Buoyancy and Sinking Tips?

[Winged Mermaid]

I didn't see a thread on this already, so I thought I'd start one! Sinking and floating can be a pain in the fin depending on what you're trying to do, so let's share some tips!

Buoyancy can depend on several factors. One is body type- someone who has less fat and/or more bulk muscle may sink easier, while those with more fatty tissue or possibly just leaner muscle may float. Some people are just natural sinkers or natural floaters!
Another thing you can do is use air. Exhale all of your air to sink farther, and keep more of your air in to float.

Last think I know of for sinking is weights. This comes into play if you are a floater or have a buoyant tail (neoprene, latex and neoprene, ect). You can buy a weight belt from a dive shop and decorate it, or buy a pre decorated belt (Nerine makes some very lovely ones custom (http://mernetwork.com/index/showthread.php?2641-Mermaid-Weighted-dive-belts), Raina loves hers (http://mernetwork.com/index/showthread.php?3214-My-weight-belt-by-Nerine)) or make your own. Small weights or lead shot are good options for buying or making.

Always be careful when using weights. Either make it so you can ditch the weight at any time, or don't go in water that you can't stand up in if you have trouble.



My tip is something I discovered in a pinch, that's a bit unconventional.
I noticed that 5lb weight helped equal out my buoyancy a lot, especially when I have on my very buoyant neoprene and latex tail. Recently I wanted to do some filming in tail, so I took my 5lb coated dumbbell and put it in between my thighs. May I say I was SO glad no one else was in the pool room, becuase it took me 2 minutes to shove that thing between down in my tight tail and get it situated. :O_o: hahahaha :lol: I'm thick enough that I didn't have an odd lump. That would have been awkward bahaha. It worked well for the pinch I was in needing it. The whole pool was shallow enough I could stand up at any time if I had trouble, and I went on the safe side and didn't hold my breath for very long to give myself plenty of time to surface safely.


Share the love! Give up your tips :)

[MerEmma]

I've always been really skinny and able to sink really easily. Everywhere I've seen online says that if you have no real muscle or fat, you'll just be really neutrally buoyant.

But when I want to get to the bottom, I take a deep breath and sort of kick my feet once to push above the surface further, and then sinking. It gives me an extra push to sink further. I also tend to streamline myself if I'm going really deep. :P

[AniaR]

my weight belt totally changed how I swim. Like, totally in the biggest way. Before it would take all my energy to get to the bottom of the pool and then I couldn't stay there unless I swam along the bottom. swimming became so much easier when I got a weight belt.

[Mermaid Kelda]

I'm exactly the same Raina, I can't sink unless I get rid of ALL my air, and even then I'm only just less than neutrally buoyant. I'm going to start making a weight belt so that as soon as my tail arrives I can actually swim under the surface with it! :P

[Mermaid Pickles]

I'm fairly neutrally buoyant, I guess, as I generally stay in the middle area even without my fabric tails. (working on getting a better one, but I still love my fabrics). I can get to the bottom, but then end up around halfway between the surface and the bottom shortly after. Should I get a weight belt? I'm actually asking advice, since I'm not sure.

[Winged Mermaid]

Should I get a weight belt? I'm actually asking advice, since I'm not sure.

If you're not sure then you probably don't. It's usually when one notices that they can't get/stay on the bottom, and that it frustrates them that much that they decide to get some kind of weight device to help. Being able to stay on the bottom is useful and sometimes a need for me and other mers for several reasons. But for some mers even if they don't have the ability to sink already, they may not want it or have a use for it. It's a personal decision, really.


On a personal note, I'm waiting for my Merbellas tail to come before I make a mermaid-ified weight belt so I can be sure to get the fit right and to make sure it doesn't get in the way of my dorsal :) I have a feeling just the difference between neoprene and latex and a full silicone tail will make all the difference in the world in my sinking ability.

