Setting up gear right.

[Nwcid]

The GF and I are new divers. We took our classes in the fall and have been acquiring gear since. We have all the major stuff now but still need a few odds and ends. Our set ups are almost exactly the same to make things easy on us.

We went with BP/W using the Dive Rite Trans Plate harness. HOG D1 reg sets. Veo 100 consoles. HP-100 tanks. TovaTec Nova LED lights.

What I am looking for is to make sure everything is set up in a safe and secure way. We are rec divers at this point. I have read about DIR and at some point may work toward that. Right now I am using the gear I have and can get at reasonable price and upgrade from there if needed. If there are better or safer ways to work with the gear I have or low cost changes I would love to hear it. I have only had this gear in the 5' deep pool twice and have added the light since then.

So here is a pic of it all set up and on the floor:

One of the problems I had first time in the pool is what to do with the 7' of primary hose since we do not have can lights. So what I did was make a OD buckle that slides on the hose on one side then attach to the belt on the other. This way the hose stays out of the way for normal use but can easily be deployed if needed. I used 1" buckles so they can be used fairly easy even with gloves.

Is there any major safety hazards doing it this way? Even if you were unable to get the buckle off that hose is still longer then most for buddy breathing.

Next is the console and light. On the console I tied enough line (~5") that when clipped off the gauges hang right where you can still easily read them with a simple turn of the hand yet they are out of the way. If you want to use the compass then just unclip and hold it in front of you. For the light the bezel is larger then the body so to keep it from slipping out I put it under the velcro keep on my right side bezel up. Originally I had it tied off to a bolt snap with a very short piece of line and clipped off to the D ring below it. This made things kinda bulky and clunky. I decided to add a D ring over the right shoulder and attache the bolt snap up there. I then attached the light with doubled up 1/8" shock cord.

Please dont mind my bathroom;

Here you can see the light if left hanging. With the shock cord it has a little more range of motion if you needed to move the light off a bit without unclipping it. With this length you are also able to attach it to the shoulder keeper bezel down. I have not tried using this angle diving but in the house it points at an angle that seems like it would be a decent direction when diving hands free.

Any comments would be appreciated.

 

[ddmattos]

Equipment Configuration | Global Underwater Explorers

Check out the above link. This should answer your questions. You will need some wreck line for your light instead of shock cord and a small bolt snap for you primary reg. You don't want anything dangling beneath you when you are horizontal or your reg not secure when on deck. Consider loosing some d-rings. Two is all you need for the chest.

Also watch some dir youtube videos to see how to store your long hose in your waist belt and how to use for an air share. Seek training if unsure.

 

[Nwcid]

That is a great link to DIR. I am not shooting for DIR at this time. Is anything I have set up unsafe for rec diving and why? As things are set up now they feel very natural to reach and use.

I agree that the two chest rings is redundant and will probably remove one set. They came like the from the maker so I assume there was a reason for them to be set up that way.

The flashlight will normally be stowed in the velcro keeper and the shock cord stays tucked right in with it so it is not dangling. What is the advantage of wreck line in this set up?

Good point on the bolt snap for the primary. I had been kinda wondering about that.

 

[dewmercer]

If you've no can light just tuck your long hose into your waste belt. Don't use the setup you have as it complicates long hose deployment.

Your backup light should have a single bolt snap tied to its base with cave line and a cave knot. It should hang off the left chest d ring and be secured to the harness with a piece of innertube.

Likewise, your spg should have a bolt snap cave knotted directly to it and it should be clipped to the left hip d ring. You will have to unclip it to see it but it will be streamlined and wont pose an entanglement hazard.

You should lose all those extra d rings. Your harness should have exactly 5. One on each shoulder strap. One at your left hip. One each on the front and back of the crotch strap.

Your primary reg needs a boltsnap. It is either in your mouth, in your hand or clipped off. No exceptions.

A double ender on your right d ring aids in stowing your primary light and is handy to clip your necklace to when donning your rig.

PLEASE get training in longhose deployment and OOG proceedures. Practice them weekly.

 

[Nwcid]

I tried the tuck method the first time I had it out. I found that to get it tucked enough to stay put it made the hose to short for me to turn my head left without pulling. In the rec diving that we plan on doing what environment are we going to need to deploy all of the long hose? As it is now there is enough hose that my dive buddy can be too far away to touch. This is also WAY more hose then we used and learned with in class, you were stuck so close to your buddy you could hardly look them in the face. I have practiced my OOG and buddy breathing every time I have been in the water which sadly is not every week. Right now once a month if I am lucky.

Your comments are valid about a back up light, but the light I have shown is my primary light. Does that change things?

My "spg" is my console with compass and computer in it. Where it is now it is close to my body but easy to use at a glance and only needs taken off for proper compass use. In rec diving with consoles where are they normally kept since jacket BC's dont have left side D rings? In OW class they had us routing them though the left pocket and basically ended up exactly where I have it hanging now.

I will for sure get a bolt snap for the primary as I said above. I am sure I will also dump one set of the chest D rings.

