New diver having trouble with the back plate wing BCD my instructor sold me.

[dfx]

If your premise is that the diver doesn't know what the hell they are doing... that's not an equipment simplicity issue.

Well, that's the whole point, now isn't it? If you're diving a jacket BCD, then you need to know less about your BCD than when you're diving a BP/W. Hence, it is simpler.

 

[uncfnp]

?..//...there is a lot of useful information on this thread...//...

Unfortunately none of it has been from you.

Please remember you are in the Basic Forum and while some wandering of the thread is expected your contributions are in no wise beneficial to the OP. Hopefully her lack of follow up is indicative of a problem solved and not because of the less then helpful post of a few.

 

[Phil_C]

MrsP - as you may possibly have detected from the responses there are some strong feelings about BP&W versus a jacket BC, and when you get into horsehoe versus donut wings be prepared to get the pop corn out and watch the ensuing melee'.

But as others have said basically the functioning of a bladder and dump valves is exactly the same whether it is within a wing or a BC. A couple of basic rules apply - the dump valve, whether a pull cord on the bottom of the wing, or the button on the inflator hose needs to be higher than the air bubble in the wing or bc or the air will not flow uphill and vent.

Your orientation and trim in the water will help the bubble to vent, so raising your left shoulder and extending the hose, or raising your butt, head slightly down to use the bottom dump valve will make it easier.

Also it sounds very basic, but the wing will only vent air if there is air in it to vent, so if your weighting is off a little, and you do not have enough weight to compensate for the weight of the air you are using during the dive you will start to have trouble during the dive with becoming positively buoyant.

I have seen divers with seemingly good buoyancy during the start of the dive start to struggle later on because they have become too buoyant. They try to vent air to compensate but nothing happens ! not because of bad technique or bad equipment but simply because there is no air to vent and they are underweighted. So are you sure there was actually air in the wing to vent?

As such a new diver I would lean towards either a weighting, or a technique problem, rather than a kit problem at this stage.

For what it is worth I own one BC, two conventional BP&W's one configured for single tank and one for doubles, one soft harness, and one side mount harness. I have two Diverite wings, one Hollis wing and one DIRZone wing, and have never had a problem with any of them and love the Divert one. The BC hasn't got wet in a couple of years because it is just so clunky after a wing.

So I would say stick with it, it is probably that you are a new diver, certainly do not rush to change the kit at this point, but do make sure you do a proper weight check and compensate for the weight of air you will use during the dive. I have no ida what tanks you are diving but the buoyancy difference can be several pounds by the end of the dive.

Dive safe and have fun - Phil.

 

[RJP]

If you're diving a jacket BCD, then you need to know less about your BCD than when you're diving a BP/W. Hence, it is simpler.

Please explain what you mean by "you need to know less about your BCD" when diving a jacket-style device vs a BP/W.

That may well be the craziest thing I've ever read in any BP/W-vs-BCD discussion.

 

[dfx]

Please explain what you mean by "you need to know less about your BCD" when diving a jacket-style device vs a BP/W.

That may well be the craziest thing I've ever read in any BP/W-vs-BCD discussion.

No need to explain since I've just been reiterating what you've said yourself in response to Water Boy76.

 

[doctormike]

... you might want to see if the dive shop you are diving with can check out the inflator valve to make sure it is opening properly. ...I would have the dive shop look at the inflator / dump valve to make sure there is no blockage and that it is functioning properly.

There's a good chance that this is the problem right here. I agree, have the shop check the valve(s).

 

[RJP]

No need to explain since I've just been reiterating what you've said yourself in response to Water Boy76.

I think you're confused. Are you actually suggesting that there is "less to know" when diving the device on the left as compared to the one on the right? It's a rather absurd concept. Can you provide even one example of something that needs to be known to dive a BP/W that doesn't need to be known to dive a jacket BCD?

 

[tridacna]

I think you're confused. Are you actually suggesting that there is "less to know" when diving the device on the left as compared to the one on the right? It's a rather absurd concept. Can you provide even one example of something that needs to be known to dive a BP/W that doesn't need to be known to dive a jacket BCD?

That dang crotch strap is the answer to your question. Can't tell you how many times I find that out at about 10 feet. No biggie but you did ask...

 

[ronscuba]

Recreational dive shops typically rent jacket BCD's because they are easy to adjust to get an adequate fit. The fit might not be perfect, but it is generally adequate and the user can make the adjustments themselves without assistance.

Some have suggested the wing might be mounted backwards which leads to the fact that many places sell a BP/W un-assembled. The benefit of a BP/W being able to fit anyone comes with the necessity to assemble it and adjust it correctly which can take time, trial and error.

From this standpoint, you could say a jacket BCD is simpler.

I dive and prefer a BP/W, but if I owned a recreational dive shop and regularly rented out gear, I would choose jacket BCD's.

Since the op bought the BP/W from the instructor, I hope the instructor had the courtesy to help assemble it, but you never know. I think if I took 10 random non diving friends and handed them a BP/W un-assembled, gave them written instructions and a youtube link, I estimate less than 50% would result in a fit I would call adequate.

 

[dfx]

I think you're confused. Are you actually suggesting that there is "less to know" when diving the device on the left as compared to the one on the right? It's a rather absurd concept. Can you provide even one example of something that needs to be known to dive a BP/W that doesn't need to be known to dive a jacket BCD?

That dang crotch strap is the answer to your question. Can't tell you how many times I find that out at about 10 feet. No biggie but you did ask...

Recreational dive shops typically rent jacket BCD's because they are easy to adjust to get an adequate fit. The fit might not be perfect, but it is generally adequate and the user can make the adjustments themselves without assistance.

Some have suggested the wing might be mounted backwards which leads to the fact that many places sell a BP/W un-assembled. The benefit of a BP/W being able to fit anyone comes with the necessity to assemble it and adjust it correctly which can take time, trial and error.

From this standpoint, you could say a jacket BCD is simpler.

I dive and prefer a BP/W, but if I owned a recreational dive shop and regularly rented out gear, I would choose jacket BCD's.

Since the op bought the BP/W from the instructor, I hope the instructor had the courtesy to help assemble it, but you never know. I think if I took 10 random non diving friends and handed them a BP/W un-assembled, gave them written instructions and a youtube link, I estimate less than 50% would result in a fit I would call adequate.

Thank you guys