Switching from Jacket bcd to Backplate/Wing??

[cool_hardware52]

I've also seen people using aluminum plates for travel, because it saves them 5 pounds in the luggage.

Have you ever weighed an aluminum plate vs a Stainless Steel plate? Aluminum is ~165 lbs / cuft and SS is 495 lbs / cuft. The typical SS plate is about 5 lbs and the typical Aluminum plate is about 2 lbs. Most SS plates are 11 gauge (.115") and most al plates are 1/8 or .125"

The net weight difference is usually a touch over 3 lbs, not 5.

Tobin

 

[Deep South Divers]

Actually, no I haven't... I was just going on recognized buoyancy differences, which are -1 for AL and -6 for SS, with a difference of around 5 pounds. But dry weight is different from buoyancy, and I'm not used to thinking in those terms.

I have about 10 of each in my shop... I should go weigh them, but something tells me that you know what you're talking about, so I won't waste my time.

I guess that shoots in the foot the argument of "for the carry-on luggage," eh? Well... About 2 pounds of it anyway.

 

[DeepSeaDan]

Greetings,

I'm ruminating over replacing my older "Zeagle Tek" with a new system to facilitate tropical vacation diving. Currently, I use a very old Sherwood front-flotation bcd for teaching ( back flotation sucks for extended surface floating! ), and literally all my non-teaching diving I do in a dry suit, using hp steel 130 doubles, s.s. backplate & an 80lb. wing, so the Zeagle doesn't get much use. I don't want to spend a fortune for this rig as I can only get south once or twice/year. All options are on the table...suggestions?

Thanks in advance!

Regards,
DSD

 

[Aqua-Andy]

Greetings,

I'm ruminating over replacing my older "Zeagle Tek" with a new system to facilitate tropical vacation diving. Currently, I use a very old Sherwood front-flotation bcd for teaching ( back flotation sucks for extended surface floating! ), and literally all my non-teaching diving I do in a dry suit, using hp steel 130 doubles, s.s. backplate & an 80lb. wing, so the Zeagle doesn't get much use. I don't want to spend a fortune for this rig as I can only get south once or twice/year. All options are on the table...suggestions?

Thanks in advance!

Regards,
DSD

As mentioned before if you are looking for a tropical rig, I don't think you can beet the DRIS deal for $299. SS or alu plate, STA, two metal cam bands, and 28# wing.

You mentioned in a thread that Tobin is posting in that you use an 80# wing? All I can say is "May the force be with you".

 

[DeepSeaDan]

As mentioned before if you are looking for a tropical rig, I don't think you can beet the DRIS deal for $299. SS or alu plate, STA, two metal cam bands, and 28# wing.

You mentioned in a thread that Tobin is posting in that you use an 80# wing? All I can say is "May the force be with you".

Indeed, it is a bucket-full of lift , isn't it?! However, those twin 130 steel monsters are very heavy, and there might be circumstances where the lift capacity would be a real asset, so...go big or go lawn-bowling I say!

Regards,
DSD

 

[Deep South Divers]

Wow... Maybe that's why you don't like to teach in back inflates... Because the back inflate system that you're most familiar with has a whopping 80 pounds of lift, which is going to exacerbate any problem that you have with trim. For a noobie, this would spell "faceplant" every time and cause all kinds of issues.

I'm gonna +1 on Aqua-Andy's opinion... $300 for a backplate and wing? 6 pounds over your lungs topped with a 28-pound donut wing... A very simple, balanced, and streamlined system... For less than what most companies are charging for USED BCs.

For a rental or student rig, I might set up some sliders for quick "on-the-diver" adjustments... Or just opt for the "deluxe" harness. Or use Halcyon's new Infinity system. But if you teach people to use a rig like this from the outset (which is simpler than most off-the-shelf BCs), then students will learn - and excel - faster.

 

[ermaclob]

!!!! 80lb's of lift !!! Is this the wing thats needed for the mythical 190

 

[Splitlip]

Edit. See below

 

[Splitlip]

He's using double 130's. Bet that'll top the 190.

Edit. Not! The 190 is negative 62. The double 130's are about negative 21 combined.

(just checked tech diving limited tank specs)

 

[ermaclob]

He's using double 130's. Bet that'll top the 190.

not weight wise dude.... 2x130 is ~ 20lbs in the water. The 190 is 62lbs in the water¡!¡!¡!