Scuba Diving - How to Manage Buoyancy Forces Underwater

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One of the primary diving skills a beginner will have to contend with in the course of his scuba diving training is the mastery of buoyancy control. Now there are 3 factors affecting the scuba diver’s state of buoyancy - particularly the diver’s weight, breathing techniques applied and of course the type of buoyancy compensator device (BCD) used. The article will briefly discuss how weight and breathing issues can affect diver performance while a rundown of pertinent BCD functionalities will be featured. Moreover, a few tips relevant to the selection and use of said scuba gear will follow.

Body Fat is Buoyant. True! Packing extra pounds to your weight makes you more buoyant than the scuba diver with a standard Body Mass Index (BMI). To improve buoyancy control, the overweight scuba diver should implement lifestyle changes to get rid of excess fat and work on the build-up of muscle mass instead. Fat is less dense than either the muscle tissues or bones and will therefore lift the diver back to the surface, particularly when diving in seawater.

Proper Breathing is Key. The diver won’t be able to attain a horizontal, face down position on the water column without implementing proper breathing techniques relevant to neutral buoyancy. The human lungs are teeming with air - filling its cavities, and this applies an opposing force (buoyancy) against the diver’s weight. Inhalation stuffs air into the lungs to cause the diver to rise while exhalation reduces lung volume; causing the diver to descend. To obtain efficient control of his vertical direction, the diver should learn to compensate for the opposing forces of buoyancy and weight (through the simultaneous application of breathing techniques along with BCD and lead weights operation) so that the diver neither rises to the surface nor drops to the bottom; but rather stays at a particular depth on the water column.

BCD Facts and Tips. The more pricey buoyancy compensator devices are equipped with functionalities that support its enhanced performance. So if you want to be spared from the determined inefficiencies of the bladder stabilizing vests of cheaper BCDs, then settle for at least the mid-range line of this scuba gear that are likely featured with an integrated weight system. Cheap BCDs have been found to trap volumes of gas despite venting and these air spaces interfere with the diver’s buoyancy position. When shopping for a buoyancy compensator device, be sure to determine the lift capacity of the device since said information will help you set your buoyancy prior to the dive. Likewise inspect its construction and settle for a BCD that provides a convenient reach of pressure release valves and accessory pockets while outfitted with quick release, adjustable straps. In terms of style, divers prefer the Wing type over the Vest type given its ability to easily assume a face-down, hovering position on the water column.

Felix Tero produces web content for Scuba Suppliers, Inc. Get the scuba equipment that’s right for you at scubasuppliers.com.