Are we over obsessed with Wing lift accuracy?

[Wookie]

I have multiple wings, including Dive Rite Classics and Dual Classics, Oxycheks, and other wings. I have no clue what the lift is actual or rated on any of my dozen wings. I use them according to what rig I'm diving. So, no, we are not obsessed. Not all of us, anyway.

 

[TSandM]

I think that was Dan Volker, who was very pleased with the stability he found with a set of Al80 doubles and a doubles wing. And I'll be the first to admit that the width of a set of doubles, and the width of the wing, gives you a lot of stability around your longitudinal axis. But most of us, when we have dived a bit, have learned to balance that "keel" on our backs, just as we learn to ride a bicycle. I turned turtle a lot when I was a new diver, and I never do it now. It wasn't a gear change that made the difference -- it was mastering the balance.

 

[cool_hardware52]

I think that was Dan Volker, who was very pleased with the stability he found with a set of Al80 doubles and a doubles wing. And I'll be the first to admit that the width of a set of doubles, and the width of the wing, gives you a lot of stability around your longitudinal axis. But most of us, when we have dived a bit, have learned to balance that "keel" on our backs, just as we learn to ride a bicycle. I turned turtle a lot when I was a new diver, and I never do it now. It wasn't a gear change that made the difference -- it was mastering the balance.

+1

Tobin

 

[SCU5]

It's a factor of how optimal you want your rig to be and how much money you want to drop into wings.

When I lived in SE Asia I loved having a 17lb wing, it was easy to dive and super slim. When I realized I was going to be diving cold water again in the states I sold it and got a 30lb wing, which dives just fine in tropical waters and has enough lift to dive dry in my now local waters in NorCal.

If I lived in SE Asia and dove exclusively in warm waters and 3mm wetsuits, I would be happy with a 17lb wing.
If I won the lottery or got free gear, I would dive a 17lb wing and a 30lb wing.
Seeing as how neither of the above are my situation, I dive a 30lb wing - it covers all my bases just fine.

You're situation may vary, feel free to optimize, or not, as much as you see fit.

 

[cool_hardware52]

It's a factor of how optimal you want your rig to be and how much money you want to drop into wings.

When I lived in SE Asia I loved having a 17lb wing, it was easy to dive and super slim. When I realized I was going to be diving cold water again in the states I sold it and got a 30lb wing, which dives just fine in tropical waters and has enough lift to dive dry in my now local waters in NorCal.

If I lived in SE Asia and dove exclusively in warm waters and 3mm wetsuits, I would be happy with a 17lb wing.
If I won the lottery or got free gear, I would dive a 17lb wing and a 30lb wing.
Seeing as how neither of the above are my situation, I dive a 30lb wing - it covers all my bases just fine.

You're situation may vary, feel free to optimize, or not, as much as you see fit.

Wings need to be sized for the diver's most buoyant exposure suit. The majority of my customers dive cold water at home and warm water on vacation. I routinely recommend sizing their wing to for cold water, and to take this "cold water" wing on their next warm water vacation. Most report that it performs adequately in both cold and warm. A few, in particular those diving a lot in warm will elect to purchase a second smaller wing.

None have reported problems with stability.

Careful selection of the wing for cold water helps keep it from being far to large for warm water.

Tobin

 

[nimoh]

I believe in the right tool for the right job, which includes the right wing for the right configuration. Guessing is fine, but calculation is better.

 

[Kern]

I think that was Dan Volker, who was very pleased with the stability he found with a set of Al80 doubles and a doubles wing. And I'll be the first to admit that the width of a set of doubles, and the width of the wing, gives you a lot of stability around your longitudinal axis. But most of us, when we have dived a bit, have learned to balance that "keel" on our backs, just as we learn to ride a bicycle. I turned turtle a lot when I was a new diver, and I never do it now. It wasn't a gear change that made the difference -- it was mastering the balance.

No, he was talking about single tanks & wings as well.

Now choice of wing can mitigate this quite a bit…..worst would be the 18 pound wing I liked, for it’s lack of drag in the water, great when trying to keep up with bottlenose dolphins. For stability when stopped ( when your body is not acting like an airplane wingfrom the swim speed) , it is terrible because it has no “pontoon effect”, and because it is a horseshoe design, so air can’t quickly run from one side to the other always. The 30 pound Halcyon wings on the other hand, DO have a “pontoon effect”…they spread out at the sides like pontoons, and the small amount of air you have in them at the bottom, makes the tank become a much lower center of gravity, and you feel left to right stable, as if aided by pontoons.

 

[Pullmyfinger]

I like to be close in choosing the correct amount of lift, but another factor that is important is the shape or cut of the wing.
A little more lift than needed is ok, but some people go with the biggest wing they can get..."just because".

In regards to wing shape, a bad example I have owned was a single tank wing, the Dive Rite Venture wing. It was 40 lbs. of lift and was shaped to always have the bubble at my waist.
I sold it and got a DSS LCD 30. It has a narrower center panel than the Dive Rite did, and the overall cut/shape and size are very close to the tank.
30 lbs. was more lift than I needed when I lived on Guam, but I took a trip each year to Alaska, so 30 lbs. was a good choice overall. The 40 lb. Venture was entirely too much lift for warm water diving, that size and shape did create delays when it came to venting gas. The bubble wanted to stay at the lower corners at the hips.

My negative experience with the overly large and oddly shaped Venture made me appreciate the appropriately sized and shaped wings.

Another example of shape....my wife has a DSS Torus 38 for double aluminum 80's. Compared to another 40 lb. doubles wings that I have, the Torus 38 has a shape that keeps the bubble more at the sweet spot. Not a real big deal I guess, but it's something I now pay attention to when buying a new rig.

-Mitch

 

[Ste Wart]

I picked up my APEKS WTX3 & 6 a few years back when they were going for song (price has gone up about a third in the UK). Did I do wing lift calculations... no.
Did I do bank account calculations .. Yes!

 

[DevonDiver]

I don't do wing lift calculations - I just know how much gas I put into any given wing...and whether that wing has surplus capacity for my needs, or whether it is insufficient. I won't rush to the shops... I never upgrade anything that works ok... but on my next purchase, I will get something more adequate, if it is available.

For a user buying their first wing, without the benefit of experience, trial and error.... then the 'wing lift calculator' gives them a good starting point. Most importantly, it prevents them buying a wing with inadequate buoyancy. It also prevents new users buying something monstrous 'just in case'.

I'd hazard a guess that a lot of us who recommend the 'wing lift calculator' don't actually use it ourselves. Why should we? We're already wing users.

If it stops just one noobie going out and buying a 90lb OMS wing "suitable for single and doubles", then it's worth its weight in gold