Diving without weights?

[DizziDezi2]

When I became certified I did all my dives with no weights. When I did have weights on - I think they were two pounds on each side- the smallest the shop had- I couldnt stay boyant on the surface- even with my bc full, the weights would pull me down to where the water hit the middle of my mask. Im getting ready to do adv. open water and am concerned. Do many people dive with no weights? Any thoughts or advice?

 

[fppf]

How much or how little weight you use is a very personal and gear related thing.

If I'm in a pool with a shorty, and a steel tank I wont need any extra weight.

If I'm diving cold in my dry suit with 3 layers of under cloths and a AL 80 I may NEED upto 35 lbs of lead.

You need to do a proper buoyancy check to determin how much weight you need. They should have taught you how to do that in your basics class. At the surface breathing normally from your regulator, let all the air out of your BC then cross your arms and legs. If you sink you have to much weight, you just just float at about eye level.

 

[ssdalton]

You don't need any weight? That's interesting.... Did this happen regardless of type of tank you dove? Before or after the dive or anytime? Tyically even a wetsuit is a pound or two positive.

But like fppf said it is a gear related thing, everyone is different. I wish I could get away without weights, I could probably get down without them but eventually I would perform the ever popular uncontrolled ascent

 

[davocean]

Were you wearing a wetsuit?
If I wear any wetsuit at all I need weight.
I need about 30lbs when I wear my 7mm.
Wish I didn't have to, hate lugging a weight belt!

 

[billsreef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9259887#post9259887 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fppf
How much or how little weight you use is a very personal and gear related thing.

Yup. On the personal side, it has to do with things like body fat, lung capacity and breathing control. I've seen divemasters in the tropics dive without lead, while in the same conditions (no wetsuit or shorty) I need 8 lbs of lead to sink me...including compensating for the buoyancy of an Al 80 when it's getting close to empty. Home, with a full wet 7mm suit I need 25 lbs to sink

 

[Inferno]

If you can't stay buoyant at the surface with your BC full and no weights then that is a big problem. BCs provide different amounts of lift and you may need a new BC

 

[DizziDezi2]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9283643#post9283643 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Inferno
If you can't stay buoyant at the surface with your BC full and no weights then that is a big problem. BCs provide different amounts of lift and you may need a new BC

Thats what I thought- I used the smallest bc and tank they had too. They are also talking about dropping your weights in an emergancy- I dont have anything to drop. I dont have a boyancy problem underwater though- its just at the surface. Maybe more classes will clarify this for me.... thanks everyone.

 

[fppf]

Don't take the smallest BC they have.
Take one that fits you, the smaller the BC the less lift they make.

 

[DizziDezi2]

It did fit- in fact it might have been a bit too big- but Im small- and it was the smallest they had.

 

[fppf]

I have a friend that is on the smaller side, his BC can't even float a steel 80 by itself. Where you wearing a wet suit?

 

[Cshradr7]

yes a wet suit will add aditional bouyancy. the 7mm like we use in MN sometimes will add as much as 20lbs of weight over what i use in warmer water. also you'll float more in saltwater than fresh.

 

[DizziDezi2]

No I didnt use a wet suit. But I will this time around in classes and see if it helps.