[MerAnthony]

Interesting Winged. Over the winter I have put a few pounds on an I plan on swimming soon I hope. An to help me stay even in the water with my neoprene tail. I would just have to figure out something that is more mermanish for when I swim. Any ideas?

[Kanti]

I assume a weight belt is probably the best idea. I do find that releasing some air helps
you sink but it also helps loosen your lungs and aids in holding breath longer. Whenever I take
such a deep breath that my lungs are filled to the brink, it always seems more stressful and harder
to hold my breath, so keeping a lesser amount of air in your lungs is generally not such a bad idea.

I only have to release a bit of air to sink, again, because I'm really small, so I wouldn't really say
that's a great tip but it could be the difference for some people.

[Winged Mermaid]

Interesting Winged. Over the winter I have put a few pounds on an I plan on swimming soon I hope. An to help me stay even in the water with my neoprene tail. I would just have to figure out something that is more mermanish for when I swim. Any ideas?

Go out and have a swim and see how things go. If things bother you enough, I'd look into a weight belt.

The great thing about weight belts is depending on the kind you get they can look very sleek. An undecorated diving belt can also look more masculine and fitting on a merman than on a mermaid IMO. If I were a merman, I would get the plastic coated lead weights (like this one here (http://store.westsidedive.com/product-p/clwdw.htm)) and a black or deep green belt. If you can't find a deep green diving belt pre made, you can buy belt material by the yard at fabric stores, and I know you can find deep green (what I'll be making my belt from) as well as all kinds of buckles including the safe quick-release. For a more balanced look, I advise to get either 1lb or 2lb weights and put an equal amount on each side or space them out to look balanced as well as feel balanced.

If you wanted to kick it up a knotch with decor, you could glue netting or faux seaweed to the outside of the weights themselves. If you are okay with not being able to remove or move the weights from/on the belt then you could take it even farther and sew netting, seaweed, shells, ect to the belt itself.For a more balanced look, I advise to get either 1lb or 2lb weights

If any merman is not the crafty type and would be interested in such a belt I am up for commissions :)

[AniaR]

Iona youre the best...

...also, can I just say I am mesmerized by your boobies in your gif?

http://25.media.tumblr.com/ec81aca4e567a82928eeaf4a68a9f296/tumblr_mhj9gtMwGA1qc46b8o2_500.gif


....too much? lol

Alright then, er-hem, weight belts and such are great. Yes. :thumbs-up:

[Winged Mermaid]

:eyebrows: LOL, Raina you're killing me :rotfl:
I'll take that as a compliment!

[Ashe]

Hm, I've was thinking of getting a sinking belt, but I then realized "wait, why the heck would I even need one?" I've always had pretty much a perfect amount of buoyancy when I'm not in a tail. If I let a bit of air out little by little, I'm able to sink very nicely to the bottom and strike a pose if needed. But, ever since I had begun making neoprene tails, I stay afloat, like crazy! Even when I swim to the bottom my legs always come up, 'cause of the tail materials.

I've been thinking of getting a sort of weighted anklet to keep my legs down, 'cause that seems to be the problem. Has anyone ever tried this? Would it create drag? I would assume so... :confused:

[Winged Mermaid]

Yeah, neoprene is a real problem for this kind of thing. Floaty fluke, I know that problem well! For my profile pic I actually had a lead weight on my fluke and a weight belt on :P

I hesitate to put weights anywhere you can't get it off, unless you are always in an area you can stand up if you have problems. It's a safety issue :/ I would imagine putting weight that far down would make swimming a lot more difficult, but I don't know. When you weigh something that isn't around your center of gravity it becomes hard and awkward in the water. I can swim nicely, although with more effort, with a 5lb weight between my thighs. In my hands? I could drown myself if it was strapped to me. It's that big of a difference, at least in my experience.

If you really want to give it a go, if I had to guess, I wouldn't start off any higher than 1/2 lb per ankle if you want to try out ankle weights. The bulk of the weights could cause fitting or aesthetic bulging issues, so that's something to keep in mind. If you give it a try, don't go out of the shallows where you can stand if need be, and have someone else with you.

