Why Steel Doubles?

[ScubaInChicago]

I'm not a fan but I'm sure some people here will tell you they're the best thing since sliced bread.

I don't know what life was like before sliced bread, I've just always expected it...

 

[TSandM]

I guess my point was just that if one is going to dive doubled steel tanks in a wetsuit, one should be aware of the potential for a bad imbalance of weight and lift. Carrying a lift bag is one mitigating strategy. Diving dry is another. Using a double wing is another. Each strategy has its benefits and its downsides. But these choices should be made with adequate information about both.

 

[HowardE]

Ok Lynn, your point is valid, however, when some rhetoric spewing drone (not you) tells me I'm going to die for diving double steel tanks in a wetsuit, with little supporting evidence to support their supposition; It's difficult for me to not respond with some form of sarcasm.

 

[walke121]

....what if one uses one of those dual-bladder wing thingies with a wetsuit?

apparently if you dive dual wings you will die also... IJS.

 

[elan]

apparently if you dive dual wings you will die also... IJS.

Even if you do not dive dual wings you are going to die, even if you are not diving at all you are going to die

 

[Leadking]

Dude,

soon? People have been diving steels, even doubles with only wetsuits for YEARS. I am only familiar with ONE death due to catastrophic wing failure, and that guy repaired his split wing with aquaseal. This is a solution in search of a problem.

As Howie pointed out, there are alternative redundancies, such as lift bags and sausages. I almost always carry two in the ocean, and one in the caves. You have to think outside of the BC from time to time.

However, I would suggest that we all dive within our comfort zone. If you suffer from steeltankaphobia, by all means DON'T dive 'em.

Most deaths with a diver diving negatively buoyant steels occur with the diver entering the water with their air turned off. They can't get to their valve,inflate bc/drysuit and pound themselves into the bottom. Even the best divers make mistakes!

 

[Leadking]

Almost no one who dives doubles ever has any intent of removing their kit underwater.

A few cave and wreck divers might find them selves in a situation where they need to remove their cylinders to get through a tight spot. But removing cylinders in these situations is not a spur-of-the-moment thing, it is planned. They will either go home and switch to side mount, or go home and plan how they intend to return and push their cylinders through a restriction.

Solo divers need to be able remove their kit underwater in case the situation arises when the need to disentangle themselves.

I would think that anyone who would think they would encounter a situation that would require removing their doubles at depths would consider a sidemounts rather than backmount.

 

[Gilldiver]

I have taken off my doubles a number of times, some planed some not:

Here are some of them that I recall off hand.

The first two I had Hp 100’s and a 3mm long sleeve top with only canvas pants to protect my legs – all I needed off of NC in late July/August.

Planed penetration of the after torpedo room of the USS Tarpon: I took off my twin 100’s and went through the after torpedo loading hatch on a 40 held in my hands. A buddy stayed outside with the tanks and to help me in and out.

Unplanned removal to work on a Lead acid battery mounted on my tanks: I took off the tanks to get at the large battery pack I was using to run two 50 watt incandescent video lights (this was way before HID lights). Took off the tanks, fixed my problem, put the tanks back on.

Unplanned removal to clear a net from my valves in limited vis water: I got tangled up in a net on the USS Bass in 140/150’. My buddy could have cleared it, but that would have risked getting us both in the net. I took the tanks off, cleared the net, moved out of the net area, put the tanks back on. I think I had twin 80’s on with a dry suit.

Unplanned removal to clear an entrapment inside of the USS San Diego near the after 3" "lightside" gun. A piece of angle iron wreckage had passed between my hoses and manifold and “Hooked” me. It was a solid hook with no movement possible forward, back or to the sides. This was the closest I have ever come to full panic, went to the edge, pulled back from it, and figured it out. Popped my shoulder and waist buckles, turned on the long axis, un-hooked my tanks/manifold, swam out of the wreck and put them back on. This time I had on twin 72’s and a dry suit.

 

[StreetDoctor]

Ok Lynn, your point is valid, however, when some rhetoric spewing drone (not you) tells me I'm going to die for diving double steel tanks in a wetsuit, with little supporting evidence to support their supposition; It's difficult for me to not respond with some form of sarcasm.

Dude, it's the internet... RELAX. It was a joke. You will DIE if you keep taking things on the internet so seriously.

 

[HowardE]

Dude, it's the internet... RELAX. It was a joke. You will DIE if you keep taking things on the internet so seriously.

i certainly don't care what you think about the way I dive. I do care how other users who may not know better see your "advice"