Horizontal trim & getting it right!

[Rick Huggins]

I thought this might be a good thread to start as it seems to be the rock that everything else is based on (except bouyancy) and a good place for everyone interested in DIR to start.

Now I know personally that it's a lot harder to maintain than it looks!

Bearing in mind that you should have a balanced rig i.e. with no air in the wing, a full lung full should bring you to a nice halt at 6m!

Still being able to do COG check etc

So...

With a harness correctly configured along with tanks/bands to just below the break, still capable of doing shutdowns and don/de-kit your rig; what are your suggestions on how to achieve this guys?

Me:-
Correctly fitting harness, tank bands to the break, can do shutdowns, de-kit etc but have a tendancy (pretty voilent) to go head down. To counter this, I have to move my COG so I'm always fighting on the pivot of loosing it!

I therefore sought the help of a tail weight, which has helped a great deal. This solution then throws out my balanced rig and COG check..

So I'm getting there slowly, but need more TITW to perfect

What about you guys?

[RickG]

I therefore sought the help of a tail weight, which has helped a great deal.

Where did you get that from then?

I'm also having difficuly with a "heavy head", but am having trouble finding anywhere that sells tail weights

Thanks in advance, Rick.

[Rick Huggins]

Originally Posted by RickG

Where did you get that from then?

I'm also having difficuly with a "heavy head", but am having trouble finding anywhere that sells tail weights

Thanks in advance, Rick.

Try http://www.aleutian.co.uk/ although I've never been able to get hold of anyone.

I ended up making mine with the missus pressure cooker

[Bob Cooper]

Rick

That tail weight is only just over 2kg(?) so in the great scheme of things it's not a significant amount of weight. My guess is that your rig is balanced nicely in fresh water? i.e.you don't need any additional weight to offset the buoyancy of your suit etc.

So you have a couple of options.....

1. replace your ss plate with an aluminium one and retain the tail weight (you will need to add more weight for salt water)

2. live with it (you might be ever so slightly too negative in fresh water, but near perfect for salt water)

Just my two penneth.

Hope it helps.

Bob

[Rick Huggins]

Originally Posted by Bob Cooper

So you have a couple of options.....

1. replace your ss plate with an aluminium one and retain the tail weight (you will need to add more weight for salt water)

2. live with it (you might be ever so slightly too negative in fresh water, but near perfect for salt water)


Bob

Bob,

how would swapping my s/s for an ali counter being head heavy?
Would the lack of a s/s plate not just lessen my weighting all over?

Ta

[Bob Cooper]

Originally Posted by Frogman

how would swapping my s/s for an ali counter being head heavy?
Would the lack of a s/s plate not just lessen my weighting all over?

Changing the BP to an ali one would mean you could retain the tail weight.

Bob

[Rick Huggins]

Originally Posted by Bob Cooper

Changing the BP to an ali one would mean you could retain the tail weight.

Bob

Ah, gotcha

I wondered how it would stop me doing handstands

Thanks

[Andy Kerslake]

Guys

You really should not need the tail weight ask Andy Caroll about his trials and tribulations with Ali backplates/Steel Backplates and tail weights.

Although it does seem difficult at times you do not need the tail weight to get the correct trim, it just take practice, the trick is too remember to move your feet back and lift your head.

The UK 12's are a bit harder to trim than the Euro 12's as the UK 12's are shorter and lighter, but you can do it, if you have watched me and Rich in-water you can see that it is possible, it just takes practice.

Andy

[And]

True Andy

I went through a whole bunch of different weightings with Ali plate, SS plate v weight, tailweight, weightbelt, ankleweights (only kidding ) etc etc.

Then one day I just seemed to 'get it' and now it doesn't seem to matter what combination I have I can stay still and keep reasonable trim (so my buddies tell me anyway) With a video camera or normal camera it is really easy, as you seem not to think about it and get a really good balance in the water (thats why GUE instructors look good, they dive a lot with cameras )

I was finally convinced when I went to Florida, the first dive on the twin 16's (104's) over there and I felt a tad head heavy, even though these are supposed to be the best tanks ever. After that I just relaxed, stop thinking about it and got on with it. By the end of the trip it was perfect (in my own tiny mind anyway)

Time in the water is the answer, get your weighting right, then do 20 dives before changing it again, you'll see the difference.

Andy

[Rick Huggins]

This all makes sense, but...

Surely if I relax i.e. stop moving but keeeping the correct posture of head up, back arched and experiment with my feet positioning, i should stay level and not move, correct?

When I do this, I go head heavy even if I put my legs straight out and jam my head against the manifold, surely this is not right?

When I'm on the move, my trim isn't to bad apparently, it's just when I stop, i really have to play with the pivot of staying horizontal or going head down. When your trying to do the skills and fight a loosing see-saw of trim it gets very frustrating.

Anyway, keep em coming, thanks