[Morticia Mermaid]

I have the same issue Kalani. I've actually been working with Nerine designing a weight "belt" to go around the ankles on the outside of a tail... Kinda like shells and seaweed "tangled" around the base of the fluke. I'm hoping it works out cause my merfin seems like it has air pockets in the ribbing along one side

[AptaMer]

This is from the movie Journey of Man by Cirque du Soleil. The design of the weight belts is very well done, I think, they fit in with the synchronized swimmers' wetsuit costumes beautifully. I looks like they might be covered with sparkly fabric, and do up with velcro?

There's more information about the filming and the costumes here http://www.sonyclassics.com/cirquedusoleil/journey/journey.html#


You can see the costumes starting at 3 minutes 10 seconds


http://youtu.be/d3Zd4d8typI

http://youtu.be/d3Zd4d8typI


Wow, can those women swim!

[MerEmma]

Does rubber naturally float? My Oceanika really seems to float a lot, mainly when I take it off my feet and put it on the bottom and turn around to find it floating at the top.

[Winged Mermaid]

Yes, rubber is very buoyant. (Neoprene is a type of rubber as well.) I never thought of it as an issue with the oceana , but I never thought about it! That's a good point to bring up to those looking to buy them.

[Ashe]

Thanks for the tips Iona! Off topic, but I always think that the title says 'Buoyancy and Sinking Ships' Anyone else see that?

[MerEmma]

It's not so bad, really, but it is slightly noticeable. When I set it on the bottom, it floats to the top (slowly) and the only way I can get it to the bottom when I'm wearing it is if instead of pushing forward, I push backward. Hopefully that makes sense. :P

[Echidna]

I'm not so sure this "body fat floats, muscle sinks"-trope is true.

I'm incredibly floaty- if I dive headfirst into water, go to the bottom and then stop moving,
I shoot up back to the surface like a helium balloon (and I'm underweight and have not an ounce of fat left on me sadly).

When swimming normally (breaststroke, no fins), I cannot go under, my back just stays at the surface no matter how much I try to swim down.
With a tail and fluke, I CAN go down rather easily with the right swim technique though, and quickly reach the bottom and stay there as long as I move.
I cannot, however, stop swimming and stay in place. Air or no air in lungs.
I will float up immediately unless swimming forward with a tilt down.

Maybe it's different in a less shallow pool (the one I tried in was 5'9 deep), as water above you helps to keep you down.
But in case I ever want to stay on the bottom of a pool and strike a pose or such, I'd definitely need a weight belt.

[Echidna]

my weight belt totally changed how I swim. Like, totally in the biggest way. Before it would take all my energy to get to the bottom of the pool and then I couldn't stay there unless I swam along the bottom. swimming became so much easier when I got a weight belt.

^^Exactly the same for me.
Swimming is now really relaxed, no matter how deep the pool is, but:

I cannot, as I've seen people do, go down, stand/sit on the bottom (or just stay put in the water below the surface) and remain there long enough to, for example, make bubble rings, do a few dancemoves, etc.

Since I wanted to build a synchro swimming group, this is a huge problem.
I've written a nice choreography already, and now I can't do it because I still float up.
I don't want to add even more weight to my belt because then I'd have trouble staying at the surface.

Any advice?
Maybe my body type is unsuitable for waterballet? :(

[Mermaid Varshana]

It may be difficult due to the pain issues you have, but if you don't lift weights, doing so will make you denser and less floaty. At the surface, if I try to float, I sink till only my face sticks out.

[Ashe]

I hadn't really looked through this thread yet, so I'm not sure if this has been posted. Anyways, I have a pretty perfect amount of buoyancy and don't need a weight belt unless I'm wearing a neoprene tail. But, I find that letting out many bubbles underwater will lessen your buoyancy and will allow you to sink to the bottom- and stay there. The downside is that most an only stay under like that or a few seconds, due to the fact that you let all of your air out. I guess a can just hold my breath for a good amount of time :P Hope this was able to help if anyone needed!

