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Here is a recent article I did for our news letter. You get the idea.
Think of your weight system as going beyond the lead added to compensate for the buoyancy of your wet or dry suit. Most individuals are positively buoyant & the weight of your SCUBA equipment, including the lead weights should be just enough to offset the tendency to float so you can descend & remain neutrally buoyant throughout the dive, especially toward the end with a low air cylinder.
With today’s materials, aluminum, lightweight titanium regulators, & others is it any wonder that we need more lead to reach our objective of neutral buoyancy? While we may welcome a lightweight second stage the added weight of other dive equipment is indeed part of your total weight requirement.
Consider the individual wearing an aluminum tank & a regular BCD with a 7mm wetsuit. The need for 20lb is not uncommon. With consideration however you can reduce the lead requirement by over half. In place of the aluminum tank, a steel one. Add to that a steel back plate & a weighted single tank adaptor & you can remove about 16lb from the weight belt leaving two, 2lb weights to be placed precisely to set ones trim.
With a drysuit the trapped air that keeps you warm also adds to your buoyancy & may require a bit more weight, depending on your undergarments. Is that person with doubles overweight? Not likely if they have considered all the possibilities gear configuration & can achieve neutral buoyancy at the end of the dive.
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If you gotta wear the weight then why not make it advantageous. Next time you begin to strap on that weight belt think about the steel 77 or 100 cylinders in place of the AL 80. Consider a steel back plate in place of the jacket BCD then improve your trim in the water by moving the remaining weights where needed.
Consider that if you’re using a dry suit you may already require the amount of weight that can make up the set of doubles you have been thinking about.
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When I dive warm water, I’m away on vaca., and I haven’t yet found a charter or resort that provides steel. When I purchased my first tank, it was AL because it was less expensive. A year later, I purchased 2 steels that were on sale, they were a steal. I liked them so much, 6 mos. later I purchased 2 more steels that were on sale (but not a steal this time) and I haven’t used my AL since.
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Think about it a steel tank mine 108 lp or 132 hp weights 41 lbs empty a 80 al 22 or there about. you lose 6 lbs on the belt but gained gear weight. I do not know anyone that dives steel that lost gear weight by going to steel.
I dive short or shallow dives with my al 80 and can get 60 to 90 minutes. If I am diving 50 to 100 ft I like my 100’s or hunting lobstering, diving wrecks I well drop with 132 ft of gas. A pony tank is a good idia if you are doing 100 or wrecks at any depth. Start with a al 80 and add on. all my friends that dive steel also have at least 1 al 80. Have fun.
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All depending on the induvidual,, I have a al 80, just like divemaiden,,, cant affort steels, but yet I weigh 170, 5’10" wearing a 7 mill full wetsuit, I need 28 lbs on my waist and 4lb on my ankles,, Yea I just love the part about exit and entrance!! and I ve tried experimenting with these numbers, less lead,, I bob just like a duck,, which on 1 dive I WAS the only 1thats butt was stickin outta the water :o). and to me all this talk about buyin this tryin this is ok,, but when you can only afford so many things, ya gotta stick with what ya got!!
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The best thing to do is to find some tanks that has been in a closet for a while.. Used tanks out of hydro and vip can be had for free or $20 all day long.. Half the time its free from someone I know that know someone..There are plenty to go around..
I rec’d 3 steel 60 cu. tanks filled !.. For free and the last hydro was the early 70’s.. All came back from hydro, vip and ready to go..
I like the 10 year old 2 Steel H.P. 120’s that I got both for $100 ea.. Same size as an Alum. 80.. but 120 cu... Both passed Hydro. and Vip.. And Nitrox certified...
I bought 4 new alum 80’s 17 years ago.. Only one had a crack in the neck last year... And that was probly from the boat bouncing around in Lake Mich for all that time... 3 tanks are still hydro’d and vip’d.. 80’s are the safest to use for recreational diving..
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I use my Al 80 for shallow beach dives and my steel 100s for deeper, colder dives with nitrox. A 130 foot dive with Al 80 tanks is real short. I’ve done it before I got my steel 100s. Plus it was a two hour boat ride each way. That made up my mind.
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If I had my way I’d dive w/ steel cylinders all the time. Either a 95, 119 or the 130’s.
When in the tropics all that is available are AL 80’s, a few 72’s or an occasional 100.
If I had access to steel that’s what I would use exclusively.
I just can’t find them where I love to dive. I’ve often considered traveling with a steel tank just to have it with me, but the transportation costs are too much.
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Skeeter indicated thet he did not lose any gear weight and that is a fact with me as well. With my 100hp steels I dont loose any weight but I do put the weight on my back in place of the weight on my belt. I normally can do with 4lb less on the belt with the 100hp.
another .02cf worth
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I lost 6 lbs off my waist when I go from an Al80 to my Steel100. If I don’t add it back when I ocassionally use and Al80, I can still make it down, but can’t stay down when the tank becomes close to empty.
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DIFFERENT DIVES DIFFERENT TANKS ! I DIVE WITH AN AL 80 IN WARM/SHALLOW DIVES,,(80-100)-ANYTHING DEEPER, I USE TWIN 120CFT-(120-180)-ON MY OMS .. STEEL HAS WAY MORE ADVANTAGES OVER ALUMINUM, WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION IS ONE,TOTAL WEIGHT IS THE OTHER, -EXAMPLE, IF IM DIVING AT 120-180 ON A THREE MIL, I USE LESS WEIGHT (TOTAL)- IF IM DIVING AT 120-80- WITH A THREE MIL, THEN I USE A LITTLE MORE(4-6 LBS)WEIGHT - LESS COMPRESSION,,MORE BUOYANCY.
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I own tanks ranging from aluminium 50’s to a steel 125 and about everything inbetween and use them all depending on the type of dive and suit I am wearing.
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