Backplate and Wing - Weights

[Taath]

First off, I apologize in advance if my ability to search has failed me (I have a nagging feeling that it has).

I recently ordered a brand new Deep6 backplate and wing setup. I ordered a SS plate. I'll be using a non-weighted STA and cam bands with SS buckles. This is my first BP/W setup, been diving exclusively sidemount.

I am hoping that for tropical diving I may not need to add any weight. But when diving at home in my drysuit or over in California in my drysuit I am sure I will need to add a decent amount of additional weight.

I am not keen on the idea of a weight belt. Thinking of adding 2 trim weight pockets (up to 5 lbs each) to each of the cam bands. I figure as long as I maintain a balanced rig I don't really need any ditchables. This will give me up to 20 lbs of non-ditchable weight plus the 6 lbs from the SS plate and maybe another 1.5 from the STA/cam bands. I THINK that should be enough for cold saltwater diving. I am, however, still using AL80s. Eventually I'll switch and get something like a LP95 for the BP/W.

Any thoughts? Am I on the right track or should I consider other options? Was also looking at the Diverite 16 lbs ditchable weight system that goes on the waist. If it's unnecessary then I'd much prefer to maintain the simplicity that comes with the one piece continuous harness and minimal stuff on the waist belt.

Last question, I want to make some of those rubber bands that are commonly used on webbing. My sidemount rig came with several so I haven't needed to make any from innertube. Can anyone recommend what size bicycle innertube to use?

 

[dumpsterDiver]

I would carefully consider the potential for problems with having all that lead unditchable. In an emergency, I would want to be able to drop some lead. If you can get a weightbelt down to 12 lbs or so, they are generally pretty comfortable and manageable and taking the lead off your BC/tank makes it a hell of a lot easier to handle on the boat etc.

I'm partial to using rubber "freedive" weightbelts, being able to drop some lead instantly in an emergency is a big issue for me. Also, if you are using a crotch strap on the BP/W, you MAY want to run it over the weightbelt, which would preclude an accidental dropping/loss of the wt belt, but it does slow the ditching of it..

edit: I also see that you are listed as a solo diver. What happens if/when you get entangled and have to remove the scuba unit to inspect and free yourself? If you have ALL of your ballast (assuming you have a lot of it) on your rig, when you take it off, YOU are gonna wanna float and the tank may want to sink.. In a situation like this, wearing a weightbelt provides a distinct "(safety) advantage.

 

[tbone1004]

how much lead do you need when diving locally with a jacket bc? Subtract 8-10lbs from that and that is as much lead as you are going to need on the belt. Unlikely to need anything in the tropics, but no one knows with the drysuit.

The mako freedive belt mentioned above is quite nice. I never wear lead so I don't own one, but if I did, that is where I would be looking, long before I got ditchable weight pouches

 

[Taath]

Some great points.

I also see that you are listed as a solo diver. What happens if/when you get entangled and have to remove the scuba unit to inspect and free yourself? If you have ALL of your ballast (assuming you have a lot of it) on your rig, when you take it off, YOU are gonna wanna float and the tank may want to sink.. In a situation like this, wearing a weightbelt provides a distinct "(safety) advantage.

Excellent point dumpsterDiver. My main concern with the weight belt was the idea of having a weight belt on and then putting the waist belt of the harness over that. Seems like it would be sloppy to me, but I have no experience in this realm.

how much lead do you need when diving locally with a jacket bc?

Great question tbone. Frankly, I don't know. I have been diving sidemount exclusively over the past 2 years. When I switched over to sidemount I had about 30-40 dives on a Aqualung Pro HD BCD. If I recall correctly, in fresh water in a 5mil I was using somewhere in the area of 12 lbs, but I was likely overweighted due to inexperience.

When diving locally in fresh water with my Xdeep Stealth Tec, two AL80s, and my drysuit with thermal fusion undergarment I am sitting at about 12 lbs. That leaves me capable of holding a safety stop at 15 feet with both tanks at 500 psi.

Now salt water, such as my last trip to Catalina Island, is a totally different story. Last trip to Catalina I was at 30 lbs ballast. Again with two AL80s. Didn't get down to 500 PSI on any of the dives, but weighting felt like it was pretty close to being right.

So for fresh water with an AL80 and drysuit I am thinking I will need about 9-10 lbs of ballast total. So about 2 lbs extra over my BP/W and STA, give or take. Salt, maybe 26-27 lbs total? 19-20 lbs of ballast seems like a lot to put on a weight belt under my rig. Guess I could get a weighted STA for that sort of diving, but I'd still be looking at 13-14 lbs on a belt which seems less than ideal.

Maybe a pair of trim pouches on cam bands and put 2 lbs in each and then the remaining 10 on a belt?

 

[dumpsterDiver]

That seems like too big of an increase in lead when going to the ocean. How much do you weigh? Also, you wear a weightbelt low -- like a gun slinger and it is just belwo your harness waist strap.

 

[Taath]

I weight just under 200 lbs. As for the positioning, I see what you mean.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

The extra lead for the ocean can be calculated by 0.025 * (divers body + all gear taken in water) .. so if you weigh 200 and your double tanks etc, is 100 lbs you would need 7.5 lbs more lead in the ocean.

 

[Taath]

The extra lead for the ocean can be calculated by 0.025 * (divers body + all gear taken in water) .. so if you weigh 200 and your double tanks etc, is 100 lbs you would need 7.5 lbs more lead in the ocean.

DD, not doubting, just hadn't heard of that formula before. I can tell you that 20-22 lbs of lead wouldn't have worked for me in salt....especially not if I was at 500 psi in both tanks.

 

[ScubaSteve858]

I dive a SS BP/W with a HP100 in local San Diego waters. I have a trilam DS and weigh about 200 lbs. I'm new to DS diving but am wearing 8lbs steel dss plates attached to plate and 12lbs. On a weight belt. Total weight with plate is 26lbs. I feel properly weighted at 500 psi during safety stop. You would most likely need 6 additional lbs with al80. I use a soft belt with pouches for soft weights. Its comfortable, I don't notice it. I would only dive steel in ocean with DS. Just my two cents...

 

[dumpsterDiver]

DD, not doubting, just hadn't heard of that formula before. I can tell you that 20-22 lbs of lead wouldn't have worked for me in salt....especially not if I was at 500 psi in both tanks.

I have no idea how much (absolute) lead you need in fresh or saltwater, but the difference in the weighting requirements is pretty exact, since sea water has a specific gravity of very close to 1.025 (when the salinity is around 3.5%).