Heavy feet!

[scubarb]

Hello again!
I've been having a lot of trouble with heavy feet (!) recently, so much so that on the last two dives I had really bad back problems, trying to arch my back like a banana (quite painful). Obviously I've not quite got this horizontal buoyancy bit sorted out yet.
There's one other similar thread I found but that was a snorkeller. Is the solution to move my weights off my waist and higher up? I'm not sure how I would do that. And I'm concerned because I think the waist belt is the quickest thing to ditch in an emergency.

[PeteM]

Hello again!
I've been having a lot of trouble with heavy feet (!) recently, so much so that on the last two dives I had really bad back problems, trying to arch my back like a banana (quite painful). Obviously I've not quite got this horizontal buoyancy bit sorted out yet.
There's one other similar thread I found but that was a snorkeller. Is the solution to move my weights off my waist and higher up? I'm not sure how I would do that. And I'm concerned because I think the waist belt is the quickest thing to ditch in an emergency.

Move your cylinder up

[scubarb]

Wouldn't that have the opposite effect, all the air at my head? Also I'm not sure how much scope there is for moving the cylinder given hose lengths and things like that, you think it would make all the difference? Thanks for the suggestion.

[Abcdavidson]

I reckon Pete means the weight of the cylinder, not the air inside it :p

[steve6690]

Try with the cylinder higher up. Alternatively, you could take some weight off your belt and thread it onto the cylinder camband..

[matt reed]

What fins are you using? It is all about center of gravity :)

[Terry]

Scubarb You don't say what cylinders you use which does affect your CoG.
I use aluminium and within reason, moving the cylinder does not make a great deal of difference plus I don't have air in a Dry suit to help. I finally managed by fixing a 3 kg weight on to my BC such that when I am diving it is as close to the back of my neck as is possible. Since doing that I can hold just about any position I want.
You will probably have to find somebody ( yourself?) to cast a relatively thin piece of lead that you can drill and bend so it becomes unnoticeable.

But you should consider how to dump the weight if needed.
Terry

[PeteM]

Wouldn't that have the opposite effect, all the air at my head? Also I'm not sure how much scope there is for moving the cylinder given hose lengths and things like that, you think it would make all the difference? Thanks for the suggestion.

A cylinder sinks if you put it in water doesn't it? Therefore if you move it up the it will tend to sink more of your head and less of your feet.

All of your hoses go over your shoulder*, so moving your cylinder up will actually give more hose length not less


*with the exception of gauges and possibly drysuit which will not be a problem

[Richard Whitcombe]

I suffer from sinky feet in both drysuit and wetsuit. Move tank higher and/or put some lead high up, on the cam straps and so on. I dive with 4kg on my top cam strap to try to shove my head down.

[Nigel Hewitt]

I spent a very hot evening in a warm swimming pool wearing my full drysuit and thermals messing about with some lead weights and a bag of zip ties getting the trim just right on my new rig.

Grief it was so worth it. The trim weights stay on the rig while the belt contains 'the rest' and horizontal trim just happens, no think, no effort.

[ChristianG]

All of your hoses go over your shoulder*, so moving your cylinder up will actually give more hose length not less

*with the exception of gauges and possibly drysuit which will not be a problem
Ummm, Pete,

a) My long hose doesn't go "over the shoulder" other than at the very last,
b) my octopus hoses go under my arm, every time.

In fact I hate hoses that go over the shoulder, only one of mine [(a) above] does - ever.

I realise that you were writing for a very specific instance but I also feel that some kind of qualification was needed. :)

[Terry]

CristianG
Does your BC/Wing inflate hose not go over ?
Both of mine do, but the rest like you go under.
Terry

[ChristianG]

CristianG
Does your BC/Wing inflate hose not go over ?
Both of mine do, but the rest like you go under.
Terry
To the first, yes, sorry Pete, stupid me forgot about that one. I guess I forgot it because it's so tightly routed that there is absolutely no loop at the shoulder, anywhere for that matter. Mind, that's when I'm using a wing at all, I don't except when I need thermal insulation

To the second, the dry suit feed goes underarm.

[John Bantin]

Try a weight harness to give more strategy in positioning.

[Paul Burgess]

I would recommend thinking your way through this one and use a combination of weight distribution and technique to sort it out.

With regards to kit, shifting some weight around your rig can help within reason. A couple of kilos on the top cam band may help. Also, if you are using steel cylinders, then moving them up the back will help a little.

For technique, use your body positioning to adjust your trim position. Think of your body like a see saw. If you were to float neutrally buoyant and totally prone in the water, your body would rotate around its centre of gravity (probably somewhere just above your navel). Now, use a bit of physics to think about the forces working on that position. Something heavy, held far away from the fulcrum will exercise a large downwards force. To reduce the force, move it closer to the fulcrum.

In your case I would suggest making your relaxed position to include bent knees. This brings your heels closer to your COG and reduces the foot-heavy forces you are experiencing. This position goes well with a predominantly frog kicking style which is beneficial for reducing silt disturbance.

Next, think about the other side of the fulcrum. Moving your arms in front of you like superman will bring your body down. Holding your hands near your waist will bring your body up. Try adjusting these variables to get your body position to dictate your trim angle.

My preferred position is arms out in front, head up, bum clenched, thighs horizontal, knees bent and fins horizontal. This trims me out quite nicely and is also adjustable as I dive to get me in the trim angle that I want to be in.