Posted by TDI_2 on August 26, 2002 at 10:45:28:
In Reply to: Re: How do you weight? posted by Chris on August 26, 2002 at 10:23:51:
Back in the days before ScubaPro invented the jacket style B/C, and we all wore horsecollars with our wetsuits, we weighted like freedivers in our wetsuits, and we kicked down. By 33 fsw the suits became neutral, and at 66 fsw we were slightly negative and had to claw our way along the bottom.
Most of our diving back in those days was around 65 fsw and not deeper. Things got too tricky deeper than 65 fsw. It was the jacket style [and now wings] B/C that actually opened deeper depths safely to divers.
With a drysuit, you could inflate slightly at depth and maintain neutral buoyancy. And if needed, you could add air to your suit, and use it like a B/C.
So if youre going to dive without a B/C then I would consider wearing a drysuit instead of a wetsuit. That way its easier to get down, and its easier to get back up as well.
And by purging your suit of air to a velcrowed fit, you could more easily hold a 15 fsw stop if you wanted to stop that shallow, although you might be freezing your gonads as well.
I dont feel there is anything wrong with diving the old fashioned way, just spare the bottom and all the critters that dwell there is all I am saying.