Floaty Girl Problems

Let's talk about weight. No, not the number on the dreaded bathroom scale - lead weight. 

I have struggled with proper weighting a lot. I'm just "blessed" with a natural buoyancy. I have so much trouble descending but, when I add more weight to counteract this, other divers are like "are you sure you need that much?" Yes, Kevin, I do. Mind ya business. Also, if I'm not carrying enough lead I'm likely to cork back to the surface at the end of the dive when my tanks are getting low. I've had to have people hold me down a couple of times - not fun.

photo courtesy of Nott Peera via Unsplash

This is often an obstacle for new divers - understanding how much weight they need to carry. A lot of factors come into play when it comes to proper weighting - your own body weight, the weight of your gear, the thickness of your wetsuit, fresh water or salt water. Honestly, the best way to figure out how much weight you need is trail and error, and knowing yourself. 

How do you "trial and error"? Get in the water! Get in the swimming pool or ask your local dive shop if you can tag along with one of their classes, just for practice. Many dive shops are glad to allow their certified customers to tag along, just be sure not to interfere with the class - you're there for practice, not as a teacher's helper. 

Here is where I will pass the mic to some actual experts - the folks at Scuba Diver Magazine have a great YouTube channel full of loads of advice for novice and experienced divers alike. This video answers many questions about the importance of proper weighting and, at about the 3:00 minute mark, you'll find a lot of terrific, detailed info about how to calculate and test what amount of lead works for you. Happy diving!

https://youtu.be/axS12odSAJ4 



 

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