No weights with steel tank unsafe?

[elan]

Why are you diving 20-30 lbs overweighted?

200 cuf tanks + just one 77cuf stage would give around 20lb of over weighting.

But yeah in general recreational context with single tank Al tank I would agree with the statement

 

[MSilvia]

200 cuf tanks + just one 77cuf stage would give around 20lb of over weighting.

Yeah, I have a similar situation with hp100 doubles and AL40 stages. Gas weight adds up.

 

[BHB ScubaTroll]

Do you remember OW course?
Deflated BC, lungs full, surface at eye level?
That still holds true.
You should NEVER rely on your BC to keep you neutrally bouyant.

Hmmm interesting since it IS a "Bouyancy Control" device

 

[Puffer Fish]

Is there an established history of overfilling these FX "stage" tanks? Their decreased weight is a function of using less material, and without knowing any more I'd be very concerned about promoting overfills on steel tanks with significantly thinner sidewalls.

Was not promoting anything. I know of at least two shops that over fill every tank they get - one in cave country and one in south florida...am sure there are others.

Personally, I don't advise overfilling any tank.

 

[WD8CDH]

Is there an established history of overfilling these FX "stage" tanks? Their decreased weight is a function of using less material, and without knowing any more I'd be very concerned about promoting overfills on steel tanks with significantly thinner sidewalls.

No more or less unsafe than overfilling LP tanks. The stronger steel compensates for the thinner walls. Both are designed to the same safety factor (when you include the +10% of 3AA tanks).

 

[WD8CDH]

Personally, if I am very negative with no weight and full kit, I will add rigid foam floats to my back rig to be near neutral or slightly negative. I might go slightly more negative when diving dry than when diving wet. 35+ years of experience tells me to not rely on only one inflatable buoyancy source or any buoyancy source that needs to be more than minimally inflated to attain neutral.

Been there, done that.....face print in the mud to prove it.

 

[MSilvia]

Personally, if I am very negative with no weight and full kit, I will add rigid foam floats to my back rig to be near neutral or slightly negative.

Near neutral at what depth? Do you find any problems with the integrity of the air cells in the rigid foam when they crush at depth?

 

[Bob DBF]

Stick with the Al 80, get two if you want more air, they are cheap compared to HP steel. My problem is a 7mm farmer john with step in jacket and a love of beer. Got a LP steel 95 for a good price so I could take some weight off my belt. My theory is buy the gear as cheap as possible, use it as long as possible so there is no debate about ditching if the need arises.

Bob

 

[mksmith713]

I would take this statement for real if I had lungs capable of holding 20-30lb of air

Why would you need your lungs to create 20-30# bouyancy?
If you need to lift something, take a lift bag with you.
Truth be told, we don't NEED BCD's, it just makes acheiving neutral bouyancy at depth easier.

 

[mksmith713]

Tech with double steel 120's and deco bottles...well yeah, you don't have much choice to dive a wing with at least as much lift as your cyclinder are negative.
But not for rec diving.