head-heavy in twin faber 12's

[weazelz]

I'm really struggling with my twinset at the moment. I have twin faber 12's & I just can't seem to hover properly flat - I always tip forwards when stationary. I have a 2kg tail weight - which has improved things a bit - but short of getting a 4-6kg tail weight I'm really not sure what I can do. I have nice heavy jetfins, & fin retainers around my drysuit boots to help keep my feet down. I definitely feel head-heavy rather than foot-light though, so I don't think that the feet are the problem

does anyone have any bright ideas? I know that I could shell out on a set of heisers/euro-cylinders, but I'd rather not if I don't have to

[Reikimaster]

get someone to take a photo of you, you probably just 'feel' head down as you're not used to being flat

[weazelz]

Originally Posted by Reikimaster

get someone to take a photo of you, you probably just 'feel' head down as you're not used to being flat

it's a definite head-down tipping motion, rather than a static head-down feeling. if I don't correct it then I invert. I can balance it to some extent if I extend my legs out flat (ie don't bend at the knees), but not cancel it out completely

[Eeyore]

Originally Posted by weazelz

I'm really struggling with my twinset at the moment. I have twin faber 12's & I just can't seem to hover properly flat - I always tip forwards when stationary. I have a 2kg tail weight - which has improved things a bit - but short of getting a 4-6kg tail weight I'm really not sure what I can do. I have nice heavy jetfins, & fin retainers around my drysuit boots to help keep my feet down. I definitely feel head-heavy rather than foot-light though, so I don't think that the feet are the problem

does anyone have any bright ideas? I know that I could shell out on a set of heisers/euro-cylinders, but I'd rather not if I don't have to

Hi, it might sound daft, but have you changed ya undersuit or anything?
I was level in the water till just the other week when I aquired a set of arctics.....the bloody socks made my feet light and the whole dive felt like a battle to keep them down ........no socks now

[weazelz]

Originally Posted by Eeyore

Hi, it might sound daft, but have you changed ya undersuit or anything?
I was level in the water till just the other week when I aquired a set of arctics.....the bloody socks made my feet light and the whole dive felt like a battle to keep them down ........no socks now

I've only had the twinset a couple of months. I've never been able to trim out flat yet, always been head-heavy. it's better now that I have the jetfins, tail-weight & fin retainers, but still not balanced

[divingniknaks]

Sounds maybe like a tailweight might help ?

Try and borrow one if you can, or for a low cost (risk) alternative get one of these and stick a normal weight or shot bags in it.

Tailweight Pouches, Backplate accessories at divingniknaks 0121 707 5783. Frog, Dirzone, Agir Brokk Scuba Diving Gear

Just a thought.

.

[Eeyore]

Originally Posted by divingniknaks

Sounds maybe like a tailweight might help ?

Try and borrow one if you can, or for a low cost (risk) alternative get one of these and stick a normal weight or shot bags in it.

Tailweight Pouches, Backplate accessories at divingniknaks 0121 707 5783. Frog, Dirzone, Agir Brokk Scuba Diving Gear

Just a thought.

.

Good call Phill, i aquired one of those just the other day...just need the longer bolt/studding to add it....then the socks might be back on

[weazelz]

Originally Posted by divingniknaks

Sounds maybe like a tailweight might help ?

Try and borrow one if you can, or for a low cost (risk) alternative get one of these and stick a normal weight or shot bags in it.

Tailweight Pouches, Backplate accessories at divingniknaks 0121 707 5783. Frog, Dirzone, Agir Brokk Scuba Diving Gear

thanks for the offer, but I have a 2kg one already

[hyweldavies]

I had / still have similar problems, which I'm still working on, but here are some suggestions / thoughts:

I too have Fabers & jetfin type flippers, but no ankle weights, in my case with a Halcyon 55lbs horseshoe wing, and now just added 2kg tail-weight. Just like you, if I allowed myself to go flat or slightly head-down as you're supposed to be, I'd do a complete invert, at least till I added the tail-weight.

Slightly obvious but have you got the tank-bands all the way up to the necks? I improved a bit by moving the tanks down / bands up, which slightly mellowed the head-first-ness.

I assume you really do mean a tail weight, which sits nearly bellow the tanks, not just a keel weight which sits between the bands?

Are you using the wing for buoyancy, or the suit? I'm rather more OK using the suit than the wing. Not to say the suit is better (not getting into that debate), but just as comparison to whether my state, hence suggestions, are likely to be useful for you.

My 55lbs wing is clearly too big - took the advice of the shop and Halcyon's website unfortunately, but should clearly have bought a 40lbs (for 2x12 fabers, and ally 7 stage). I'm told on reasonably good authority, but haven't tried myself, that the doughnut type wings are better for front-tippyness. I'm thinking of getting one once I'm convinced it will help and at any rate, need to change to smaller wing. You might like to consider this, especially if you can borrow one first.

Having now added my 2kg tail weight, I'm now foot-heavy so will have to start moving my tanks back up again. On my recent first go with the tail weight, I'd goofed slightly by leaving on my v-weights, so was a tad heavy. I wondered why till I disassembled my kit back home afterwards!

As an aside, went on a stripy fish holiday recently, my first overseas adventure, and found that wearing a shorty wetsuit rather than my usual drysuit, meant my Jetfins were too heavy and my feet were dragging down making it all rather hard work and numpty-like. I do like them with a drysuit, but hopeless on holiday, for me at least.

I borrowed a single-tank doughnut wing for the hols, and got it spot on for trim (by my modest standards anyway), so now I do know what I'm aiming at. With my present UK set-up I struggle to use the wing tail-dump, but on hols with good trim it was easy.

Still working on it myself, but hopefully the odd thought of some use.

I'm also told that Heiser or Euro cylinders help, but am reluctant to fork out.

Hywel

[yazzyfooty]

Originally Posted by weazelz

it's a definite head-down tipping motion, rather than a static head-down feeling. if I don't correct it then I invert. I can balance it to some extent if I extend my legs out flat (ie don't bend at the knees), but not cancel it out completely

I have just got back from the GUE/DIR day at Capers today and this point was raised. We were advised that Faber cylinders do tend to be heavy at the neck end and a way of dealing with it is tail weights (which you are doing) and moving cylinders down the back plate a tad, ensuring you are still able to reach your valves. Hope this helps.