Al80 doubles

[Evans]

Hi. Quick questions if anyone wants to answer.

I haven't looked up the actual numbers exactly, but am I about right that going from a single al80 to doubles would mean adding about 3 lbs to the belt and adding about, oh, like 7 lbs capasity to the wing (like, would a 45 lb wing do, or would I need 55)?

Also, does anyone dive al80s with drysuits?

And, do they even make an isolator manifold with yoke, and if so, would it be stupid to use it for what amounts to basically a set of training doubles (i.e., not to be used very deep or for more than barely technical dives)? Or would I need to just bite the bullet and buy two completely new regulators?

And finally, can anyone comment on the relative merits of DiveRite classic wings vs. AUL vs. whatever? Again, not for serious tech stuff, just training wheels doubles.

 

[Scuba_Vixen]

are going to about cover the extra 3 or 4 pounds of bouyancy. (a manifold is a bit heavier than 2 k valves also) A 45# wing is plenty, especially if you don't carry deco/stage bottles. You'll surely want a SS backplate for dry diving. If you get a 200bar manifold, they usually have the screw in adapters that let you use yoke valves on them. BUT, you can usually, depending on make, get DIN kits for your regs. That would be the better way to go...use a 300 bar manifold and put DIN conversion kits on the regs. There's no reason to make "training wheels" doubles. Get a decent set of bands, and 300bar Sea Elite manifold, din kit the regs, dive the hell out of them.

As a side note, while I think I got the intended meaning, always treat any dive seriously. I treat a 30' dive as seriously as a 300' dive. Better to be too meticulous than insufficiently so.

Good luck and have fun..

Darlene

 

[japan-diver]

Here we use AL80 in doubles almost exclusively on our rigs. I use 40lb wing or my Dive Rite Trek wing(45) for my setup and its plenty even with one or two AL40's clipped on.

 

[Don Burke]

Evans once bubbled... Hi. Quick questions if anyone wants to answer.

I haven't looked up the actual numbers exactly, but am I about right that going from a single al80 to doubles would mean adding about 3 lbs to the belt and adding about, oh, like 7 lbs capasity to the wing (like, would a 45 lb wing do, or would I need 55)?

Also, does anyone dive al80s with drysuits?

And, do they even make an isolator manifold with yoke, and if so, would it be stupid to use it for what amounts to basically a set of training doubles (i.e., not to be used very deep or for more than barely technical dives)? Or would I need to just bite the bullet and buy two completely new regulators?

And finally, can anyone comment on the relative merits of DiveRite classic wings vs. AUL vs. whatever? Again, not for serious tech stuff, just training wheels doubles.

I've got a set of AL80 doubles and I've used them wet and dry.

My 45 pound wing is more than enough. If I was getting a doubles wing today, I'd get a 40.

After a couple of dives with the 80s, I went out and got a couple of sets of steel 72s for diving dry. I'm 20-something pounds lighter on the boat with steel. My back and knees really appreciate that.

The AL doubles are handy as all getout for diving wet. The steel tanks don't give me enough ditchable weight for diving wet.

I made the mistake of getting 200 BAR manifolds because I wasn't sure if I would like doubles diving. Don't do it. Diver's Supply will sell you 300 BAR manifolds for the same money.

I got a good price on a couple of Apeks regulators. I would have converted my existing regs if that deal hadn't come up.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I agree that steel 72's are real weigtht savers in terms of lead required and the overall weight of the rig on the boat.

I dive them wet and dry and find that with a 7mm semi-dry I have about 12 lbs of ditchable weight with a SS backplate. You can improve the situation slightly with an AL backplate but still may not have enough ditchable weight with a thinner suit.

Also for cold water diving 45 lbs is about the minimum with double 80's but in my opinion a little inadequate for cold water diving in a 7mm wet suit of semi dry. 55lbs is better and I dive with a 75 lb bladder. It's nice to be able to get well above the water in chop.

I also agree with the statement to treat all your dives the same. Shallow dives kill, they just do it through complacency. It's also a good idea to dive the same general configuration all the time to build and maintain familiarity with it.

 

[Don Burke]

DA Aquamaster once bubbled... I agree that steel 72's are real weigtht savers in terms of lead required and the overall weight of the rig on the boat.

I dive them wet and dry and find that with a 7mm semi-dry I have about 12 lbs of ditchable weight with a SS backplate. You can improve the situation slightly with an AL backplate but still may not have enough ditchable weight with a thinner suit.

With a 5/3 wetsuit in fresh water I'm about two pounds heavy with the 72s, SS backplate, and no weight. I hit the water with a total weight of about 270, so going to the ocean would require about seven pounds of change, meaning five pounds on the belt. An aluminum backplate would up that to ten pounds, and I've thought about it from time to time.

DA Aquamaster once bubbled... Also for cold water diving 45 lbs is about the minimum with double 80's but in my opinion a little inadequate for cold water diving in a 7mm wet suit of semi dry. 55lbs is better and I dive with a 75 lb bladder. It's nice to be able to get well above the water in chop.
]

I see your point. The 7mm would challenge the 45. The doubles wouldn't be an issue as the extra 80 is only adding about five pounds of swing.