Failure of back-plate single tank adapter (Bolts)

johndiver999, my hog SS BP has slots and what you suggested is one I'm thinking on trying

The Hog Wing has tank two bars on it that act like a sta, yet not enough as my tank moves around with out the STA.

 

Which likely means you are not tightening it properly/enough or you have really poor cam bands..

 

I like the STA and gave gotten into the habit of check it before every dive. After a while it seems to have stopped coming loose or as often but I still check it frequently.

I don't think that the bolts would come loose in a single dive but over time and should be able to be caught before separating.

 

Are you regularly checking that the wing nuts, etc., are tight?

 

+1 on Marie13's suggestion: check and tighten each time. I also run the bands through the backplate and so do not need a STA.

 

Glad you're OK and got all your stuff back..............but....... stop doing whatever you were doing, or not doing.

Re using the built-in "stay" : soak the cam-bands before tightening. They get looser when wet especially when new. Also, the bands should take effort to close, so that once they get past the fulcrum, they snap themselves closed.

 

M.M.O. stabilisers keep the tank close and permit NO movement and NEVER loosen
with a spring washer and wingnut
tightened with a tool



and would never loosen more with a nyloc nut




Tank stabilisers are made from a longitudinal slice of rubber hose and a length of bungee
flim flam at the best, and stabilisers not utilising the plate slots, are defeating the purpose



So tighten your wingnuts with a tool

Doubles is different

 

Where did you get that? Something I'd like to try.

 

In my opinion the direct cause of this incident was both wingnuts unscrewing and dropping of the bolts. Most likely they were not screwed tightly on the mandatory spring washer. Vibration of a motorboat can do real magic to loose bolts. Good all ended OK and the only harm was the embarrassment. As others said, check your nuts before diving.
It was mentioned in this thread to ditch STA or put cambands through the wing and the plate (if possible). For me this is not a solution. Exactly the same problem might affect doubles where the STA/cambands trick is not an option. Not to say that dropping doubles are more harm than a single tank. IMHO the only acceptable solution is checking the wingnuts before each dive. Same as checking each second stage reg, gauge, beer can, etc.