Long struggle with Transpac bcd

[satwar]

I've had a long struggle getting the weight distribution correct on my Transpac harness, it has not been a plug-and-play experience.

First problem was constant roll-over onto my back with weight pockets attached to the recommended steel side plates. You suggested moving the weight pockets forward on the waist belt. I finally settled with 3lb trim pockets attached to each steel side plate and 8lb weight pockets located more forward on each side of waist belt.

Then I found myself having a tendency to roll over on one side. Finally I recently met an experienced diver who suggested that I adjust the tightness of chest straps to eliminate the roll-on-side tendency. I find the chest straps to be very awkward to get at to adjust, almost impossible sometimes, but with practice I'm hoping it will get easier. The technique, however, seems to work. How I'll manage with 7mm gloves is impossible to imagine.

Now I'm in the pool, working on my horizontal trim. Seems like I'm somewhat head heavy, so I think that's easy to solve, drop the tank a few inches. Wrong again. The two tank strap setup of the Transpac doesn't allow me any room to drop the tank, unlike more conventional single strap bcd's where you can drop the tank position a foot if required.

Any suggestions on how I can get the tank lower, is it permissible to have the top strap positioned partially above the curve on the tank ?

The Transpac bcd design has not made it easy for me to get trimmed out properly. I love the comfort off the harness, it's unbeatable, but it's been extremely challenging to get tuned right for a novice like myself (20 dives and still struggling).

 

[dolesorchard]

I've had mine for almost a year and love it. I had no trouble adjusting to the back flotation, but I had to add weight to my upper tank strap as I was having the opposite problem with my feet sinking when I was diving wet. With my drysuit I wear ankle weights and seem to be fine.

 

[tbone1004]

did you watch the Transpac fitting videos on their website? With those videos it's pretty much fool proof...
Put side plates directly underneath your arm pits.
Clip chest strap FIRST to keep the shoulder pads vertical
do waist belt second, then loosely snug up the shoulder straps, there should be almost no tension on these at all.
This should be done without the tank on obviously, then once those are all set you should be able to jump in pretty quick no problem.

As far as the being head heavy, are you using a crotch strap? With AL80's as soon as they hit like 2000psi ish they start to get floaty in the butt and without a crotch strap it will cause the bc to push you head down.
There is no reason to ever dive with the tank as low as some divers have them. If we can trim out doubles with a manifold where we need to be able to reach them, a single should be a no brainer, especially with that much lead on your hips.
Nothing against you, but the double cam bands is necessary and diving a rig where you can't reach the valve isn't safe.
Try heavier fins. If you have a buddy with jet fins, see if you can borrow them, that will add a couple of lbs to your feet which should help. Whole bunch of things that could be causing this, but the easiest thing is to try to get with an experienced diver who dives a transpac and go from there. The DiveRite system is proven to work and has a lot of divers who have 0 issues with it, sorry you're struggling but I think it may just be set up wrong...

YouTube - TransPac Scuba Diving Harness How to Get a Proper Fit: Dive Rite
YouTube - TransPac Scuba Diving Harness Sideplate Adjustment: Dive Rite
YouTube - TransPac Scuba Diving Harness How To Attach Weight Pockets: Dive Rite

good videos, must watch

 

[satwar]

did you watch the Transpac fitting videos on their website? With those videos it's pretty much fool proof...
Put side plates directly underneath your arm pits.
Clip chest strap FIRST to keep the shoulder pads vertical
do waist belt second, then loosely snug up the shoulder straps, there should be almost no tension on these at all.
This should be done without the tank on obviously, then once those are all set you should be able to jump in pretty quick no problem.

As far as the being head heavy, are you using a crotch strap? With AL80's as soon as they hit like 2000psi ish they start to get floaty in the butt and without a crotch strap it will cause the bc to push you head down.
There is no reason to ever dive with the tank as low as some divers have them. If we can trim out doubles with a manifold where we need to be able to reach them, a single should be a no brainer, especially with that much lead on your hips.
Nothing against you, but the double cam bands is necessary and diving a rig where you can't reach the valve isn't safe.
Try heavier fins. If you have a buddy with jet fins, see if you can borrow them, that will add a couple of lbs to your feet which should help. Whole bunch of things that could be causing this, but the easiest thing is to try to get with an experienced diver who dives a transpac and go from there. The DiveRite system is proven to work and has a lot of divers who have 0 issues with it, sorry you're struggling but I think it may just be set up wrong...

YouTube - TransPac Scuba Diving Harness How to Get a Proper Fit: Dive Rite
YouTube - TransPac Scuba Diving Harness Sideplate Adjustment: Dive Rite
YouTube - TransPac Scuba Diving Harness How To Attach Weight Pockets: Dive Rite

good videos, must watch

Yes I've watched all the videos, ten times over, and dress up as recommended. Yes I wear the crotch strap.

Unfortunately I turn "turtle" with the weights under the arm pits.

Unfortunately, I seem to be the only one in town diving with a Diverite bcd, and everyone just tells me to ditch the rig for a more conventional product.

I should mention that I dive with a full 7mm wetsuit covered by a 7mm core warmer (Northern Ontario lake diving) and a steel 100 tank.

I'm sure an experienced diver would have a better experience than I'm having, but as a novice it has been very challenging.

 

[Jax]

Pictures of you in the rig would be helpful.

 

[Doubler]

Try attaching 2lbs to the center line butt of the tank. Adjust up and down as required.

 

[tbone1004]

what wing? That's going to be rather helpful... Even with the weights on the back side of you, you shouldn't roll over like that... You can try pulling the metal slides back closer to the harness and see if that will work...
Which fins are you using?
The head down thing is odd and may just be you being new to diving that type of setup, or a problem with the wing pushing air in the wrong spot...
You can also put a 2lb weight on the crotch strap if it's a 2inch one. Will be slightly uncomfortable but it should work pretty well.

 

[DennisS]

I found that I was head up when I first used my transpac, two 2 lb weights around shoulder level set me up perfect. I love the way I'm "locked in" with the transpac and an 80. My BP/W with a 130 just doesn't have that "solid" feel with trim/anti roll.

 

[satwar]

what wing? That's going to be rather helpful... Even with the weights on the back side of you, you shouldn't roll over like that... You can try pulling the metal slides back closer to the harness and see if that will work...
Which fins are you using?
The head down thing is odd and may just be you being new to diving that type of setup, or a problem with the wing pushing air in the wrong spot...
You can also put a 2lb weight on the crotch strap if it's a 2inch one. Will be slightly uncomfortable but it should work pretty well.

I have a Venture EXP wing

 

[tbone1004]

problem is the wing...
The wing was designed to put lift at your hips which will push you head down.... So... Do a proper weight check, fully geared up with 200 ish psi in your tank and do a weight check. I'm betting you're diving somewhat heavy and need a bunch of air in that wing. Because of the shape of the wing you will always feel pulled up from your butt because of that. Pushing the tank down farther will NOT make it any better though. Put the top tank band about two inches below the crown of the tank. The top of the valve should be level with the top of the shoulder straps when they're pulled up, which is about 2 inches from the crown. Keeping the tanks down as low as you mentioned will only cause you more problems and is just unsafe and awkward...
Try that, and see if that helps, Jet Fins or the Hollis F1 Bat fins will also pick your head up