Anybody ever doubled up small tanks?

[Jimmer]

Just out of shear curiosity, has anyone ever tried diving double 40's or double 50's? It seems like it would balance pretty nicely, and be very low profile, especially the 40's. Obviously the expense would make it a little bit rediculous, especially compared to an 80 with an H valve, but I'm curious if anyone has tried it.

 

[pir8]

I was in NC over the weekend and 2 of Olympus DC female employees dive small doubles. 1 has double 50's and the other 46's

 

[DennisS]

I had a set of double 50's with an old manifold (single reg) that a friend gave me. It was a pretty neat setup, although you're looking at twice the vips and hydros. I traded them in when luxfer did the credit for the old tank deal.

 

[ScottB]

I'm pretty sure some of the Vintage Age doubles are 38 cuft tanks doubled... =)
... even saw a picture of a tripple setup once

 

[ScottB]

Tripples =)

http://www.flashbackscuba.com/action/blue_hole-Pages/Image4.html
http://www.flashbackscuba.com/action/blue_hole.html

http://www.flashbackscuba.com/action/HDS 2004-Pages/Image29.html
http://www.flashbackscuba.com/action/HDS 2004.html

 

[ScottB]

http://www.flashbackscuba.com/action/HDS 2004-Pages/Image32.html really small doubles

 

[HBDiveGirl]

HA!

This brings back memories!!

The first doubles I took into the ocean were Aluminum 50s!
A friend had banded them for repetitive beach diving practice with doubles in preparation for cave training. They were light and easy on the knees on land. He sweetly offered them to me as I stepped up to learning doubles.

And since you asked.... I hated them in the water!

Loved 'em at the fill station.
Loved 'em at the tailgate.
Loved 'em whilst skipping merrily down the stairs and across the broad sandy beach...and back out at the end.

Hated 'em underwater.

I'm 5'8", 145lbs, diving dry in cold SoCal waters, and the 50s put all the weight whaaay up high near my head. It was nearly impossible for me to trim them, even with 6 pounds in a tail-weight pouch and an aluminum backplate.

Due to the generosity of friends, I test-dived a variety of doubles over the following months: lp72s, lp85s, lp112s (pool only), Al80s, lp95s.

All of these combo's were a lot more work to move around on land, but the pay-off was generally better trim in the water. (I never solved the Al80 trim problem, but I'll get back to those later.)

I bought steel lp85s as my starter doubles rig.

• Manageable weight.
• Great trim.
• Easy through surf (I brace... and the wave parts around me. )
• Adequate gas for my (current) diving goals.

My favored single tank is the hp130. So diving double Al50s did have another drawback: LESS air!!

The best moment related to the itty-bitty-Fiddies was during a debrief with DiveBudExtraordinaire, Ken...

Ken: "I LOVE doubles! I love the trim, I love the stability, I love the power to get out through the surf. I don't know why anybody would ever go back to single tanks after diving doubles."

'Chica: "Uh... to have more air??!?!?!"

They were cute. Like little thermos bottles.

Claudette

 

[Jimmer]

I agree with you that the bigger doubles trim nicely. My set of doubles are incredibly well balanced in the water, but I couldn't help but wonder how a set of double 40s might trim out compared to an 80 for recreational diving. Not sure I want to foot the bill to find out tho haha

 

[ScottB]

Try finding bands to bolt the 40s together..

You could probably rig up a pair of 40s as independent doubles pretty easily...

Or.... you could give side mount doubles a try =)

 

[Jimmer]

yeah I agree with that, 5.25 inch bands would be a ***** to find, 5.5's are out there to fit OMS 45's tho