Critique my rig/setup

[Bossman]

So to keep a long story short, I'm a wetsuit diver and I typically dive coldwater in the Atlantic off NJ and a at local quarry. I've recently made the switch to a BP/W to get some lead off my belt and onto my back, previously trim was an issue with a heavy wetsuit. With a BC I was carrying 30-32 lbs in salt water. Here's the new setup:

BP/W: Halcyon Infinity 40 with 6 lb. stainless plate and 6 lb. STA
Tank: Single Worthington steel HP100 (10 lbs full)
Wetsuit: Neosport farmer john 7mm, XL john with XXL jacket (big shoulders ) 32 lbs buoyant

I ran the wing lift calculator and it shows that I still need 16.5 lbs of weight. That doesn't surprise me because the wetsuit is 32 lbs. buoyant, I've checked it in the pool. Of that 16.5 lbs, I'll get some of the weight from my regs, pony, etc. so I think I'll still need about 10 lbs. on a weight belt, which is fine because I like the idea of having ditchable weight.

So, the total weight I'm carrying is 28.5 lbs (BP 6, STA 6, Regs and lead 16.5) plus the steel tank (10 lbs full 2.5 empty).

Questions:

1. Does that total weight look reasonable? It looks a little high to me but I've needed it in the past and the wing lift calculator confirms that with the wetsuit at 32 lbs positive.

2. What are your thoughts about having 16 lbs. on your back plus the steel tank. In a wing failure that means swimming 20-25 lbs. to the surface.

P.S. I like the cinch system on the Halcyon Infinity, but I'll be removing the back padding, shoulder padding, and integrated weight pockets.

 

[sea2summit]

2. What are your thoughts about having 16 lbs. on your back plus the steel tank. In a wing failure that means swimming 20-25 lbs. to the surface.

If you have to add 16# to be negative and you can dump that, why are you worried about 20-25#? I'd test it in open water but it sounds about right. You'd be surprised how hard you would have to work to fight 16# positive buoyancy. Diving dry with a single 95 I think I used close 18-24# depending on the time of year/undergarment.

I'd take it to OW and do an actual buoyancy test and see where you stand.

P.S. Always a good idea to have two methods for buoyancy, if you're not diving dry I'd recommend investing in a nice SMB/lift bag.

 

[Bossman]

Thanks for your reply. After dumping the 10 lbs. weight belt I'd still be swimming 20 to the surface (6 lb BP, 6 lb STA, and up to 10 lb tank).

What I'm really getting at is should I go with an AL80 tank instead of the HP100, but the 9 lbs I'd cut from my back would need to go on the belt (19 lb weight belt). That would make trim tough, but less weight to swim up in a wing failure.

I carry a SMB as a contingency plan A, and out of the cinch harness leaving the gear on the bottom as a contingency plan B.

 

[keithdiver]

Thanks for your reply. After dumping the 10 lbs. weight belt I'd still be swimming 20 to the surface (6 lb BP, 6 lb STA, and up to 10 lb tank).

What I'm really getting at is should I go with an AL80 tank instead of the HP100, but the 9 lbs I'd cut from my back would need to go on the belt (19 lb weight belt). That would make trim tough, but less weight to swim up in a wing failure.

I carry a SMB as a contingency plan A, and out of the cinch harness leaving the gear on the bottom as a contingency plan B.

Instead of using a weighbelt use a cam band. They go on the straps on back of the tank. Better trim

 

[Rainer]

Or just spend the money of a used drysuit...

 

[sea2summit]

Thanks for your reply. After dumping the 10 lbs. weight belt I'd still be swimming 20 to the surface (6 lb BP, 6 lb STA, and up to 10 lb tank).

What I'm really getting at is should I go with an AL80 tank instead of the HP100, but the 9 lbs I'd cut from my back would need to go on the belt (19 lb weight belt). That would make trim tough, but less weight to swim up in a wing failure.

I carry a SMB as a contingency plan A, and out of the cinch harness leaving the gear on the bottom as a contingency plan B.

If you are dumping 10 pounds and have to swim 20 to the surface you are WAAAAY the hell overweighted. Remember that wetsuit is ~30# positive according to you so if you throw the wetsuit, tank, BPW/STA in the water it should float right? (I know it will compress some at depth but still). Best method is to get in the water and test it out shallow, even ditch you're weight and see what happens.

 

[Bossman]

My thinking was that I was wayyy overweighted. But Ilve had to use that much in the past and the wing lift calculator confirms it. It's the 32 lb farmer john that is the problem.

Run the calcs and tell me what I'm doing wrong? I'm using a total of about 30 lbs of ballast for a 32 lb wetsuit. Of the 20 lbs I'd be swimming to the surface, 8 would be from the steel tank. I don't think most people realize that the farmer john needs another 10 lbs. of ballast in 7mm.

 

[sea2summit]

My thinking was that I was wayyy overweighted. But Ilve had to use that much in the past and the wing lift calculator confirms it. It's the 32 lb farmer john that is the problem.

Run the calcs and tell me what I'm doing wrong? I'm using a total of about 30 lbs of ballast for a 32 lb wetsuit. Of the 20 lbs I'd be swimming to the surface, 8 would be from the steel tank. I don't think most people realize that the farmer john needs another 10 lbs. of ballast in 7mm.

Calculator is great for ball park. What does the water where you dive say? Cyber diving will never get you're weight right. When you actually get in the water if you're wayyy over weighted remove weight until you are not.

 

[Rainer]

He said in the first post he checked the buoyancy of the suit in a pool. Sure, FW to SW will throw that off by a couple of pounds (at least conservatively in terms of sizing the wing), but having seen large Farmer John suits, I don't doubt the 30+# buoyancy numbers that he's claiming.

These thick, buoyant suits are always an issue when trying to dive a balanced rig. Sometimes, it's just not possible (if you don't want a massive amount of ditchable weight and the uncontrolled ascent that will entail). A drysuit is a much better option in cold water...

 

[SangP]

I think the calculation is correct but the problem is the suit. With such a thick suit you really need a lot to go under and under compression you can easily loose most of that buoyancy.

I makes a lot of sense to see if you can get an affordable dry suit as it would make life a bit easier

Scuba Diving Drysuits with reviews on sale

You can get a some really affordable returned/used/demo stuff and while the Mares Ice Fit 4 Drysuit is just $400.

SangP