I've never been completely satisfied with the way stage tanks ride when top mounted in sidemount. While they might start out looking okay, they usually end up looking like this by the end of the dive.
I've tried a number of different things. I've moved the rigging around. I've looked at what others are doing. The end result is the same. I have yet to see a top mounted stage tank in sidemount that rides flat throughout the entire dive. This just isn't acceptable to me, especially in a cave.
So I've been developing a new way to secure a stage tank in sidemount so it does not float up at the bottom. This new stage tank rigging makes it so the tank never changes position regardless of how much gas it has in it. Whether it's full or empty, it stays trimmed out just like you see in the photos.
Yes, the sidemount tank is sitting a little low, but that's because the stage tank is pushing it down. With the 2 tanks it doesn't really matter where the tanks sit as along as the top one doesn't sit below the line of your back (the photographer was slightly shallower than me for both photos so it appears as if the top tank is riding too low but it is actually pretty close to even with my back) and the bottom one doesn't sit above the line of your chest/abdomen. When the stage tank is removed the sidemount tank returns to a trimmed position as you see the right tank in the 2nd photo is. With this configuration I've been able to get through some sidemount restrictions without even having to remove the stage tank. Given that AL tanks are 7 inches in diameter this makes the clearance I need just over 14 inches. If the restriction is smaller, removing the stage tank isn't an issue.
I will be posting more photos with steel tanks as the sidemount tanks soon. I will also post more photos and some details on exactly how I am rigging my stage tanks now so they stay like this throughout the entire dive.
I've tried a number of different things. I've moved the rigging around. I've looked at what others are doing. The end result is the same. I have yet to see a top mounted stage tank in sidemount that rides flat throughout the entire dive. This just isn't acceptable to me, especially in a cave.
So I've been developing a new way to secure a stage tank in sidemount so it does not float up at the bottom. This new stage tank rigging makes it so the tank never changes position regardless of how much gas it has in it. Whether it's full or empty, it stays trimmed out just like you see in the photos.
Yes, the sidemount tank is sitting a little low, but that's because the stage tank is pushing it down. With the 2 tanks it doesn't really matter where the tanks sit as along as the top one doesn't sit below the line of your back (the photographer was slightly shallower than me for both photos so it appears as if the top tank is riding too low but it is actually pretty close to even with my back) and the bottom one doesn't sit above the line of your chest/abdomen. When the stage tank is removed the sidemount tank returns to a trimmed position as you see the right tank in the 2nd photo is. With this configuration I've been able to get through some sidemount restrictions without even having to remove the stage tank. Given that AL tanks are 7 inches in diameter this makes the clearance I need just over 14 inches. If the restriction is smaller, removing the stage tank isn't an issue.
I will be posting more photos with steel tanks as the sidemount tanks soon. I will also post more photos and some details on exactly how I am rigging my stage tanks now so they stay like this throughout the entire dive.