[Echidna]

It may be difficult due to the pain issues you have, but if you don't lift weights, doing so will make you denser and less floaty. At the surface, if I try to float, I sink till only my face sticks out.

Yea, I'm aware that having/building a lot of muscle mass might help.
I regularly try whether it's possible to do some workout, even "only" the routines I did when dancing, but I find the headaches and vertigoes become too strong :(

Also, even when I was healthy and DID have muscles & was doing regular workout,
I still was just as buoyant as now
(I have an incredible story about that. I'll tell it sometime if you want to hear it).

Maybe all my bones are hollow:thinks:
What did they say in the Middle Ages about people who floated in water again? :lol:

@Kalani;
fully exhaled, I do sink about 3 inches under the surface and then float there.
I haven't tried sitting on the bottom like that, because I'm afraid to do full exhale dives, however short, without a buddy at my side.
I certainly wouldn't dare trying waterballet or such while exhaled xD

[Echidna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7Kt3QCJkiA

This is a perfect example of neutral buoyancy.
You see she can hover near the surface in this not too deep pool, do her moves, and just stays there until she decides to go up.
I'm Jelly.

[Mermaid Oshun]

so silicone is less buoyant than latex? darn I would like to be a little more buoyant. Although I have a lot of flesh I also obviously have a lot of heavy bone mass because I don't float quite as well as I'd like.

[Echidna]

Neoprene, especially wetsuits, will make you float like crazy.

Maybe you find one that looks mermaidy and goes well with a tail of yours if you'd like to be more buoyant?

[Mermaid Varshana]

Also, even when I was healthy and DID have muscles & was doing regular workout,
I still was just as buoyant as now
(I have an incredible story about that. I'll tell it sometime if you want to hear it).

do tell!

[Echidna]

alright, not sure if it's a derail again, but at least it's about buoyancy lol!

a few years ago (13, to be exact), I was on my first holiday-day at the ocean, it was quite windy, almost stormy, with waves over 1m high.
I was like "yaaay, that'll be fun!!", and jumped right in, like the dumbass young tourist I was :p
Now, the ocean there had strong undercurrents not even the locals trust, there was a riptide and whoosh, I was far out away from the beach, and then the wind picked up.
I was out there for around an hour or longer, with waves over 2m high, and I just floated on them, like a balloon, going from far down up onto the crest and down again.
Eventually, the wind lessened, and I paddled into the direction of where I thought the land was.

Some time later, a boat picked me up.
I don't know whether they had been looking for me, at any rate they were like,
"wtf? where have you come from? there was a storm, what the hell?".
I tried to explain (my Spanish is bad, and their English was nonexistant), and they were like,
"yea but how didn't you DROWN?", and I said:
"What's that? How does one manage to go under?" I seriously didn't know lol.

They were looking at me like I was an alien, and I picked up the word "sorcery" from one of them.
I was glad when we left that place, I was a bit worried someone might kidnap and dissect me :D

[Mermaid Calypso]

That story's terrifying in the aspect that you could've drowned, but I can't stop laughing at the people on the boat's reaction.
"Sorcery!"

[Echidna]

Yea, I would have been so screwed during the Middle Ages.
(Unless that "water float test" they had was done with a millstone tied to the victim's feet- I think it was)

[Imogen Finnly]

I have a problem when I try to swim I float without any effort and its impossible for me to sink or even sit underwater! my cheek meat always seems to be floating out of the water when I try to swim. I have to have a good long swim underwater if I intend to stay on the bottom. its only after I've been swimming underwater for a few seconds that I can reach the bottom without floating up.. -_-' at least my butt will keep me alive in case of a boat accident ..

