Question for Drager Users

[Chuck Tribolet]

I dive a 19 cu. ft. bailout and 8 cu. ft. Argon bottle on my Dolphin. I've done a bailout
under duress from 70' with a 13, and it was enough, but just. Hence the 19.

I made my own bottle mounts out of nylon webbing.

 

[scubanimal]

I dive a 19 cu. ft. bailout and 8 cu. ft. Argon bottle on my Dolphin. I've done a bailout
under duress from 70' with a 13, and it was enough, but just. Hence the 19.

I made my own bottle mounts out of nylon webbing.

Any chance you could post a picture of that? Have you had any issues with cracking the shell?

 

[Diver Dude]

I would like to see a picture also. 19 sounds better than 13 .

 

[Chuck Tribolet]

I'll post a picture, but the computer with digital camera
software was down with dead hard drive and is just starting to
come back to life. It may be a couple of days - date tonight, get
ready to dive tomorrow, dive Saturday. Probably blown out for
diving on Sunday so I'll try then.

No cracking issue there. I have had cracking at the lower corners
like everybody does.

 

[Chuck Tribolet]

I've attached two pictures. The first picture, with the grey bottle, is the Argon bottle, which
is mounted on the left side of the turtle. The base is cradled in a piece of two-inch
webbing that goes around the bottle, with two pieces of 3/4" webbing criss-crossed
underneath. It's zip-tied to the turtle. The top of the Argon bottle is held by a JUMBO
releaseable zip tie about 3/4" wide.

The second picture, with the yellow bottle, is the bail-out bottle, which is mounted on
right side of the turtle.The top of the bottle is secured by a piece of two-inch webbing
and attached with the factory draeger straps. The bottom of the bottle has two
bands of two-inch webbing, one in the middle of the bottle which is attached to the
turtle with the factory straps, and second is slung down at the bottom of the bottle
to keep the bottle from sliding down. The main 4L Nitrox bottle has to be offset a
couple of inches to the left, but this hasn't created any balance problems, and makes
it easier to get to the valve.

 

[Diver Dude]

Chuck,
Thanks for the photos.
I'll be diving my Drager with 50's so I think I'll still have a problem with side mounting a 19 cf bailout.

 

[Chuck Tribolet]

Consider this for a 50 cu. ft. primary with a 19 bailout: Shift the 50 to the left, and put
more weight in the right side trim pocket than the left.

 

[Diver Dude]

Chuck,
Thanks for the suggestion. I'll give it a try. I am picking up the 50's this week so I will know more of what I am dealing with.

 

[scubanimal]

Chuck,
Thanks for the suggestion. I'll give it a try. I am picking up the 50's this week so I will know more of what I am dealing with.

I just did 6 dives this weekend most with the 50. I really like it now. Initially a bit off balance but like Chuck said, a bit of trim fixed it. The nicest benefit for me was it is easier for me to reach the on/off valve. The 28 is a bit tough for me. I was with a bunch of OC divers, all were out of the water 15 minutes before my buddy and I with deco the only reason we stopped. The OC folks all blew through their 80s on each dive, having to change out and fuss with their tanks each time, and I still had plenty for a third dive, all on the same 50. This is so cool ! After watch it all this weekend my wife is now thinking she may be up for switching to the Dolphin. Hmm more toys to buy, and with her blessing..... hmmmm

 

[Diver Dude]

Scubanimal,
Did you dive with a 19 bailout?
When you shifted the 50 over to acomodate the 19 did you feel the 50 stuck out to far as to create entanglement problems?
Congratulations on your class!