30 lbs or 40 lbs wing?

[ams511]

I'm considering the Halcyon Eclipse which is a very streamlined design... either the 30 lbs or 40 lbs wing

I have an Eclipse so I am familiar with the rig. What I am not familiar with is the type of tank you are using. Please be aware that different tanks have different buoyancy characteristics. For example a Heiser 120 is -26.4 full while a Faber HP-120 is -16.22 and a Faber FX-120 is -9. My point being is tanks with the same capacity could have different buoyancy characteristics. I think a 15 liter tank is an LP-95 which should be about -8 to -10 so a 30 lb should be fine.

 

[Nasser]

I have an Eclipse so I am familiar with the rig. What I am not familiar with is the type of tank you are using. Please be aware that different tanks have different buoyancy characteristics. For example a Heiser 120 is -26.4 full while a Faber HP-120 is -16.22 and a Faber FX-120 is -9. My point being is tanks with the same capacity could have different buoyancy characteristics. I think a 15 liter tank is an LP-95 which should be about -8 to -10 so a 30 lb should be fine.

Yes very true. I would say that as a general guide a large amount of the liveaboards in the Red Sea are using 15l steel tanks but the manufacturers and models do vary. Most of the dive centers use standard 12 l aluminum tanks. Are you using the 30 lbs or 40 lbs Eclipse wing? and have you had a chance to compare the two?

 

[dumpsterDiver]

5 mm full suit and a steel tank.. I would go for the 40-lb wing. I doubt you will ever feel the difference in drag compared to a 30 and you may want that extra few pounds sometime,,,when you really NEED it.. 3 mm shorty and a steel.. then 30 would be fine..

 

[eelnoraa]

I have an Eclipse so I am familiar with the rig. What I am not familiar with is the type of tank you are using. Please be aware that different tanks have different buoyancy characteristics. For example a Heiser 120 is -26.4 full while a Faber HP-120 is -16.22 and a Faber FX-120 is -9. My point being is tanks with the same capacity could have different buoyancy characteristics. I think a 15 liter tank is an LP-95 which should be about -8 to -10 so a 30 lb should be fine.

I think wing size has to do the bouyance shift of the tank (full vs empt) than with the absolute bouyance of the tank. If someone is diving in 3mm/5mm with a single tank that is -26lb full, then the tank is a wrong tank for this kind of diving regardless the wing size.

But yeah, I agree, if 15L steel tank is what we know as LP95, then 30lb wing should be sufficient.

 

[ams511]

Yes very true. I would say that as a general guide a large amount of the liveaboards in the Red Sea are using 15l steel tanks but the manufacturers and models do vary. Most of the dive centers use standard 12 l aluminum tanks. Are you using the 30 lbs or 40 lbs Eclipse wing? and have you had a chance to compare the two?

I only have the 30 so I have not compared with the 40. I would assume they are fairly close.

---------- Post added June 15th, 2013 at 01:10 PM ----------

I think wing size has to do the bouyance shift of the tank (full vs empt) than with the absolute bouyance of the tank. If someone is diving in 3mm/5mm with a single tank that is -26lb full, then the tank is a wrong tank for this kind of diving regardless the wing size.

But yeah, I agree, if 15L steel tank is what we know as LP95, then 30lb wing should be sufficient.

The buoyancy shift (the difference between full and empty) will be the same with all the tanks. I have actually dove the Heiser 120 in a 2 pc 7 mil with a jacket BC (40 or 44 lbs lift). The good thing about is that you needed no weight. The bad thing about it is a wing failure could kill you. I only dove it in a quarry so if the wing failed I could swim to the surface on a breath hold if need be. Heiser also made a 190 CF tank the was over 60 lbs negative. I am not sure what the purpose of these tanks were because the buoyancy characteristics were horrible.

The wing needs to float the rig and compensate for wetsuit compression. The diver is least buoyant at depth at the start of the dive. His buoyancy will increase as he uses up the air and if he decreases his depth.

 

[Nasser]

Just a quick follow up - I ended going with the 40 lbs wing. After having consulted with Halcyon tech support and the regional Halcyon dealer, they both recommended going with the larger wing if using larger and heavier tanks, the integrated weights, and a thicker wetsuit.

So I recently took delivery and just dove with the new wing. Despite not being able to compare it directly with the 30 lbs. wing, I found it to be very stramlined with no noticeably excessive drag and remarkably stable. I feel that with the various configurations that I will encounter diving here in the Red Sea and abroad I should have most of my bases covered.

Thanks to everyone for all your input and support - much appreciated.

 

[BoltSnap]

Just a quick follow up - I ended going with the 40 lbs wing. After having consulted with Halcyon tech support and the regional Halcyon dealer, they both recommended going with the larger wing if using larger and heavier tanks, the integrated weights, and a thicker wetsuit.

So I recently took delivery and just dove with the new wing. Despite not being able to compare it directly with the 30 lbs. wing, I found it to be very stramlined with no noticeably excessive drag and remarkably stable. I feel that with the various configurations that I will encounter diving here in the Red Sea and abroad I should have most of my bases covered.

Thanks to everyone for all your input and support - much appreciated.

Salam Nasser,

Was this the first time you used a BP/W BC? If so, how did you deal with learn how to use it in terms of floating on the surface and remaining vertical and not face down? Any other differences between it and a jacket BC that you had to deal with and learn how to use it?

 

[Nasser]

Salam Nasser,

Was this the first time you used a BP/W BC? If so, how did you deal with learn how to use it in terms of floating on the surface and remaining vertical and not face down? Any other differences between it and a jacket BC that you had to deal with and learn how to use it?

Yes indeed this is my first BP & Wing (although I've used back inflate BCDs before). I found the transition from a jacket to a BP & Wing very natural and easy. It only took me one dive to dial in my weighting and fine tune the fit of the harness - the shoulder straps really don't need to be tight at all as most of the secureness of the fit will come from the waist strap and crotch strap.

As far as the wing on the surface... I did not find any major issues with being pushed forward. I find that it's not necessary to inflate it so much to stay on the surface, but if I need to inflate it more, then I can lean backwards and I'm fine. The major difference was the remarkable stability and control and the ease of getting into trim properly... it's a very natural position that it puts you in, and really feels like gliding. You can have much more precise control over buoyancy and stay very stable in a variety of different positions... much more so than a jacket in my experience.

Highly recommended!