All about Halcyon wings

[Uncle Pug]

detroit diver once bubbled...
I think of you every time I dump air!!

:warhammer

Swell...

 

[100days-a-year]

Rear dump on descent,either on ascent depending on my orientation.Never had my Halcyon do as you described,thier wings are a liitle less flexible (good thing) so it's a little harder for me to tuck it in on accident.

 

[Iguana Don]

Uncle Pug once bubbled...

:warhammer

Swell...

Well, that beats, "I Think of you every time I dump."

Jut my opinion anyway!

 

[JamesK]

I usually only use my inflator dump when I start my initial descent. The only time I will use my inflator dump while underwater is if for some reason my light head is on my right hand. Most of the tie though, I use the rear dump.

 

[Taische Lingus]

I had been looking for a Pioneer 27, but have come upon the opportunity to pick up a Pioneer 36 at a good price. I will, for the most part, be diving an AL 80 in warm water with no more than a two-piece 3mm FJ at the peak of winter (and much less in the summer). I was wondering if anyone on the board has been diving a Pioneer 36 in warm water, and specifically whether I should expect the bellows at the waist to make trim more difficult in this environment. If the 36 is a really bad idea, I could always wait for a 27 to turn up.

Thanks in advance.

 

[drizzt117]

I opted for the 27# wing for the same reasons, but from what I've read, it doesn't make much difference. Wish I knew more.

Thomas

 

[Uncle Pug]

...doesn't make that much difference. If it is a good enough deal get the 36.

 

[newton]

I was wondering if anyone on the board has been diving a Pioneer 36 in warm water, and specifically whether I should expect the bellows at the waist to make trim more difficult in this environment. If the 36 is a really bad idea, I could always wait for a 27 to turn up.

Not at all. My wife and I both have the 36# wing, and primarily dive in cold water. However, this Spring we took our setup to Cozumel, and the 36# wing worked great. Because of the warm water and vacation, we ended up with 20 dives in a 10 day period, which normally takes us a couple of months to get.

I have to admit that it was really nice not having any weight at all using our 3mm suits (except for the 6# SS BP), although some would argue that we should have used an Al BP and added some ditchable weight when diving warm water. Next time I'll probably buy some Al plates and use that instead, but at the time I figured I could probably have swam it up in the event of an emergency. But, if it was my everday setup, I'd have went with the Al plate instead of the SS.

Bottom line is that the 36# wing worked great, but I'd go with the Al instead of a SS BP if I was primarily diving warm water. The difference between the 27# and 36# wing is the way it bellows out, which only comes into effect when you inflate the wing all the way up (which should only happen when you're on the surface, and won't effect your streamlining much at all underwater.

Basically, if I moved to a warm climate, I would stick with my current 36# wing.

Hope this helps!


Nate

ps. In Coz, there was another diver using the Halcyon setup with a 27# wing, and underwater I couldn't tell the difference between his and my wife's in terms of how it looks (wrap around the tank), but that is a completely subjective answer.

 

[Aquamaniac]

I have a #36, I find it great for Singles, Al or Steel. As mentioned above, the plate is more of an issue, with my Big 'ol light and an LP95, I really should have an Ally plate rather than SS.

 

[lanun]

i do use 36lb wings w/SS BP, 3mm full suit, al80 (rental) tank. i am happy with the set-up - haven't noticed the bellow to be a hindrance, though never had the occasion to really inflate the wings. if i had money to burn would i switch to a 27 ? probably not. ps when i got the system i was diving dry w/a HP100 tank.