Best way to carry 54lbs?

[W W Meixner]

6’3” 275lbs diving a single AL 80

M...

You're of a size and weight where you could very easily handle HP steel 117's/120's/133's...

Further there are heavier S/S back-plates available...

You seriously need to upgrade your 3AL 80...or get used to diving with all the additional ballast...

If you're going to jump into the water with ballast...it may as well be something you can breathe from...

Finally...I don't suggest doubling up 3AL 80's...in you case...it may help you slightly as long as the cylinders are full but compound your positive buoyancy problem once they start to empty...

There was a guy in Central Ontario...Gary Hoadley...who made a 10 pound s/s back-plate...G.U.T.S. Gear...I tried his last known e-mail...it's no longer active...

W.M...

 

[DarrynSami]

As encouragement: I started off a few months ago learning drysuit with a rental setup and 42 lbs of ballast. After getting more comfortable in a drysuit I purchased one. Now have a Fusion Tech drysuit, Bare SB mid layer, wool base layer and diving with 32lbs. Going from an AL80 tank to an HP100 took off half the weight and getting more comfortable in a drysuit took off the rest. Last weekend I was still a bit heavy at my safety stop and will be taking off another 2 lbs ballast next dive. Keep working on your skills and your equipment. Hopefully soon you won't need all that ballast.

 

[grf88]

There have been plenty of good recommendations for carrying extra weight but I have to agree the best start would be to ditch the AL80 for a negative steel tank. I was aware of three suppliers of heavy plates but none of those are still around although there maybe others. One option there is to bolt two matching plates together. I have several backplates but my heavy Fred T is my favourite for cold water diving.

 

[M-Cameron]

i appreciate all the input!

i ended up getting a DUI weight harness, hopefully im diving this weekend so ill let yall know how it works.

i am eventually looking to get into extended range diving, so doubles will likely be my next venture.

but regarding tanks, i do live in a small apartment so i dont really have a place to store tanks


but i will likely be looking into a 6mm steel plate

 

[martincohn]

i dont really have a place to store tanks

EVERYBODY has room for a couple of tanks! No excuses unless you are still livin on someone's couch.

 

[M-Cameron]

EVERYBODY has room for a couple of tanks! No excuses unless you are still livin on someone's couch.

Haha I’m already on thin ice with the misses for all the space I’m taking up with crap from my other hobbies....ide definitely find myself on someone else’s couch if I brought home a few sets of tanks

 

[martincohn]

Haha I’m already on thin ice with the misses for all the space I’m taking up with crap from my other hobbies....ide definitely find myself on someone else’s couch if I brought home a few sets of tanks

Just hide them at the bottom of the pile under the other stuff!

 

[pasley]

Get the appropriately sized wing for your BPW setup. As stated you can also attach weight to the SS Plate and get a heavier plate.

Option 2. Get the right size wing and get rid of the lead and use gold for your weights. This accomplishes two things, gets you more weight per cubic inch of weight area and guarantees your dive buddies will recover your gear should the unthinkable happen.

 

[ofg-1]

Best way to carry 54 pounds? Hand truck.

 

[grf88]

Just hide them at the bottom of the pile under the other stuff!

A little ingenuity and they could be disguised as floor lamps.