Position of weight on the belt

[blueface]

I spearfish with 7 pounds-2 x 2 lbs. On each side and 1 x 3 lbs. in the center of my belt on the back. I use a 3.5 mm two piece suit.

The problem is after I duck dive and kick, I start to over rotate slightly (on the sink phase) and miss the target on the bottom. I was thinking about moving the weights to the front.

I was curious about how other spearos positioned their weights and how it affects their trim on the sink phase or at any other time.

Any thought?

Thanks in advance.

Skip

 

[Old Man Dave]

7lbs is very little compared to the average UK spearo. With our cold water and thick suits, limited vis and shallow diving, we are using 20lb.

Spreading the weight over your body is for us a good move. Weight vests and ankle weights take about 1/3 of the weight and the belt takes the rest. On the belt most people cram as much as they can on the sides/front rather than the back. Rubber belts are essencial with many weights otherwise they slip.

Rubber belts and weight vests have revolutionised the comfort of my diving. I use a vest with front weight pockets as well as back ones. I also use "bullet" type weights on the belt which are 100 times better than the old "H" type weights.

Not sure if its worth doing too much with only 7lb but there are a few options.

Dave.

 

[blueface]

7lbs is very little compared to the average UK spearo. With our cold water and thick suits, limited vis and shallow diving, we are using 20lb.

Spreading the weight over your body is for us a good move. Weight vests and ankle weights take about 1/3 of the weight and the belt takes the rest. On the belt most people cram as much as they can on the sides/front rather than the back. Rubber belts are essencial with many weights otherwise they slip.

Rubber belts and weight vests have revolutionised the comfort of my diving. I use a vest with front weight pockets as well as back ones. I also use "bullet" type weights on the belt which are 100 times better than the old "H" type weights.

Not sure if its worth doing too much with only 7lb but there are a few options.

Dave.

Thanks Old Man dave! I have the "H" type of weights and now that you've mentioned it, I think I will get some bullet type.

I also should try (I will try) moving the weights to the front.

Skip

 

[Old Man Dave]

My belt with 10 bullet weights each weighing 1.4lbs.

Dave

 

[azapa]

Hello there. Like OMD says 7lbs is not much. you are a;always better with more smaller weights than few heavy ones. Try 7 x 1Lb around your belt. Also as Dave mentioned, a Marseilles rubber belt will hold all better in place.

What depth do you spear at on average? What depth do you start to sink at?

An ideal belt is as lightly weighted as possible for your working dept, grippy, and worn on the hips like a gun slinger (that allows your diaphragm to work better)

 

[spaghetti]

For the way we hunt in Europe (belly crawling or waiting on the bottom), wearing the belt weights on the front is a big and loud NO.
Noise of the lead on the bottom, and the obvious risk of catching with every weed and rock will make hunting a real pain.

Maybe for blue water, or kelp hunting, or similar american/oceanic hunting techniques this is a non issue hunting wise. Try it and let us know.

 

[Herup]

On the belt most people cram as much as they can on the sides/front rather than the back.

An ideal belt is as lightly weighted as possible for your working dept,

There is however one other consideration to make in relation to location of the weight: In case of SWB and the buddy not being at the right place (and given that one is not over weighted and never make it to the surface), having the majority of weight on the front, will eventually make the BO diver rotate when lying on the surface so the front is down in the water, which is obviously a problem
Ideal weight will in my opinion always leave ones airways free of the water at FRC. More than that obviously give some comfort in terms of a more relaxed decent etc, but unfortunately also pose a risk worth taking into account.

Very best regards
H!

 

[azapa]

these little fellas work great, 750gr each, and rubber covered. Stick to my suit well, hydrodynamic and don't clunk on the rocks. I got these molds:
http://forums.deeperblue.com/goods-sale/86133-sale-weight-molds.html

excellent quality and service. just keep the molds really really hot when pouring.

PS. i should add that the rubber covering is my bit, bike inner tubes, superglue and crappy fingers.

 

[blueface]

Thanks for all the input! We dive in 50 to 90 ft. mostly. If I go shallow I take partial breaths. 7 lbs. will make me neutral at 30 ft.

I need to get some 1 pounders.

Thanks!

Skip

 

[cdavis]

The one pounders will help a lot.

I prefer some of my weight in the center of the back,some on the sides, none in front, but it does make me less stable going down. Weight in front is less comfortable, but you will probably find that it solves your rotation issue. Get a bunch of one lbers and you should be able to find a combination that is both comfortable and solves the rotation.

