Does a Venture Wing need a STA?

I tried searching the board on the and Dive Rite's website. However I cannot find a definitive answer. The answer at my LDS was it is recommended but not necessary. I want to make sure.

I assume the Venture is set up similar as the RecWing, which is what I have. If that is the case you definatly dont need one. I dive without one, and have had very few problems. The only thing I can think of is a couple of times my tank has been oriented just a few degrees off from my body (the tank sits at an angle), but all I have had to do is losen the cam strap and retighten it. Its definately been worth it, to me, to save the money from the STA and use it elsewhere.

I made an STA out of a piece of 8" diameter pvc pipe. I cut the pipe with a jig saw and made it a little shorter than the plate and it the circular sides extend only about and inch or two on each side. It adds a little weight to the rig and I think it could have been made smaller and only be about 50% as long as the plate. The pipe was scrap and the 2 nut/bolts cost almost nothing


I bolted the pvc to the plate trapping the wing in the desired location. I haven't taken it apart in 8 months. I also put a little silicone caulk on the tank-side of the PVC to grip it better.

So if I understand you correctly, you cut the pipe length-wise maybe using about 1/4 of the pipe and then bolted it to the plate? So the curvature of the pipe holds the tank in position? Seems like a good and cheap solution. I saw another thread where someone did something similar but used a smaller diameter pipe and heated it. Your solution might be a bit bulkier but much easier to do.

You don't need an STA for backplates (unless for some reason your tank shifts too much, which means you aren't tightening the straps enough)... You just need tank straps, they'll hold everything together.

My wife and I both dive "Dive Rite" BP/W setups.

howarde:

You don't need an STA for backplates (unless for some reason your tank shifts too much, which means you aren't tightening the straps enough)... You just need tank straps, they'll hold everything together.

My wife and I both dive "Dive Rite" BP/W setups.

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Unless he has an older BP that doesn't have the slots for the cam straps.

ams511:

I tried searching the board on the and Dive Rite's website. However I cannot find a definitive answer. The answer at my LDS was it is recommended but not necessary. I want to make sure.

Click to expand...

You must have a hard BP -- if you have a newer AL or S/S Dive Rite version then you have slots in your BP for cam straps. When you use these slots the STA is not needed.

If you have a Transpac then you definitely do not need a STA.

Safe diving, Jordan

ams511:

So if I understand you correctly, you cut the pipe length-wise maybe using about 1/4 of the pipe and then bolted it to the plate? So the curvature of the pipe holds the tank in position? Seems like a good and cheap solution. I saw another thread where someone did something similar but used a smaller diameter pipe and heated it. Your solution might be a bit bulkier but much easier to do.

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I'm not sure if anyone NEEDS the sta for the diverite rig, but I made one.

Yes that is what I did and to further reduce weight, I tapered the ceter part of the pipe so that it was ..hourglass shape I guess would be the best description. The top and bottom are wider and the central area is more narrow, since in order to keep the tank from wobbling, you need to prevent the wobble at the top and bottom of the plate rather than at the middle where you have no mechanical advantage. I wanted the plate and wing to be assembled once and then not to come apart.

I bought the thing over the internet without seeing one and I could tell without even diving it that I would have to change it to make myself happy. I didn't want two cam bands, because they would interfer with (my homemade) pony strap, so I drilled out a more central slot in the aluminum plate for the cam band and used a scuba pro cam band that is strong enough to require only one band.

I also tie-wrapped a piece of old wetsuit over the plate, since I dive with a 2mm shorty sometimes. And I did a few other things also, and also got a lot of crap when I questioned this board about configuring an elastic crotch strap...I did the entire modification in less than 90 minutes, without one trip to the hardware store..I was pretty happy, but then there are not a lot of people that keep scraps of 8" diameter pvc pipe in the attic for unknown future projects....(You can make very sturdy tank racks with the stuff too)

Jordan:

You must have a hard BP -- if you have a newer AL or S/S Dive Rite version then you have slots in your BP for cam straps. When you use these slots the STA is not needed.

If you have a Transpac then you definitely do not need a STA.

Safe diving, Jordan

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Thanks Jordan,

It is confusing because some manufacturers have wings with built in STA's. I think brand H switched back and forth. Anyway I have an Abyss plate that is cut to run the cam straps through so I am ok there. Although I will check out your plates because the Abyss one does seem a bit on the large side.

dumpsterDiver:

I'm not sure if anyone NEEDS the sta for the diverite rig, but I made one.

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You could make a canister light out of an old thermos and a maglite. lol Thanks for the info.