'll need it?

It's great having an AL and steel plate, for exactly this reason.

 

[Sue Sue]

True, but I guess if I pee in it I might get heatstroke?

Just read this and had to chuckle….However, after 20 + years of diving, I have yet to talk with a diver who pee pee’s in their wetsuit…..