[Echinacea]

Having been swimming with my Fin Fun tail twice now, I have definitely noticed that I float like a little cork! :p Some of it is my own natural buoyancy (from being a little round mermaid) and some is from the neoprene on my monofin. I can dive down, but I can't get very far down, nor stay there. I pop back up to the surface, and basically splish-splash along the surface with my face in the water. I was considering ankle weights (about a 1/4 to a 1/2 lb each ankle) to see if that would help keep the fluke down some, and/or a weight belt to try and keep the middle/butt down. I saw a pair of wrap-around ankle weights that have removable weights in 1/4 lb increments, that I was considering getting and wearing under my tail, just to see if even a 1/2 lb additional weight would help counterbalance the float from the neoprene fluke cover. Any thoughts/suggestions?

[Echidna]

I always recommend weightbelts.
They are a must if you are buoyant, and easy to handle.
I can still swim at the surface with mine (in fact, I still float with 10 pounds weight on :p),
but you'll have to find out how much weight is comfortable for you.

I wouldn't bother with ankleweights, they'll just hinder your dolphin kick.
If you have someone with you, you can also experiment with exhaled (or not fully inhaled) dives,
it helps me a lot.
I can even sit/lie on the poolbottom now :yay:
But be careful when doing that, because you could suffer a squeeze (and the blackout risk rises too).

[NerineArcticMermaid]

Im currently taking 2 slots for weighted belts. They are fully custmizable includeing matching paitned shells. I can make merman style as well. Belts range from 2-8lbs. Cost will depend on the weight needed and I will teach you how to figure it out. Production time is 2 weeks. All my belts are garenteed for life. Free repairs(shipping is owners responsiblity).

I water test each belt before they are sent to besure they are put together well. Email me nerinethemermaid@yahoo.com I check that more than I check my messages here.
If your on a budget I will do my best to work with you. I do not make alot of money doing these belts. Mostly done at cost.

As Iona said. Raina uses one of my belts and I also use one. I cannot imagine swimming without one now.

[NerineArcticMermaid]

ok so down to 1 slot open!!

[Fun123joker]

im thinking of getting one because my tail its both neoprene and my monofin is low quality so it floats. can some mers post a pic of their weight belts and maybe them in their tail wearing them?

[NerineArcticMermaid]

You can see mine in most of my pictures and in my YouTube videos. Below my avatar are link icons to fb and youtube

[Aziara]

Is there any way to figure out how much weight I need without testing in a pool? Or am I going to have to wait until summer again? I found a guideline for freediving, and it said I need 7.5 lbs! That just seems like way too much. I want to use lead weights embedded in silicone, and I don't want to just try with the un-sealed lead pieces, but I also don't want to use more silicone than I have to...

[Echidna]

Using 8 lbs, and I still can float and need much strength and poise to stay down, so 7.5 sounds reasonable.

You'll have to find out on your own in a pool though I'm afraid, everyone is different.

[Imogen Finnly]

Does anyone know if you can hide the belt with sea weed and junk

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[Mermaid Kelda]

Of course you can. Take a look at Raina's belt, that's just weights with seaweed and shells on top. Alternatively you can buy thicker, pre-made belts, like they use for SCUBA (scubapro.com/media/10919/a80bd2e0-2e2e-4286-8a01-68ddf25b0c2e-pocket_weight_belt.png (http://www.scubapro.com/media/10919/a80bd2e0-2e2e-4286-8a01-68ddf25b0c2e-pocket_weight_belt.png)), and I'm sure you could cover one of those with plants too.

[Winged Mermaid]

You can buy coated weights (like this http://www.decadiving.com/coated-weight-lace-thru) which come in a variety of sizes and colors. For some the color may be enough. If not you could glue some seaweed or something on the outside. I wouldn't recommend shells just because they could get crushed by the weight in transit or if you set it down wrong.

[Imogen Finnly]

Omg I need these!:D I wanna buy one and make it snazzy seeing as I float like dolly parten's boobs in a boat accident. Haha

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