 

[DevonDiver]

Some observations:

1) Put a small knife on the LHS waistband (before the buckle). This can be used to route the long-hose nicely. You don't need a can light.



2) Tie the bolt snap directly to the SPG/HP hose (here's how).

3) Get a shorter HP hose, so that it doesn't protude so much. A 24" hose routes very nicely and is streamlined, if attached to the LHS hip d-ring.

4) Tie the bolt snap directly to the torch (here's how).

5) Put a rubber loop around the shoulder strap, to keep your torch secure and prevent dangling. (for rubber loop, just cut an old bike tire into 1" sections.

6) Get a shorter AAS hose. The current length allows it to fall sideways, which will mean free-flows. A shorter hose keeps it near the chin and horizontal. A 24" IP hose should work fine.


Other issues:

Torch: Doesn't matter if it's back-up or primary. It's either being used (in your hand) or stowed. If stowed, it should be stowed properly and not dangling. That means putting loops on your harness to retain it or putting it in a pocket.

Long Hose: If you have it, use it properly. That means it needs to be deployable, without restriction.

 

[WreckDiver1321]

A lot of DIR practitioners will tell you the type of harness you have has too many D-rings on it, too many clips etc., but if you like the comfort-style harness, like I do, and it works for you, there's no reason to rip everything apart. I use a Hollis Elite II, which is basically what you have. I actually like having that second set of D-rings on my chest. However, if you're aiming to go DIR in the future, then heed their advice. That GUE site is a fantastic resource.

I have two other D-rings on my waist belt, farther forward toward the buckle. My SPG is clipped off on the left one. I can reach down and look at it easily without unclipping it.

I agree on the way they told you to rig your light. If you know you will be using it on your dive, put it in a Goodman handle or "light sock" that goes on your hand. I use the OxyCheq Raider II for this. Good way to keep it handy but out of the way.

I'm not DIR, but I have incorporated several aspects of their gear set-up on my own rig, simply because they make fantastic sense.

 

[Oldbear]

Some observations:

Put a small knife on the LHS waistband (before the buckle). This can be used to route the long-hose nicely...

Great suggestions...

I can visualize the LHS placement of the knife, but I cannot visualize its role in the long-hose routing. Can you elaborate?

Thanks,

~Michael~

 

[TSandM]

I think it's great that you are thinking about how to manage things most efficiently.

I would go along with the advice to put a knife or pocket on the right hip to route the long hose underneath -- if not, why bother to have 7' of hose? You could go down to a 5' hose and not have the issue. Although I have to say your clip method is very ingenious!

I don't like the long string on the console. Strings are great things to get caught and tangled. I'd shorten it to where the clip is tied directly to the console, and if that puts it where you can't see it as well, consider routing it across your chest to the other sest of d-rings -- but be aware that you'll have to pay a lot of attention to whether it's under or over the hose crossing your chest, because over, it will trip the hose. That won't prevent you from donating; it will just complicate deploying if you want to use the whole length of the hose.

I wouldn't rip your equipment apart. I don't think you'll find the extra d-rings all that useful, and you may even find them confusing to clip into, but they won't hurt anything.

My one qualm about the way you have your light is whether it will remain in place when you are diving. By hanging the light downward from the d-ring along the harness, gravity kind of helps keep it in place. But it isn't clear to me how you'd go about putting a piece of inner tube or surgical tubing on that clipped harness to hold the light, so you may as well try the way you have it set up and see if it works in the water, and whether you can easily deploy the light.

I concur with the recommendation to put a bolt snap on the primary -- otherwise, things get very tangled on boats, or if you have to stow the reg because it's not working.

The acid test of all of this is to go dive it! You'll find things that work, and things you decide you want to change.

 

[Oldbear]

...We went with BP/W using the Dive Rite Trans Plate harness...Any comments would be appreciated.

Nwcid,


I too recently purchased the Dive Rite Transplate. I was looking for something a little bit more streamline than my jacket BCD. After reading the pros and cons about BP/Ws, I decided I wanted to give it a try and settled upon the Transplate. I could not be more happier with it.


After 72 dives with a back inflate BDC with intregrated weights, the one thing that really bothered me was surface bouyance. Between the weights on my sides and the inflated BDC back bladder, it was a struggle to keep from tipping face first. I was always trying to load up the weight pocket inside the back of the BCD with hopes of reducing the forward weight distribution. But with the Transplate's weight pockets, I was able to place them further to my back on the waist strap and this minor adjustment moved my vertical center of gravity backwards. I now have a more relaxed and vertical surface bouyance that I never had with a BCD (back inflate or wrap around inflate). I have noticed a difference in submerged trim (I do not know if this is attributed to the BP/W set-up or just more diving experience), but I think my air consumption has decreased with less junk dragging through the water.


At some point I too am looking to taking Tech courses, but for right now I am enjoying my Rec Diving even more with my BP/W set-up.

I hope that you and your GF enjoy your BP/Ws also and happy diving...

~Michael~