Weight belt setup

[Asmbandits]

So I an planning a sniping trip soon, I have a hookah air setup I'm going to run in about 5-10 feet of water with a 3 mil wetsuit.

We have to hike everything in of course so weight is a factor, I'm trying to figure out if I can use something like a fanny pack with a large rock in it or similar for a weight belt so I don't have to hike weights in and out if possible. Also if weights are needed to be carried, what would you think is the ball park amount of weight for a 190lb diver in a 3 mil suit in fresh water?

 

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[N-Lionberger]

I have a Buzzard article somewhere around here that describes using an old pair of pants with the ends tied shut filled with rocks as an alternative to or as a source of additional weight.

 

[Asmbandits]

Yeah that's kinda the route I was thinking to, seems like the better option than carrying lead but thought I'd try too get some first hand advice. I have a fanny pack somewhere I think and I thought it would probably work like you described. I imagine with only 3 mil and fresh water I shouldn't need that much weight to stay down

 

[russau]

I have a Buzzard article somewhere around here that describes using an old pair of pants with the ends tied shut filled with rocks as an alternative to or as a source of additional weight.

Perry did that episode on "Prospecting America"

 

[mendoAu]

Rocks get "light" pretty fast. And current has alot to do with staying put and not fighting to hold your ground. I feel like a young'n moving those boulders in five to ten feet of water...get them on solid ground and it's a whole other thing. I'd lean towards lead if you plan on staying in the water long (day's?). Yeh I know it's hard to lug along .... but that's the reason it's pretty much unbeatable (unless you got 30 or 40 pounds of platinum or gold handy, HA!) I used to live in a mobile home park that had a pool, did alot of testing in that pool. With a thin suit you might try around twenty pounds and keep adding from there. Or get a packframe and a big dog.

 

[Asmbandits]

Yeah I tried the fanny pack and it got me down in calm water but if I took a big breath i'd start to rise.. I have a stash of black sand, im wondering if I filled it with that if it would be better? I have lead and will just use that if possible on the next one.

 

[Goldwasher]

Yeah I tried the fanny pack and it got me down in calm water but if I took a big breath i'd start to rise.. I have a stash of black sand, im wondering if I filled it with that if it would be better? I have lead and will just use that if possible on the next one.

unfortunately it does take a good amount of weight to deal with depth and current.

twenty pounds is probably the minimum to start with. you can always stash your weight belt if its a the main spot you will be working for a while.

hitting the river ant floating up or down to your work spot is helpful to. If possible.

 

[CyHawkGold]

Find a swimming pool somewhere and suit up, see how much weight you need to stay on the bottom. In the current you'll need more. Preferably some near your feet so you can maintain traction.
Lead works best because of it's density(sg). Less bulk to snag on things.

When I dove for clams in the Mississippi River years ago I still had my ankle weights from my track training days. Made with heavy canvas and lead rods about the size of your finger, pop the snaps and adjust the number of rods in the slots up to five pounds each ankle. Plus the weight belt I normally used. I used tanks and snorkel for that project, later I built my own hookah rig.

I think your suit might be thinner than what mine was, but how much weight you'll need still will depend on how much body fat you have and how dense your bones are.

Will you be the only diver? Share the weights between packs and trips.
If more than one diver, take turns diving and share the weight belt.

Good Luck

 

[Jason in Enid]

Dont try to "cheap out" on this, you'll end up causing yourself more grief and frustration than doing it right the first time. Neoprene floats and fat floats. Not a comment on you, I dont know you or your BMI, its just a statement of fact many of us must deal with. Rocks wont do crap to keep you under water, you need lead and you likely need a LOT of it!

First, have you ever spent time in this river? What are the temps like? 3 mil is fine for water about 70 or warmer, if its colder, you need thicker neoprene. If this river is flowing, you will get colder and need thicker. If its really cold and flowing, you will need a hot-water system (but thats a whooooole 'nother thread).

Second, have you ever tried to sink yourself in a pool with this wetsuit? When you find out what you need to sink, you can plan on tripling it if you have fast water.

Third, Lead is heavy and hard. Diver weight belts are made of thick nylon straps with heavy duty buckles. Try to put them in a fanny pack or tied off jean legs, will have them ripping out and you back on the surface with no way to get back down to pick them back up.

When I dredge in Colorado, the water is shallow, cold (prob 50) and running. You can walk around in it without any problem, but the instant you lay down to dredge, that flow will roll you down river like a ragdoll. After you get a hole dredged, if you stick your face up youre going to get your mask ripped off. So carry a backup mask! I also have to wear a 7mil wetsuit with 9 mil boots and 7mil hood with gloves. I could scuba dive that with about 25 pounds of lead, but I have to wear 60 pounds to dredge and I could actually use another 20 for those shallow working times. Oh, and you need special weights. find a dive shop that can melt and pour weights for you, because 7 - 10 pounders are VERY hard to find, but youd need a 20 foot long belt to stack enough 3 or 5 pounders to stay under. 2 weight belts helps carry it all.

If you can pack in a dredge, you can pack in diving weights. I recommend a game cart to wheel this stuff around.

 

[mendoAu]

Dredging is easy....hauling in all the crp is hard.

 

[russau]

I haven't read anything about using a "quick release buckle" on the weight belt !!!!! NO MATTER HOW YOU GET THE WEIGHTS ? OR HOW YOU ATTACH THEM !! This is a absolute MUST to use !! I had 2 weight belt setups .1 for slow water and 1 for fast water and I used lead for the weights. I hauled them in my 4 inch dredge sluice and towed it on my trailer for my dredge to get close to the stream. That sure helped this old bag of bones !

 

[Jason in Enid]

Dredging is easy....hauling in all the crp is hard.

Thats the truth!