I sink when I exhale

submarine · March 20th, 2006, 12:10 AM

Help! New diver here needs help with saftey stops. I have no issues when I am moving however when I am stationary and exhale I sink like a rock. Any pointers on breathing pattern(s) that will help?

dlegros · March 20th, 2006, 12:11 AM

Sounds to me like you are over weighted and thus too negatively buoyant.

You might be swimming slightly head-up to compensate when moving along, then when you stop and exhale at the same time you drop.

HTH

Dom

A-M · March 20th, 2006, 12:40 AM

Yep, sounds like overweighted.
Start with a good bouyancy check and weight check. And after that some excercises to maintain your bouyancy during a dive or stop. Or even better, subscribe for a fundies courses and learn all the littele tips and trics there are.

submarine · March 21st, 2006, 12:06 AM

Thanks. If I am overweighted I will have to loose some gear, since I don't carry any weight and am using aluminium back plate. Will check my heads up position to see if that helps.

Dan T · March 21st, 2006, 12:24 AM

Get neutral, (your wing) and relax. Best place to play around, with your breathing is around 10ft. a couple atmospheric preasures.

You cant stop breathing, practice makes perfection.

TobinGeorge · March 21st, 2006, 12:26 AM

Quote: (Originally Posted by submarine)

Help! New diver here needs help with saftey stops. I have no issues when I am moving however when I am stationary and exhale I sink like a rock. Any pointers on breathing pattern(s) that will help?

If you sink with a full exhale, then add a little gas to your wing. That's what a Buoyancy Compensator is for.

Most every body can maintain buoyancy when in motion, it's the hover that's hard.

Find a shallow bottom that's ok to touch, (Pools are good) get horizontal on the bottom. Add tiny bits of air to the wing until you can just lift off with a full deep breath. Now add a tiny bit more to the wing. You should be able to descend with a full exhale, rise with a full inhale, and hover while breathing normally. Remember, you have inertia, so normal breathing will not cause immediate changes in depth.

To make a slow controlled ascent take a deep breath and hold it only until you begin to rise. As soon as you begin to rise exhale slowly and vent a little gas from your wing. It's take practice to find out how much to vent, but when you get it right you can go from 10 ft up in to 5ft, stop, and then go slowly to the surface. Big fun, impress your friends

Good luck,

Tobin

Meng_Tze · March 21st, 2006, 08:25 PM

Sound advise!

***ericfine50*** · March 21st, 2006, 08:43 PM

Excellent description Tobin!

TobinGeorge · March 22nd, 2006, 12:10 AM

Thanks guys, but I'm just paraphrasing what Marc Hall taught me in fundies.

The more I practice the smarter he gets

Tobin

submarine · March 22nd, 2006, 01:37 AM

Thanks guys for the great advice, havn't had the opportunity yet to attend Dir-f. Will work on it this weekend and let you know how it goes.

March 20th, 2006, 12:10 AM	#1 (permalink)
submarine(Offline) New Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Ft. Lauderdale, FL USA Posts: 3	I sink when I exhale Help! New diver here needs help with saftey stops. I have no issues when I am moving however when I am stationary and exhale I sink like a rock. Any pointers on breathing pattern(s) that will help?

March 20th, 2006, 12:11 AM	#2 (permalink)
dlegros(Offline) 20% Ninja 80% Rebel Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Birmingham Posts: 245	Sounds to me like you are over weighted and thus too negatively buoyant. You might be swimming slightly head-up to compensate when moving along, then when you stop and exhale at the same time you drop. HTH Dom __________________ Dom I reject your reality and substitute my own DIR-RA

March 21st, 2006, 08:25 PM	#7 (permalink)
Meng_Tze(Offline) New Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: UK, SG, USA Posts: 91	Sound advise! __________________ ____________________ Homo Bonae Voluntatis

March 20th, 2006, 12:40 AM	#3 (permalink)
A-M (Online) Cave addict Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Netherlands Posts: 370	Yep, sounds like overweighted. Start with a good bouyancy check and weight check. And after that some excercises to maintain your bouyancy during a dive or stop. Or even better, subscribe for a fundies courses and learn all the littele tips and trics there are.

March 21st, 2006, 12:06 AM	#4 (permalink)
submarine(Offline) New Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Ft. Lauderdale, FL USA Posts: 3	Thanks. If I am overweighted I will have to loose some gear, since I don't carry any weight and am using aluminium back plate. Will check my heads up position to see if that helps.

March 21st, 2006, 12:24 AM	#5 (permalink)
Dan T(Offline) New Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Orange Park Posts: 128	Get neutral, (your wing) and relax. Best place to play around, with your breathing is around 10ft. a couple atmospheric preasures. You cant stop breathing, practice makes perfection.

March 21st, 2006, 12:26 AM	#6 (permalink)
TobinGeorge (Online) New Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Southern California Posts: 565	Quote: (Originally Posted by submarine) Help! New diver here needs help with saftey stops. I have no issues when I am moving however when I am stationary and exhale I sink like a rock. Any pointers on breathing pattern(s) that will help? If you sink with a full exhale, then add a little gas to your wing. That's what a Buoyancy Compensator is for. Most every body can maintain buoyancy when in motion, it's the hover that's hard. Find a shallow bottom that's ok to touch, (Pools are good) get horizontal on the bottom. Add tiny bits of air to the wing until you can just lift off with a full deep breath. Now add a tiny bit more to the wing. You should be able to descend with a full exhale, rise with a full inhale, and hover while breathing normally. Remember, you have inertia, so normal breathing will not cause immediate changes in depth. To make a slow controlled ascent take a deep breath and hold it only until you begin to rise. As soon as you begin to rise exhale slowly and vent a little gas from your wing. It's take practice to find out how much to vent, but when you get it right you can go from 10 ft up in to 5ft, stop, and then go slowly to the surface. Big fun, impress your friends Good luck, Tobin

March 21st, 2006, 08:43 PM	#8 (permalink)
*ericfine50*(Offline) Moderator Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: MA Posts: 622	Excellent description Tobin!

March 22nd, 2006, 12:10 AM	#9 (permalink)
TobinGeorge (Online) New Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Southern California Posts: 565	Thanks guys, but I'm just paraphrasing what Marc Hall taught me in fundies. The more I practice the smarter he gets Tobin

March 22nd, 2006, 01:37 AM	#10 (permalink)
submarine(Offline) New Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Ft. Lauderdale, FL USA Posts: 3	Thanks guys for the great advice, havn't had the opportunity yet to attend Dir-f. Will work on it this weekend and let you know how it goes.