diving weight..

Just weighed my belt on A UPS scale and its at 24lbs, I am 5'9" 200 lbs. I dive in A 6.5 mil wet suit and seems to be just right...

I'm 6'4" 240lbs, wear a 7mm one piece and have 28 pounds of weight...seems just right for me too...have worked my way up to 28 from 20, then 24....any more and I think I would not be neutrally bouyant at the surface.

Of course..according to Andy my name is actually Rainbow Brite and maybe all the different colored paint affects my bouyancy!!

 

Next time we are out Porky lets take a look at how you are trying to dive down...once you get a few kicks under I bet you will be good...

 

Sincerely,

Jim

thanks for all the great info here.

I wasnt doing the kick technique to get down, that should help a lot..

Just weighed my belt on A UPS scale and its at 24lbs, I am 5'9" 200 lbs. I dive in A 6.5 mil wet suit and seems to be just right...

One piece or farmer john??

The rule I've heard is 10% of body weight, plus 10# for the suit. I wear a lighter 1pc suit now and at 165 I dive with 21-22 of softweights on my belt. I also have a few pounds in ankle weights - I highly reccomend these. It makes kicking easier when swimming because you're not fighting the boyancy of the wetsuit on the down strokes. When you pike up and get those weights in the air for a dive, they're good for a nice shove down.

I didn't watch the vid, but I like to tuck my knees up, start a summersault, then pike up into a hand stand. Now I do one big breaststroke pull with my arms, and by that point my head's getting down to close to 10 feet. At that point I'm ready to pinch my nose, clear my ears, and take a few kicks down. Then another ear clear and a couple kick and I'm about neutral or a tad negative and at my operating depth.

That's what I do - I'd like to hear other techniques.

When in doubt on weight, I've been known to carry an extra 4# or 5# in my tube and stuff it into my wetsuit if needed.

I found this video clip very useful:

http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-skin-dive

I use a 10% of body weight plus 5#,that is the standard.You should take into consideration things like ab iron,suit thickness etc.Float on the surface, your snorkel and top of your head should be just out of the water when you are resting and preparing for your next dive. I usually have 25# and I am 190# give or take a big abalone dinner.

I've always used 10% plus 5lbs. 7ml suit.

ppl aleady had a lot of infos and I am adding my part here:

what i learned from PFI course is 1) when you hold a full breath, the whole head should be above water. 2) neutral buoyancy at 30ft.
I am  6' 170lbs with 1 piece 7mm wearing 8lbs of weight.

FWIW, 195lbs diver weight, 4/3ml quality titainium lined surfing wetsuit, 3ml gloves, & 7ml hood & booties, heavy fins weigh 3.5lbs each, and weight belt is 12lbs of the lead bb's. Very comfortable belt to wear has 4- 3lb bags in different pouches spread out around the waist but could hold alot more if needed. I just don't understand the need for 7ml suits unless you're really racking up the hours. My suit may have cost more than a standard 7ml though @ $225 or so.

i wanna rent out a 5 ml suit to see how i do in that

Were you exhaling slowly or holding your breathe the whole time?

i wanna rent out a 5 ml suit to see how i do in that

That's a great idea.