About to get first wings...help

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spaz

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• Sep 30, 2002

• #1

Could someone go through all of the thoughts that need to enter ones head when choosing backplate, wings, harness.
Specifically:

1. How do I calculate the minimum size of the wing.
2. How do I know how much my weight back plate should be.
3. Should I construct my own harness, buy a pre fab, does it have to be continuous?

I want calculations if anyone knows them. I have LP 80's, and HP 120's that I am going to make into doubles, and I dive dry and wet. I want to be able to do some calcs before I jump in the water. Thanks for all your help!!!

 

SPEEDSTER

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• Sep 30, 2002

• #2

You said that you are going to make your tanks doubles, does that mean you are diving doubles now, or singles? How much weight do you dive with now? When wet, when dry?

mike

 

SPEEDSTER

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• Sep 30, 2002

• #3

oh, regardless of wing size, the strapping is continuous.

mike

 

JimC

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• Oct 1, 2002

• #4

spaz once bubbled...
1. How do I calculate the minimum size of the wing.
2. How do I know how much my weight back plate should be.
3. Should I construct my own harness, buy a pre fab, does it have to be continuous?

Click to expand...

1) For a steel tank single wet or dry you will want somewhere between 30-40 lbs of lift.

2) Depends on a) how much weight you use with your tanks and b) how much dichable weight you want. For steel tanks, probably a lighter BP like aluninum.

3) HAVE to? No. There are lots of non-continuous pre-fab harnesses. DIR must be continous, and is the easiest to DIY, and IMHO the most reliable.

 

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Wendy

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• Oct 1, 2002

• #5

JimC once bubbled...


1) For a steel tank single wet or dry you will want somewhere between 30-40 lbs of lift.

Click to expand...

I think it depends on what size steel single tank you are diving with. 30-40 lbs may be too much. I dive a LP steel 85 and a 40 lb wing would not be the right size, that's why I use the 27lb wing.

 

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spaz

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• Oct 1, 2002

• #6

Right now I wear 8 lbs wet with one high pressure 120. I wear 6 lbs wet with my LP80.

 

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DaveO

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• Oct 1, 2002

• #7

for their patients who dive.

I'm by no means an expert, so I'll defer to the many experienced hands here on the board to help you with weighting. In terms of rigging, tho, it seems a bit daunting at first, but it's a process that is *much* easier if you have a live working model to copy from. Is there anyone in your area you can meet up with?

Also, if you haven't made a purchase decision yet, there are members here on Scubaboard (FredT, for instance) that do fine work with backplates!

 

SPEEDSTER

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• Oct 1, 2002

• #8

I'd go with the 27lb wing, an AL bp, and wear the weight on my waist. If you want to go sans weight, since you aren't using much, you could go with the SS 6# bp and wear the 2lbs on your waist when you dive your 120. I think option 1 is safer, but if you end up diving AL at some point (think traveling, or boat dives) you are going to want the SS.

mike