# Pool to work on weighting my BC



## ul412al (Oct 2, 2007)

Hey Guys - I had a stroke of luck and will be diving the keys this weekend. Unfortunately, I haven't had time to weight my new BC properly (only 1 dive on it and I was too light). Does anybody know a good place for me to get in a pool this week?



Also - I haven't ponied up for a new computer yet so I need to borrow/rent/trade fishing secrets for a watch style (Air) for the weekend.



Thanks as always!


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## Capt CodeBobbie (Oct 30, 2008)

Head over to Dive Pros on Hwy 98 if you'd like to do some buoyancy work in their pool. They actually just sent out a newsletter inviting divers to go use their pool to get your gear ready for summer... They also have a great selection of Suunto and uwtec computers...


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## Brandy (Sep 28, 2007)

If you want to use A cp for the trip , call me and you can test drive mine.


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## Brandy (Sep 28, 2007)

You dont need A pool........Give me your weight-height-length of hair-bc-fins and tank your using and I can fill your order. Plus whether or not your spearfishing.


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## naclh2oDave (Apr 8, 2008)

Seems to me that unless it is a full on saltwater pool (35,000 ppm) it's really not gonna do you any good. The bouyancy (sp) will be drastically different between a fresh water pool (will requireless weight) and a salt water sea (will require moreweight).

Giveus you stats... weight, height, wetsuit thickness, tanks (aluminum orsteel? doubles?) and someone should match up.

For instance, I am 5' 9", 175lb, I wear a 3mm suit with a 3mm hooded vestand dive with analuminum 80. I use 16lbs of lead all on my BC. And only in Saltwater, In freshwater, I'd have no clue. I hope this helps.


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## jspooney (Oct 2, 2007)

man, at 5'9 you almost qualify as a smurf.


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## flappininthebreeze (Jul 13, 2009)

+1 on the Dive Pros. 

Good operation and great pool. Has the depth you need to play with and anything you might need to buy. Fresh vs. Salt is a couple pounds diff, so you can get real close and have minimal tweaking to do when you get there. Weight up for the gear+suit you are wearing and you will be close enough for government work (especially with the current administration).

What you are doing in the water is of minimal consequence. Your hand carry gear should not be a major factor in your weight consideration. If you are carrying anything you are willing to lose your life for, you shouldn't be carrying it. If you are counting on what's in your hands to balance your weighting, you are screwed before you fall off the boat.

:usaflag:nonono:usaflag:nonono:usaflag:nonono


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## choppedliver (Apr 4, 2009)

You can use my pool if you want. 



The difference between salt and freshwater is about .2 pounds per gallon. 



I'm not a diver. I only know that from calculating buoyancy for pontoons used in saltwater. Not all saltwater is the same, but it's in the ballpark.


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## naclh2oDave (Apr 8, 2008)

> *jspooney (3/15/2010)*man, at 5'9 you almost qualify as a smurf.


Thats cold man. Us short people gotfeelings too, you make me feel BLUE.


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## Telum Pisces (Sep 27, 2007)

> *naclh2oDave (3/16/2010)*
> 
> 
> > *jspooney (3/15/2010)*man, at 5'9 you almost qualify as a smurf.
> ...


You picking on short people spooney??? I just met ya Sunday. But us short people have to stick together. I am only 5'6" and us verticaly challenged folks don't take too kindly to the short jokes. We can woop up on the best/tallest. 

It makes us blend in with the fishes underwater much better. They see us as less of a threat. That's why we can shoot more fish.oke All of these fish were shot on two dives by myself. See there are advantages to being short.










And to the OP. If you find a pool to use, just add 2-3 lbs extra for saltwater, and you will be good to go. It's always better to overweight yourself and have to take weight out on the next dive than to try and get down with not enough on the first dive.


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## naclh2oDave (Apr 8, 2008)

> *Telum Pisces (3/16/2010)*
> 
> 
> > *naclh2oDave (3/16/2010)*
> ...


YEA! What the short guy said! :moon


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## ul412al (Oct 2, 2007)

Thanks guys. I had my weight perfect with the old seaquest jacket BC at 16 lbs. I bought an Aqua Lung Malibu (back inflate) and I am too light. For some reason, this BC has a lot of positive bouyancy.


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## Evensplit (Oct 2, 2007)

Make sure you're getting all of the air out of the BC. Myexperience has been that the Malibu has a tendency to trap air, and there are different techniques to using any back inflate BC. If you were using 16lbs with a jacket, your weighting needs shouldn't be much different.

+1 fornot including your carried load in the buoyancy equation.


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## Capt CodeBobbie (Oct 30, 2008)

Another thing... If you need work on your buoyancy. I'd be more than happy to meet you at Dive Pros one dayand help you work on your buoyancy. Justemail me or call dive pros and ask for Capt Rob. I'm one of their instructors and certainly wouldn't mind helping you out, no charge.Our pool is deep enough to fine tune your buoyancy control. Once you have a firm grasp of buoyancy control, a simple buoyancy check before you dive will take care of any changes in environment or gear. It's always a good idea to hit a pool and get use to new gear before hitting the open water.


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## ul412al (Oct 2, 2007)

Thanks guys! I am going to head to Dive Pros and jump in. I'll pay better attention to possible air hiding in the BC. 



Also - the only load I have carried involved a monster bull shark at the Liberty Ship. As I get more dives under my belt I will start carrying some toys.


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## Evensplit (Oct 2, 2007)

Let us know what youfigure out!


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## ul412al (Oct 2, 2007)

First off - I want to thank Capt. Rob and Dive Pros for taking the time to get my weighting straight. They threw me in the pool and gave me some great exercises to assess where my issues were. Here were my results:



3/2 Wetsuit/Hooded vest/steel tank/Malibu BC - I need 8lbs in fresh water. We estimated 4lbs difference for an alum 80. We estimated another 4lbs for salt water. My plan is to splash with 16lbs and do a quick bouyancy test to make minor adjustments.



Every time I jump in the water I learn something new (especially when Rob is sharing his experience). Here are some newly learned items:



1. I have a slight rotation to the right. I am going to try to adjust the tank better or possibly add a 1lb. trim weight to my left shoulder.

2. I think my prior dives on the jacket BC were overweighted. I plan on trying 14lbs when not diving with the hooded vest.

3. I am going to slide the tank up on my back a little to help with horizontal trim.

4. Evensplit was right! My BC was trapping a very small amount of air which doesn't come out unless you concentrate on removing it. Thanks Evensplit!


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## Evensplit (Oct 2, 2007)

Glad you got things worked out!


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## Clay-Doh (Oct 2, 2007)

Dang, sounds like you did the equivilant of putting a car on the dyno to fine tune it! Good job..you should be good to go now!


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## Domtasc (Sep 18, 2009)

> *jspooney (3/15/2010)*man, at 5'9 you almost qualify as a smurf.


Holy crap. I'm 5'6 ha whats that make me?


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