We had such a good thread on this subject on the old site - pity it was lost. Maybe we can get it going again...

Anyway, this follows on from the Carbon Fins thread and the talk moving to being correctly weighted if you want get back safely, esp. on a deep dive.

But there's a lot that can be said about weight management even on shore dives.

For me, it's about having the right weight for the diving you're doing, and getting it just right so that you're still 'light' on the bottom - not positively bouyant, but with just enough weight that the return is easy.

I remember seeing a perfect example of this when I was watching one of Gletwyn's video's - the one with Koos Jordaan at Leven. Koos has been diving that point for 40+ years and it shows - he's got his weighting so perfectly dialled that he's hovering effortlessly a few cm's above the bottom.

Howzit Tom,
Good thread you have started here.

I weigh 83kg and use a 2piece 3mm open cell and normally dive between 10-15m. Currently I'm using 4kg but was wondering to reduce it with a ½ kg.

My one buddy weigh 65kg and use a "surf suit" long sleeve, 5mm nylon on nylon. He dives mostly above 10m and use 5kg. I'm trying to convince him to drop 2kg.

Any suggestions on weight solutions for this two setups will be appreciated.

guys this is what we used to use as a reference in France, Morocco etc...sorry the site in French but its easy:

www.chasse-sous-marine.com/magazine/pratik/lest.htm


first you enter your weight, then the thickness of your suit and according to the depth you'll be in the weigh varies..
from 0 to 7
from 8 to 15m
above 15m

hope it will help.

ps: Chasse sous marine means spearfishing

Thanx Sid, according to the tables my ballast is good for 15m and below.

The calculation will be a good guide, but there is a variation because of the variation in the ratio of different body tissue, lung volume and the density of your bones.

I am really bouyant - 64kg and with a 5mm suit use 7kg when diving 10m to 20m. Deeper than 26m I drop another 600g.

Backline I use 9kg - 11kg but I am then completely negative.

I can't use any less and dive comfortably. I constantly adjust my belt, even using a 400g half weight at times on a 3mm suit. I'm told the reason is the void in my empty head.