Retrofit Transplate for Side Mount Diving

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ScubaSteve2000

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Location
Phoenix, AZ
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Is there a good way to retrofit a Dive Rite Transplate to use side mounted tanks? Can a Nomad butt plate be added to the bottom of my SS backplate? I'm interested in goint to side mounts because I think the configuration makes sense.

Putting the tanks on my body's centerline seems like it would be more stable out of the water. Looks like it would be more streamlined in the water. With my arthritic shoulders putting the valves in front is a no brainer. I don't have the range of motion to reach the tank valve when back mounted should a "challenge" arise.

I'm an air hog but times being what they are I can't justify laying out the cash for high pressure steel 120s right now. I have several AL80s and was thinking about slinging one so I wouldn't have to deal with doubles. Then I found out about side mount diving.

I think it's the way to go and am hoping I can get some input form you gurus. Thanks.
 
This is a REALLY dangerous idea. You can get stuck in the worst way doing something like this.

If it's for open water, you might want to look at the rebreather sidemount bailout video posted on dive rite's website. That being said, you can add bungee and butt plates to the bp/w setup, Larry Green sidemount's stage bottles.
 
This is a REALLY dangerous idea. You can get stuck in the worst way doing something like this.

If it's for open water, you might want to look at the rebreather sidemount bailout video posted on dive rite's website. That being said, you can add bungee and butt plates to the bp/w setup, Larry Green sidemount's stage bottles.

Definately for open water only. I don't have the equipment or training to ventuer into any caves. I'm happy to shine my light as far back as I can see...from the enterance. Thanks for the suggestion about trying bail out mounting. I'll look it up.
 
Is there a good way to retrofit a Dive Rite Transplate to use side mounted tanks? Can a Nomad butt plate be added to the bottom of my SS backplate? I'm interested in goint to side mounts because I think the configuration makes sense.

Putting the tanks on my body's centerline seems like it would be more stable out of the water. Looks like it would be more streamlined in the water. With my arthritic shoulders putting the valves in front is a no brainer. I don't have the range of motion to reach the tank valve when back mounted should a "challenge" arise.

I'm an air hog but times being what they are I can't justify laying out the cash for high pressure steel 120s right now. I have several AL80s and was thinking about slinging one so I wouldn't have to deal with doubles. Then I found out about side mount diving.

I think it's the way to go and am hoping I can get some input form you gurus. Thanks.

There's really no need for a butt plate if you're just planning on sidemount AL80s. They are short enough, and their weighting is distributed differently enough than steel tanks that you would be better off just clipping them to d-rings on your waist belt. The main issue you're going to confront is keeping the wing wrapped around your back so it doesn't taco. That will take modifying your current wing or getting a different wing that already has tabs or bungee sewn along the sides.
 
For OW diving, you can easily modify your rig for SM.

Wing- you'll need to prepare some "NSTA" (no single-tank adapter)- for example, something like a plate that restricts the wing from folding up. I am attaching an example. A friend used a piece of 8" diameter PVC plumbing pipe which restricts the wing just like a real tank would.

You can skip the Butt plate, but can easily make a DIY one from a piece of 2" webbing and two D-rings (google for it or look at cavediver.net), or some alternatives like DSS tail plate (there is also something similar from another company that makes them for rebreather bailouts- can't remember the name... google it :D ) Any of these three options just go through the crotch strap.

In my opinion, a butt plate is also good for Al80 tanks at the beginning of dive when they are heavier (and when they get empty you switch them to wait D-ring), but probably it is a matter of taste.

You also need to set the bungee chord- probably you have like 10 different ways to do that in your BC (either as a single piece of bungee or two separate loops), and set the tanks which is also no brainer at all either way (CAM band or steel band).

By the way, all the modifications above will allow you to easily go BM, should you choose to (I doubt you will :wink: ).
 

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