Connor

 

[blueface]

The one pounders will help a lot.

I prefer some of my weight in the center of the back,some on the sides, none in front, but it does make me less stable going down. Weight in front is less comfortable, but you will probably find that it solves your rotation issue. Get a bunch of one lbers and you should be able to find a combination that is both comfortable and solves the rotation.

Connor

Thanks Connor! I will give them a try.

Skip

 

[honu714]

I'm weighted a bit heavy because I mainly do shallow water diving here in Southern California. I'm 6'1 170lbs and I wear 20lbs of weights with a 5mm wetsuit. Typically I'm diving in shallow water up to 20-30 feet and I just felt that being weighted a little heavy allowed me to drop down a bit faster and let me lay n the bottom with less effort. I'm going to drop down to a better weight when I start doing some deeper diving this summer. I use these weights and they are strung on the bck of my weight belt but after I drop some weight I'm probably going to shift some around to my sides.

2-lb Pinch Weights for sale - Spearboard Spearfishing Community

 

[blueface]

I'm weighted a bit heavy because I mainly do shallow water diving here in Southern California. I'm 6'1 170lbs and I wear 20lbs of weights with a 5mm wetsuit. Typically I'm diving in shallow water up to 20-30 feet and I just felt that being weighted a little heavy allowed me to drop down a bit faster and let me lay n the bottom with less effort. I'm going to drop down to a better weight when I start doing some deeper diving this summer. I use these weights and they are strung on the bck of my weight belt but after I drop some weight I'm probably going to shift some around to my sides.

2-lb Pinch Weights for sale - Spearboard Spearfishing Community

20 pounds seems like a ton of weight but I've never used a 5 mm wetsuit. If you are diving 30 ft. max, I don't think it will be a problem. I bet I can pick up a (insert large object) from that depth.:blackeye

 

[Mr. X]

Interesting thread. Like several other posters above, I like using a rubber Marseilles-style belt (mine was made by Rob Allen). I too carry 22lb (10Kg?) of lead but unlike some of those above, I carry all of mine on my belt. It just about fits and means that the weight is distributed evenly around my belt. The weight fill the belt, although I could probably squeeze another 1-3 2lb bullet-ish style weights if I needed too.

Part of the reason for carrying so much weight (with a 5mm wetsuit) is to give me a better chance of staying down to ambush fish in fairly shallow water - although the depth at which I go neutral is probably around 10-15ft (3-5m). You don't need as much weight when diving greater depths - so it can be useful to have a removable weight. Len Jones , in his excellent booklet, describes the use of a "pendulum" weight which is used only just the first part of a deep dive (it is left dangling from a rope) - interesting idea but I've yet to try it.

My weights don't generally make noise on the bottom/rocks but I like Axapta's rubber covered weights. Being black they will be less visible as well as quieter - smart guy!

 

[jimy286]

Nice trick

 

[blueface]

It is a nice trick but you have to use caution. You can have an out of control ascent rate and actually get bent if you are diving deep.

 

[103Alex1]

Interesting thread. Like several other posters above, I like using a rubber Marseilles-style belt (mine was made by Rob Allen). I too carry 22lb (10Kg?) of lead but unlike some of those above, I carry all of mine on my belt. It just about fits and means that the weight is distributed evenly around my belt. The weight fill the belt, although I could probably squeeze another 1-3 2lb bullet-ish style weights if I needed too.

Are you UK-based, Mr. X ? Hoping to get out fishing soon here in South / South West waters and trying to put together appropriate gear - been one for much warmer waters with lycra skin / 1.5mm top and shorts until now and it's a bit of an adjustment ! 5mm open cell wetsuit (I feel the cold !) but only weigh 60kg. I'm reading most sites are likely to be 3-10m so would I be in the right ballpark to play with 5-6kg weights initially as I'm guessing most action is likely to camped out in the kelp ?

 

[SubSub]

It is a nice trick but you have to use caution. You can have an out of control ascent rate and actually get bent if you are diving deep.

From which depth is a high ascent rate connected to a "getting bent" issue for freedivers?

 

[FraDive]

Yeah, the high ascent rate is rarely an issue in freediving. The risk in using variable weights is that you may push your body too deep, you must be well trained in order to avoid lung squeeze and blackouts.
Obviously you can use it also for shallow dives but in that case, it doesn't seem useful to me.

Fra