vertical sweet spot on BP/W?

[FFMDiver]

Strange question. I just purchased a shorter (but wider) steel 95 w/ an H valve to put my pony inside my tank instead (pls no pony or doubles arguments) and when I slid my cam straps on there wasnt a lot of room to grab the H valve so I hiked the STA higher on the plate to compensate. Of course it was very top heavy in the water and I was nose diving. Anyhow, I moved the camstraps into the narrower slots and the tank appears to be more centered on the plate. The heavier tank also got the ABC pockets off my harness. My question is, is there a sweet spot on a plate? When I lift the plate with the tank attached holding it with a hand on each side of the plate, the balancing point appears to be at the break of the plate angle (see pic). Is this where the tank should be balance so the tank will not pearl or pull me or is it just trial and error? Thank you.

[Green_Manelishi]

Strange question. I just purchased a shorter (but wider) steel 95 w/ an H valve to put my pony inside my tank instead (pls no pony or doubles arguments) and when I slid my cam straps on there wasnt a lot of room to grab the H valve so I hiked the STA higher on the plate to compensate. Of course it was very top heavy in the water and I was nose diving. Anyhow, I moved the camstraps into the narrower slots and the tank appears to be more centered on the plate. The heavier tank also got the ABC pockets off my harness. My question is, is there a sweet spot on a plate? When I lift the plate with the tank attached holding it with a hand on each side of the plate, the balancing point appears to be at the break of the plate angle (see pic). Is this where the tank should be balance so the tank will not pearl or pull me or is it just trial and error? Thank you.

Don't take this the wrong way but I think it more likely the sweet spot is on you based on your body type and the gear you are carrying. You'll probably have to "trial and error" to find the ideal positioning and it might vary if you use more than one size of tank.

[WJL]

I just purchased a shorter (but wider) steel 95 w/ an H valve to put my pony inside my tank instead I am having a hard time understanding what you are describing here. Your diagram doesn't show a pony as far as I can see. You can't possibly mean that your pony is "inside" your 95. After that I am just lost.


My question is, is there a sweet spot on a plate? When I lift the plate with the tank attached holding it with a hand on each side of the plate, the balancing point appears to be at the break of the plate angle (see pic). Is this where the tank should be balance so the tank will not pearl or pull me or is it just trial and error? Thank you.It is trial and error. You need to be able to hold horizontal trim, and you need to reach your valves. Within those requirements, you can move the tank up and down on the plate until you find a comfortable balance point. You can test this in the water using the CG drills you learned in your Fundamentals class.

[FFMDiver]

Pony in the tank was a metaphor.
Just got rid of slinging one in front & put more gas & redundant regs on my back(not redundant air of course).
anyhow looks like trial & error. Thank you.



I am having a hard time understanding what you are describing here. Your diagram doesn't show a pony as far as I can see. You can't possibly mean that your pony is "inside" your 95. After that I am just lost.

It is trial and error. You need to be able to hold hozontal trim, and you need to reach your valves. Within those requirements, you can move the tank up and down on the plate until you find a comfortable balance point. You can test this in the water using the CG drills you learned in your Fundamentals class.

[detroit diver]

Pony in the tank was a metaphor.
Just got rid of slinging one in front & put more gas & redundant regs on my back(not redundant air of course).
anyhow looks like trial & error. Thank you.

You may have more regs and more gas, but you still have one potential major failure point-the neck o-ring. If that goes, you can have 8 regs, but none of them are going to be able to help you.

I'll assume you are diving with a buddy. If that's the case, then you've got his/her gas to use (assuming that you've planned for this).

If you're diving solo, well, you would be far better off with that pony bottle.

[FFMDiver]

Not interested in this argument - sorry.

[matt_unique]

You need to be able to hold hozontal trim, and you need to reach your valves.

This is the baseline - the rest is academic......Trial and error, weight and trim adjustments, etc.

--Matt

[detroit diver]

It's wasnt' intended to be an arguement. You stated that you were putting "my pony inside my tank instead" and my comment simply dealt with the fact that you've narrowed your options down to one failure point.

[FFMDiver]

Well detroit I appreciate the comment.
I understand your intent is to assist. I didnt mean argument in the pejorative sense. I did sling a pony DIR for a while and found it more of a task-loading risk for me. Besides, I'm more at risk having a reg freeze or driving to the dive site than having a neck o-ring burst. I just dont want to hijack the thread.


It's wasnt' intended to be an arguement. You stated that you were putting "my pony inside my tank instead" and my comment simply dealt with the fact that you've narrowed your options down to one failure point.

[WJL]

Pony in the tank was a metaphor.
Sorry, that one went over my head.

[DEEPLOU]

Originally Posted by FFMDiver
Pony in the tank was a metaphor.
Sorry, that one went over my head.

I got it and I am feble minded,(and old)

[FFMDiver]

I got it and I am feble minded,(and old)

well, this was a communication error.
sorry for the confusion.

[BCS]

Strange question. I just purchased a shorter (but wider) steel 95 w/ an H valve to put my pony inside my tank instead (pls no pony or doubles arguments) and when I slid my cam straps on there wasnt a lot of room to grab the H valve so I hiked the STA higher on the plate to compensate. Of course it was very top heavy in the water and I was nose diving. Anyhow, I moved the camstraps into the narrower slots and the tank appears to be more centered on the plate. The heavier tank also got the ABC pockets off my harness. My question is, is there a sweet spot on a plate? When I lift the plate with the tank attached holding it with a hand on each side of the plate, the balancing point appears to be at the break of the plate angle (see pic). Is this where the tank should be balance so the tank will not pearl or pull me or is it just trial and error? Thank you.
Hi Brad,
Basically, there's some trial and error to this. But this kind of equipment placement issue is only part of being able to balance yourself underwater. Your body positioning and breathing play a far greater part than moving a tank up or down in the cam bands. As we said in class, the equipment is certainly helpful, but the balance and skill come from the diver.
If it were me in your position, I would go to a quarry or local mudhole (or even a pool) and move this stuff around until it feels best. A problem like this is not fixable on the Net. Using an STA does contribute a bit to moving the weight of the tank farther away from your body and thus harder to control....it wants to roll on you, since it is seeking to be lowest or closest to ground due to it's weight. The more weight you have concentrated on your center of gravity or closer to the c.o.g., the easier time you'll have of achieving balance and trim. As you move weight farther away from the COG, balance becomes more difficult since slight changes or movement at points farther from the COG will cause greater changes in the "see saw" that is your body underwater.
Hope that helps a bit Brad.

dive safe!---b.

[dtdiver]

wasn't having a pony "in the tank" an esso advertising ditty way back when?

maybe he also was making a funny based on having a pony "ON" the tank.

dt

oh yeeah it was TIGER in the tank

[FFMDiver]

Thanks Brandon.

[WJL]

He's an attorney, they get paid to act dumb...It's not an act.

[FFMDiver]

It's not an act.
Apology for the remark.

[The Kraken]

It was, "Put a tiger in your tank . . .". I believe it was a Chevron commercial, or maybe an Exxon . . . don't exactly remember, too many years.