DiveDaddyDale
Registered
Hello Fellow Bubblers;
The situation; I decided to upgrade from my vest bcd to a bp/w rig. My first attempt was an Oxycheck 18lb bladder, a DSS SS plate (6.6lbs) with an AL80 tank.
With this setup, in my 3mm steamer with no weights I was comfortable in the water but I wanted to gain more dive time and so I got a SS100 tank and tried it out. It was immediately apparent that I was over weighted and I had difficulty swimming my rig up without a fair amount of air in the wing. Once on the surface, I could tread water enough to keep my head out of the water, but could not have done it for long in even moderate seas.
I returned the DSS SS plate and put on the DSS Kydex plate at 2.2lbs
Well, putting on the Kydex plate threw my buoyancy, trim and balance so off that even after 10 dives I could not achieve stability horizontally or vertically. I was flailing my arms and using my jazz hands just to avoid rolling over, tank down in the water. I could not hover or even swim straight without rolling to once side or over onto my back. In addition, I was less over weighted, but the lack of stability was very tiring and discouraging (this is supposed to be fun, right?).
So I put the DSS SS plate back on and again, upgraded the wing to a 25lb, trim and buoyancy were fine with no weights when using the AL80, and while I am much more stable with the SS plate than I was with the Kydex, I am back to being over weighted when using the SS100.
Some buddies have suggested I upgrade to a 38lb (or even more) wing. I don't want to have to wear a 5mm suit as I dive mostly in Texas lakes and it can be very, very warm (105 today in DFW).
I really want to use the SS tank to get the extra dive time but have no idea how to lighten myself or my rig any further.
Suggestions?
The situation; I decided to upgrade from my vest bcd to a bp/w rig. My first attempt was an Oxycheck 18lb bladder, a DSS SS plate (6.6lbs) with an AL80 tank.
With this setup, in my 3mm steamer with no weights I was comfortable in the water but I wanted to gain more dive time and so I got a SS100 tank and tried it out. It was immediately apparent that I was over weighted and I had difficulty swimming my rig up without a fair amount of air in the wing. Once on the surface, I could tread water enough to keep my head out of the water, but could not have done it for long in even moderate seas.
I returned the DSS SS plate and put on the DSS Kydex plate at 2.2lbs
Well, putting on the Kydex plate threw my buoyancy, trim and balance so off that even after 10 dives I could not achieve stability horizontally or vertically. I was flailing my arms and using my jazz hands just to avoid rolling over, tank down in the water. I could not hover or even swim straight without rolling to once side or over onto my back. In addition, I was less over weighted, but the lack of stability was very tiring and discouraging (this is supposed to be fun, right?).
So I put the DSS SS plate back on and again, upgraded the wing to a 25lb, trim and buoyancy were fine with no weights when using the AL80, and while I am much more stable with the SS plate than I was with the Kydex, I am back to being over weighted when using the SS100.
Some buddies have suggested I upgrade to a 38lb (or even more) wing. I don't want to have to wear a 5mm suit as I dive mostly in Texas lakes and it can be very, very warm (105 today in DFW).
I really want to use the SS tank to get the extra dive time but have no idea how to lighten myself or my rig any further.
Suggestions?