how much I weigh & scuba diving

Question
I am curious to find out whether I need to weigh myself prior to my PADI open water dive course - if so, how does my weight factor into the whole process?

Thanks,
Andrea

Answer
Hi Andrea

I have addressed this topic in previous questions and I suggest that you browse some of these for a more detailed answer.  In short, it is not so much how much you weigh but what your overall buoyancy is.  You will learn about buoyancy in your upcoming PADI course.  To summarize:  if you weigh 70 kilos but have very little body fat, then you will need very little added weight in order to remain submerged.  However, 70 kilos with a large proportion of body fat will require substantially more added weight in order to remain submerged.  This added weight is usually in the form of lead blocks worn either on a weight belt or placed in special pockets in your Buoyancy Compensation Device (BCD).  There have been several "formulas" for determining, in advance, how much weight would be required to submerged a diver but none of these are very accurate.  Most instructors can look at a student diver and estimate how much weight would be required.  This is used as a starting point until a more exact amount can be determined experimentally.  You will learn this process as a part of your scuba diving course.

So, Andrea, it is not necessary to weigh yourself prior to your dive course.  Your instructor should be able to give you a good estimate of the added weight required to start off with and you will learn how to adjust it from there.

Best wishes for a successful scuba course and, who knows, I may just meet you somewhere beneath the sea!!

Sincerely,
Mike Giles
Mike's Dive Center
mikescuba.com