BC Repair?

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Location
tx
# of dives
25 - 49
last summer doing a body recovery i blew a hole in my oceanic ocean pro bcd. i over-pressured it trying to raise myself and the victim. the seam in the pocket blew out. is this repairable? if so who can do it and roughly how much? the dive shop here locally sold and now i have no one to go to. the bcd is about 3 years old but has only been used 3-5 times and in awesome shape (except that hole in the side!) any thoughts?
 
The one thought I have is why didn't the pressure come out of one of the dump valves. Even if one was stuck the other one (or two) should have kept the pressure within the strength limits of the seams.
 
Could you clarify whether the BCD bladder is still fully intact (air-tight)?
The way I read the OP, I can't tell whether (A) there's a hole in the bladder or (B) the bladder is still intact but the pocket seam is ripped.

(A) If there's a hole in the bladder...
Locate a local authorized Oceanic dealer and send it in. The manufacturer should give you options for repair or replacement.
If Oceanic does not offer to help you, you can attempt to seal the bladder with some waterbed sealant or AquaSeal, but it might be safest to retire the BCD and purchase another one.

(B) If the bladder is fully intact but the pocket seam is ripped...
Locate a local authorized Oceanic dealer and pursue a repair through Oceanic.
Are you sure that maximally inflating your BCD actually caused the pocket seam to rip?
The reason I ask is that the BCD has one or more overpressure valves (OPVs) that, if functioning correctly, should activate once maximal inflation is reached. This prevents rupture of the BCD bladder. If designed properly, the pocket seams should be able to withstand maximal inflation as well.
I would think that some sort of abrasion might have caused the tear...or possibly a sharp object, such as a knife.
If Oceanic does not offer to help you, then I'd recommend taking the BCD to a shoe repair shop. Make sure that whoever is working on the BCD knows not to pierce the bladder in making the seam repair. It shouldn't cost you too much to get this repair done.

On a side note, as one of my pre-dive checks, I maximally inflate my BCD and ensure that the OPV is working. It wouldn't be good if there was a design flaw that caused the pocket seam to rip while running a very basic BCD functional test.

If the BCD is repairable, I have no idea whether the company would provide the required servicing for free or for a nominal fee considering how long you've owned the BCD. :idk: This will be a good test of Oceanic customer service. For comparison, one of my buddies purchased a Scubapro Knighthawk BCD several years ago (7-8 years?). On two separate occasions plastic buckles have broken. Both times, Scubapro attached a new buckle for free. Turnaround time was a little over a week. Scubapro even replaced a weight-integrated pocket that had a seam coming apart...without being asked to. That's the kind of customer service I look for in a scuba gear manufacturer.
 
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I bought a used ScubaPro KnightHawk when I first started diving and had it a number of years before a buckle broke. As bubbletrubble suggests, I sent it in for repair. They fixed the buckle no questions and no cost.
I also regularly check the overpressure valves and some time later noticed leakage at the seams. I sent it back again asking if they would warranty replace it. Having not been the original buyer nor having any sort of receipt, they offered a replacement at about 50% of retail, which I took

I also say "send it in". The factory technicians are going to the be best judges of whether they can repair the damage or it needs to be replaced.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

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