ONE biggest mistake MOST New divers make... And How To Correct It!

Want to be a better and safer diver? Let's talk about the biggest mistake most divers make...

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Weighting. Or more specifically, too much lead. Over weighting divers is a bad habit scuba divers pick up from disreputable dive instructors. Bad dive instructors know that an over weighted student is easier to control. Over weighted student divers turn into over weighted recreational divers. Over weighting a diver, diving with too much lead is very dangerous and make scuba diving less enjoyable. So let's fix that!

Thanks as always for watching!

D.S.D.O

James
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[nicolaslemee]

This video should be mandatory material shown to every aspiring instructor. Absolute gold.

[Erockzee]

Hahaha... the rant about everything going wrong in life if diving overweighted is hilarious! Great video and presentation as always. The biggest tip that I would suggest for new divers is to get in the habit of writing down your weight in your dive logs and every bit of pertinent information for your exposure suit and paying attention to salt/fresh water differences. When you're starting out it is confusing, but when you record your details and review them before your next dive it is a huge help.

[SummersideDiver]

I did buoyancy as part of my AOW, and while the theory and e-learning were good, the instruction was sub-par. The instructor commented several times that I was struggling, but also ticked the boxes each time I MINIMALLY did the skill. At the end of the dive, I “passed” the course, but I was no more confident or skilled. It has taken me several dives since then to improve, and I know I will continue to get better at it. Therefore, I will definitely agree with your advice that the class is crap, find a knowledgeable buddy who can and will help you, not an instructor trained to click boxes and sign off on skills not taught.
Thanks for doing these videos, they really do help us become better divers.

[bobjenney]

As a “old” diver who is getting back to it after 30 years, I’m enjoying and am appreciative of your videos. Well done and thank you.

[abkrueger]

The weight difference of air is more like 5 lbs when you use Aluminum 80 from 3000 psi down to 500 psi. On high pressure 100 cft (12 Liter steel) the difference can be 6.5 lbs and 7.5 lbs on HP120 (15 Liter). That's why not enough weight can also turn into a struggle at the end of the dive.
On the other hand, your suit will be less buoyant at the end of the dive when all pockets of air have been squeezed out, so to account for 3-4 lbs weight of air may not be a bad rule of thumb for AL80. But checking again at the end of the dive will be most accurate and is great advice. Unfortunately, I have never seen it done in any of the classes that I took.

[kurtkrampmeier]

Divers are ready! With the help of James! Brother James, best dive channel in town. Greetings from Germany.

[kevyneuro]

Well needed. One thing I learned about gaining good buoyancy is you actually have more fun. I recently had a discussion with a instructor who had so much weight that he was rolling around in the Surf trying to stand up. There is no way you could be safe with that mindset. Thanks again James.

[stevenwallenda]

Bravo! Have these conversations with guests ALL the time…

[bogopuar]

This is spot on advice! As a dive instructor I do this exact thing with my students during our first dives. I also offer to stay after the class and help the work on their buoyancy. Keep the good videos coming.

[bowcaps]

Over the last year I have reduced my weights substantially, I put a big proportion to controlling breathing, I have checked my weights at the end of dives along the way. The push to get my breathing to adjust buoyancy was during safety stops, the better I felt, I would reduce my weights a little for the next dive. A Dutch dive master I met on a weeks dives had actually reduced his weights from 6kg to 0.5kg over the previous 6 months. With good buoyancy my enjoyment has increased 10 fold, it’s definitely worth spending time to get it really dialled in 😊

[mariaschoenfeld]

I had amazing teachers in my open water diver course in the UK. We dived in a lake and we practised buoyancy with minimum weight. I ended up with only 4 kg of lead on the belt and my floating in water was fantastic! Thanks so much to my amazing teachers! ❤

[technopath]

All of this is true now I want to make sure that it is made clear that this is a hard skill and it takes time and practice but keep trying it’s worth it, it feels amazing so don’t give yourself a hard time if you don’t get it at first be patient and keep working. Great vid James keep it up

[mikkosport]

Excellent video, James. However, you can do proper weight check using full tank, too. First you have to find the minimum amount of lead required to get below surface. Then you estimate the amount of gas you'll consume during the dive. Multiply this with the density of the gas (1.3 kg/ m3 for air and nitrox, leave up to you to convert it to imperial units). This is the amount of lead you need to add extra to the one found in the first step. That's it!

One good sign of overweighting is swimming poisture. If it is "seahorse" style you are overweighted. Try to remove weights one at a time every now an then. When skills gets better less weights normally are needed.

[Raybrienza]

James, you are right on. Keep pressing the issue of correct (ideal) buoyancy to everyone. It takes a little time to learn how to be a better diver with the ideal weight, but once they get it, they will say in the sport longer and may take a few more classes. -- Love your comments

[harambeexpress]

The recent Flow State Divers video on buoyancy is second to none. I've never seen any other resource that is as correct, succinct or as well produced.

[frankea]

Thank you James, I’ve been starting my students with 2-4 pounds and go from there. Once they can breathe under water, I start with a fin pivot before the other skills.

[MrBlueBullet]

Great Vid as per usual. I need a lot of weight: I’m always too bouyant at the end of a dive and risk not being able to stay down for the safety stop if I use less weight.

[adampilot]

Thank you James. As with everything, the basics are key.

[robinklipper-fischbein]

Excellent instructional video as always. I feel like (for me anyway), it takes multiple dives in the beginning of diving instruction to figure that out. Once the jitters are gone, and you feel more comfortable is when you can really dial in on buoyancy. I still remember you having to go up towards the surface to pull me back down during certification dives. 🤦🏻‍♀️ I have figured it out, but it took some time.

[patryka]

I have opposite problem. Sometimes difficult to stay on safty stop. I have empty jacket and going up.