[azapa]

Hi All,

I have been diving solidly for 18 months now, and dive in the ocean at least 30 to 50 times per year, lucky me!

I am a very freediving oriented and have completed a Level II FIT course in Miami. I have a 4:40 static, and have done 30M CW.

After all this time, all these dives, and the great course, I have to say that buoyancy is still a daily dilemma for me. Even Martin Stepaneck was left wondering when I dove with him. I can never seem to be happy with my buoyancy: to sum up, I have never ever felt the negative glide down. At best I become "neutral". Sure, at 25M i need a good push off the bottom or tug on the line, but 3 or 4 kicks and I'm starting to float up.

Closely observing my Suunto I am neutral at 10M. I think my problem is that I am afraid to use more weight (horror stories, advice etc). My other problem could be lung volume vs body mass. I have a 7lt VC (I don't pack ever) and weigh 63Kg. I dive with a 7mm suit and now use 7Kg as my suit is getting past the "new buoyancy" phase, during which I used 8Kg.

Often, kicking down to 15M is so tiring that in the quiet of the deep all I can hear is my heart racing at what must be 100BPM. I am sure that only my large lung VC allows me to do longish dives.

I am very conservative, I never have contractions or leg burn, and my surface protocols are very safe and easy.

In a nutshell, should I:
a. try more weight?
b. try less inhale approaching FRC slowly
c. ???

I feel dumb asking the above, but my local club guys just cover themselves with 10Kgs of lead and glide from 5M down. I just can't face to go this route.

THanks.