Stoney Cove - Wed 16 Jan

[sailorbuoy]

Ok not really a trip report... just a "what I did at school" today report....

Went to Stoney for a couple of dives in the afternoon with a mate from work - my first time there and very impressed with the set-up - I suspect we had the benefit of being there on a quiet weekday in January through... vis was fabulous while the sun was high, friendly fish (and lots of them)... a bit chilly at 6 degrees through!!

Went to play with my new Christmas kit.... here's what I think:

(1) Frog Indigo wing... luvverly... took two dives to get weight distribution right through - started with 4kg on waist and 2kg on top camband and ended up rolling all the time - really hard work. Second dive I shifted the weight all to my waist and was much happier. In all other respects the wing was great. Roll on 17 Feb when Mark Powell will suffer my great trim crisis and hopefully sort me out for good....

(2) Ebay special thinsulate booties.... not impressed... size small but still couldn't persuade them to get into my drysuit boots without great effort... feet were warm through.... you will see these soon on the adverts forum....

(3) Waterproof 5mm Gloves - Yuk, Yuk, Yuk... did not like 5mm gloves at all but these were a particularly bad fit as they have long wrists.... I have short arms and my drysuit pretty much covers the wrist - with the latex seal in a sort of s-shape... could not do the zip on the gloves up and spent the dive with leaky hands and bits flapping about on my wrists... these would be very nice gloves for wetsuit divers or people who have lots of wrist seal exposed to cover... soon to be for sale... Wanted 5mm bog standard gloves that i can take a pair of scissors to to shorten the wrist

(4) Red Hat diving 3WS torch - very happy with this - compares favourably with the Frogman lenser - ideal for tropical night dives or back-up - just not a sexy as the frogman, but much cheaper.

(5) Uwatec bottom timer with niknaks boot - purchased from a YDer - does exactly what it says on the tin - thank you!!

So on the new kit stakes a 2 all draw..... but a very nice day out none the less!

[endoman]

I've got the waterproof gloves in 3mm and they are impossible to zip up as well. Useless with a drysuit unless you like really wet hands all the time.

[fatlaz]

I reccommend the ndiver 5mm stretch gloves. 5mm but with the dexterity of a 3mm glove, and warm to boot!!

HTH Ben.

[Mal Bridgeman]

Originally Posted by sailorbuoy

(1) Frog Indigo wing... luvverly... took two dives to get weight distribution right through - started with 4kg on waist and 2kg on top camband and ended up rolling all the time - really hard work. Second dive I shifted the weight all to my waist and was much happier. In all other respects the wing was great. Roll on 17 Feb when Mark Powell will suffer my great trim crisis and hopefully sort me out for good....

Rolling so that you end up facing the surface? That can be overcome by making sure the weight you put on the camband is as close to the plate & wing as possible. Some place the weight on the back or sides of the cylinder which alters the centre of gravity too much and can lead to the instability you mention.

HTH
Mal

[sailorbuoy]

Originally Posted by Mal Bridgeman

Rolling so that you end up facing the surface? That can be overcome by making sure the weight you put on the camband is as close to the plate & wing as possible. Some place the weight on the back or sides of the cylinder which alters the centre of gravity too much and can lead to the instability you mention.

HTH
Mal

Soory Mal I should have been clearer.... Had 2 x 1kg weights on top camband close to cylinder....

Roll was forward.... like doing a forward roll - no twisting.

Any ideas... i will need a couple more KG in the sea and can't get more in the pockets... would the bottom camband crack it do you think?

Rich

[Mal Bridgeman]

Originally Posted by sailorbuoy

Soory Mal I should have been clearer.... Had 2 x 1kg weights on top camband close to cylinder....

Roll was forward.... like doing a forward roll - no twisting.

Any ideas... i will need a couple more KG in the sea and can't get more in the pockets... would the bottom camband crack it do you think?

Rich

It wouldn't harm....alternatively a weight single tank adaptor. What I would say is that trim is a combination of weight distribution and back strength. If you are very lucky then you can do it with weight distribution alone but most need to use back strength.

I don't know what your ambition is for trim but if it is table top flat trim then initially it will feel very much like you are rolling forward .... you then normally need to arch your back and tip your head back to stop the actual rolling movement you describe.

Much of this is best done face to face with someone who can feedback what they see you doing rather than how you think it feels.....that may sound a bit aloof ....but it is the reality in most cases A trusted buddy with a camera can also help.

I am sure you will enjoy your time with Mark and I am sure he'll help you out.

Rgrds
Mal

[sailorbuoy]

Thanks Mal....

Now for some new gloves!!

[The Duck]

Sounds like you had fun.

How did you get on with the pony?

[sailorbuoy]

Aaaah... the pony.... pm inbound!

[ShinyD]

Originally Posted by endoman

I've got the waterproof gloves in 3mm and they are impossible to zip up as well. Useless with a drysuit unless you like really wet hands all the time.

Sorry Bill, I have to disagree here - especially with your rather sweeping final sentence. I have the same gloves in 3mm and 5mm and they zip up just fine over the drysuit seal. I don't notice much water around my hand until 5-10 minutes into the dive.

I guess it depends on the physical makeup of the person using them and the type of drysuit, but mine are just fine and I wouldn't change them

Horses for courses and all that, but mine are far from useless.