Weight Systems Explained

[@SummersideDiver]

Your videos are very helpful. Upon completion of both my OW and AOW courses (more or less back to back) I thought all was well and good. However, the more I got out and dove, the more I came to realize that all three various instructors had me over weight. I keep adjusting trim weight and decreasing with each dive and now will need to do some more adjustments as I just picked up a bpw to replace my jacket bcd. Again, thank you for the videos and information.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello @skirblah, first of all congratulations on earning your Open Water and Advanced Open Water certifications. Secondly, we are glad to hear that our videos have been helpful to you. The best advise I can give you on weighting issues is to simply go dive and log every dive. Your log book is your friend in regards to documenting your weight requirement journey. You will learn that the more you dive, your weight requirements will change. Whether you change your exposure suit, the type of BCD, the type of cylinder, etc. etc., all these variable will cause you to have to change your weighting setup. As your breathing rate gets better underwater, you will also learn that you can control all of your buoyancy with just your breathing, which will help reduce the amount of weight you will need as well. Even as professionals, we still struggle with our weights from time to time. Your ultimate goal would be to work yourself up to a balanced rig, which in short allows you to swim any rig up from depth, without the need to ditch weight in an emergency. This takes time, practice and confidence. Until then, always dive with some type of ditch-able weights. Experiment with attaching weights in different locations to assist you with trim issues. And remember, not all of the weight has to be ditch-able. If you weight requirement is say 10 pounds, have 6 pounds non ditch-able and 4 pounds ditch-able. Sometimes newer divers get caught up in the mechanics of the equipment they forget about the physics of Archimedes Principle. This is why a lot of experienced divers gravitate towards the balanced rig. Keeps us up to date on your diving journey, and if you ever need any advice please do not hesitate to reach out.

[@AndrewR74]

Thanks for info on the neoprene numbers.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

You are welcome Andrew R. Glad you liked the video.

[@timgosling6189]

Good summary! You mention some divers who use a backplate and harness preferring to wear their weight belt over the webbing so they can ditch it. I believe if you are correctly weighted, with that 'balanced rig' you mention, you should never have to ditch weight. In fact it can be dangerous for that to be your first move in an emergency as it can easily end in an uncontrolled ascent. I'm amazed I still sometimes hear it being taught and I thought your last post in the freezing lake was a great demo.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello Tim Gosling. Glad you liked the last video. We do preach balanced rigs, and that ditching weights are a last ditch effort. With this being said, there are other times we teach ditching weight, primarily at the surface during an emergency. In the Rescue Diver Course, when dealing with an unconscious diver, one of the skills taught is to ditch weight of both the victim and rescuer. Another reason some choose to put the weight belt on the outside of the harness, is for weight adjustment. If a new diver is diving in saltwater for the very first time, and they have only properly weighted themselves for freshwater, they may have to do several weight test to get it right. Thus, at the surface, they can remove and replace their weight system. This same basic skill is still taught in the Open Water Program.

[@timgosling6189]

@@LakeHickoryScuba All true. And if I'm diving with someone in a different rig I always make especially sure we both know how everything works on each others gear, including whether there is ditchable weight and how to get rid of it in a rescue situation.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Great point Tim Gosling, predive briefings are a must when diving with someone new. As you stated, knowing how to manipulate each others gear is very important during an emergency. Thanks for sharing.

[@kalymnosdiving]

Nice videos! Well done!

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Thanks Kalymnos Diving, glad you liked the video.

[@kalymnosdiving]

@@LakeHickoryScuba I have just subscribed your channel and I watched almost all your videos! 👌

[@LucasLMaldonado]

Great video 👍👍👍 For the international audience would be nice to mention the units in metric system Kg Thanks in advance

[@ronbeatty9761]

What is the metric system?! ;-) I wish America would have changed to the metric system in the 1970s. :-)

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello Lucas Maldonado, we will try in the future to add metric calculations and terminology to our future videos. Glad you liked this one.

[@judyburkhard8798]

Certified dry suit diver who now only dives salt water Caribbean. I am looking for a new bcd with integrated weight system. I am petite, 5 ft 120lbs. I use an insulated skin not neoprene. What brand do you suggest?

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Great question @judyburkhard8798. The best answer I can give you is, the one that fits and is comfortable, and preferably a brand that your local dive center carries. The issue with getting a brand that is not local to you is the struggle to find a technician that is authorized to service it. As far as the model that fits, try a bunch on. Here is a short list of models that in my experience has been great for smaller divers. Back Plate & Wing - Any brand, as the webbing is custom fitted to you. (I am partial to Mares and Dive Rite) Jacket Styles - Sherwood Avid 3, Aqualung Axiom, Scuba Pro Glide, or the Mares Rock Pro Back Inflate Systems - Zeagle Zena, Mares Magellan, Cressi Commander Evo, or the Aqualung Rogue

[@guybeasley2593]

I love your scripture ink.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Thank you Guy Beasley. Isaiah 43:2