SM and rec charters
- Thread starter jimmy71
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Jimmy, I love the irony . . ..
Just wanted to share my experience with recreational charters/boat.
After reading here about hooking the left tank on the boat and the right one in the water, I proceeded to do just that, asking the DM to hand me the right tank after I jumped in. It was not easy, not at all, at least for me (and I'm a strong muscular man and have no problems getting them on while kneeling on the bottom). After I clipped the neck of the tank to my shoulder D-ring, which in itself was hard as the tank was very heavy and I was afraid I would drop it, I tried to clip the bottom of the tank to my butt rail. Impossible. The wing was inflated to keep me from sinking and tended to push me face down in the water and the heavy steel tank clipped to my Dring was pulling me down. The other tank was pulling me to my left so the net effect of all these forces was that my right butt rail was practically the highest point, no way I could've raised the tank all the way there, let alone clipping it. The DM had to jump in the water and she clipped it for me, and from there no more problems.
The second dive I chose to clip both tanks while on the boat, no more problems whatsoever.
Coming up I just went up the ladder with both tanks by my side, not a problem. It was a bit tricky to unclip them while on the boat as the space was tight, but once I was able to sit down it was easy.
So, for me, there will only be one way of doing it from boats: both tanks on while topside then splash.
After reading here about hooking the left tank on the boat and the right one in the water, I proceeded to do just that, asking the DM to hand me the right tank after I jumped in. It was not easy, not at all, at least for me (and I'm a strong muscular man and have no problems getting them on while kneeling on the bottom). After I clipped the neck of the tank to my shoulder D-ring, which in itself was hard as the tank was very heavy and I was afraid I would drop it, I tried to clip the bottom of the tank to my butt rail. Impossible. The wing was inflated to keep me from sinking and tended to push me face down in the water and the heavy steel tank clipped to my Dring was pulling me down. The other tank was pulling me to my left so the net effect of all these forces was that my right butt rail was practically the highest point, no way I could've raised the tank all the way there, let alone clipping it. The DM had to jump in the water and she clipped it for me, and from there no more problems.
The second dive I chose to clip both tanks while on the boat, no more problems whatsoever.
Coming up I just went up the ladder with both tanks by my side, not a problem. It was a bit tricky to unclip them while on the boat as the space was tight, but once I was able to sit down it was easy.
So, for me, there will only be one way of doing it from boats: both tanks on while topside then splash.
sounds like you may need more comfort time in the water. your post has no experience in it . I have to say that the discomfort you were having is due to a lack of comfort with equipment and skill do some more control diving and see if you can think ahead of yourself in the dive try not to dive in the moment but think ahead in the dive . take every oppertunity for the clipd you use to the configuration your diving. and you should come up with was to make your diving more in control. you could have cliped the top of the tank started decent and fixed the problem at depth as for my students the inability to manupliate your own equipment is a fail in my tec program. goo luck hope to see u in the water there are several good sm inst out there find one and dive.
ianr33
Contributor
How funny that I never thought of that while struggling to clip it
Nor did I think of submerging like udtfire suggested. It just shows my inexperience, but this is how one learns. Now armed with these two simple solutions it should be easier. I guess it never crossed my mind (to clip the bottom first) as I always clip the top first, which makes sense while kneeling on the bottom. Or does it? Maybe just because that was how I was taught and I kept going like that.
So, which is it, top or bottom first? Or does it really matter as long as both tanks get clipped correctly?
Thanks ianr33 and udtfire for your help.
ianr33
Contributor
If kneeling on the bottom I put the left tank on by picking up my left knee,rest the tank on that knee,clip the bottom of the tank ,then clip the top. The bottom rails are further to the back than you expect at first.
For putting a tank on in deep water from a boat I'll often have one hand on the boat,the other on the bottom clip. After clipping on the bottom of the tank the top will be hanging down.That's O.K. Its not going anywhere! Pull the tank up (use a hose to pull it up if needs be) then sort out the top attachment. Takes a bit of practice to get it smooth. Doing everything in a set order is an excellent idea.
For putting a tank on in deep water from a boat I'll often have one hand on the boat,the other on the bottom clip. After clipping on the bottom of the tank the top will be hanging down.That's O.K. Its not going anywhere! Pull the tank up (use a hose to pull it up if needs be) then sort out the top attachment. Takes a bit of practice to get it smooth. Doing everything in a set order is an excellent idea.
Happy to report I got some quality time in the water with udtfire earlier today and got some nice tips and pointers, plus some cool ideas about SM setup. There shouldn't be any more trouble gearing up on a boat or in the water. Thanks Buck!
Thanks Buck!
Can anyone point me to some information on mounting a tank like Tegg did? I've dove with a stage bottle and an empty backplate, but I'm unsure how I'd mount the tank with just webbing.
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