13kg wing enough lift???

[Ronnie Booth]

Hi, I’ve just been diving in Scotland, I went in for some fills in a local dive shop and bought a scuba pro xtek 13kg donut wing and harness, which he did a good deal on.
I’m just a little worried it will not provide enough lift for me. It has a stainless steel plate, I have a 15l steel cylinder and usually dive with around 14kg of lead in the sea but I assume this will be around 12kg now I have a steel backplate. I dive in a membrane suit as well if that helps. Will a 13kg loft be enough?!
Thanks

 

[ams511]

A wing needs to be able to float your gear when you are not in it and be able to adjust for changes in buoyancy. Being you dive dry the 30 lb wing should be able to adjust for your changes in buoyancy. However, whether it will float your gear depends on how you carry the weight. You will need to split the weight between the rig and your person. You would have probably been better off with the next size up wing.

 

[W W Meixner]

Hi, I’ve just been diving in Scotland, I went in for some fills in a local dive shop and bought a scuba pro xtek 13kg donut wing and harness, which he did a good deal on.
I’m just a little worried it will not provide enough lift for me. It has a stainless steel plate, I have a 15l steel cylinder and usually dive with around 14kg of lead in the sea but I assume this will be around 12kg now I have a steel backplate. I dive in a membrane suit as well if that helps. Will a 13kg loft be enough?!
Thanks

RB...

Get kitted up and perform your shallow water buoyancy checks as you were instructed in your open water training...

This is far more accurate than all the well intentioned responses...we're all different...your physical dimensions...your kit...and your typical ballast make you unique...performing your shallow water buoyancy check...will give you your answer...

Best...

Warren

 

[runsongas]

should be fine. with a drysuit, you only are compensating tank gas under normal conditions. since you only use 14kg of ballast, at worst you will be about 6 kg negative if the suit floods and you lose all the buoyancy with a full tank. if that is more than you can swim up, you can use your lift bag or smb in a pinch.

 

[Ronnie Booth]

Thanks for that, it should be fine for a 3mm wet suit and about 8KG when I go somewear warmer this year then as well?

 

[-JD-]

You might want to check this out: Optimal Buoyancy Computer

You can use it to look at the ability to float you/your rig, including various weighting scenarios.

 

[CT Sean]

Thanks for that, it should be fine for a 3mm wet suit and about 8KG when I go somewear warmer this year then as well?

13kg of lift is way more than enough for a 3mm suit and pretty much any capacity single tank.

 

[Kharon]

I use a 10kg Mares XR single tank donut and it's plenty for me divng more than 3mm in cold water.

A wing needs to be able to float your gear when you are not in it

Why is that, exactly? Sounds like another rule made up on hypothetical grounds. Though I don't have many dives (closing in on 300 solo) I have never, ever come close to needing to shed my kit. If I did need to shed it, the last thing I would be worrying about is whether it's going to float. I know I do. And, before I drop my entire kit I'm going to drop all my lead.

 

[ams511]

I use a 10kg Mares XR single tank donut and it's plenty for me divng more than 3mm in cold water.



Why is that, exactly? Sounds like another rule made up on hypothetical grounds. Though I don't have many dives (closing in on 300 solo) I have never, ever come close to needing to shed my kit. If I did need to shed it, the last thing I would be worrying about is whether it's going to float. I know I do.

If diving off smaller boats some operators will ask you to shed the kit to hand it off to them before getting back on board. Also you shed gear when diving off kayaks and inflatables.

 

[Kharon]

If diving off smaller boats some operators will ask you to shed the kit to hand it off to them before getting back on board. Also you shed gear when diving off kayaks and inflatables.

In the first case, I'd be holding on to the ladder and am pretty sure I could hold it on the surface. I'd not want to do that because it would mean unclipping & passing up my pony before shedding my kit to pass up. Too much messing around. I'll have to keep that in mind and stay away from small boats or at least oconfirm that I'll be able ot get back onboard while wearing my kit.

In the second case, yep, I can see that. Something I'd never do but I can see why now and know people dive that way.